REFLECTIONS - PAGE 7
A TRIBUTE TO BROTHER JASPER N. BARNETTE
November 4th, 1956 - By J. C. Washburn.
Jasper N. Barnette was born in Mitchell County, North Carolina Oct. 4,
1887, son of the late James D. and Sarah Amanda Jones Barnette. The family
moved back to Cleveland about the year 1891.
Jasper united with the Double Springs Baptist Church by experience. He
was baptized in July 1902.
During his boyhood in the community he attended the public school, later
entering Ruebush Kieffer School of music in Daton Va.
Following his graduation he taught music at Round Hill Academy, Rutherford
County N. C. for some time. Later he rejoined his family who had moved to
Shelby, N. C.
As he grew to full manhood he became more and more interested in Sunday
School work, and for several years he was superintendent of the Sunday School
at the Second Baptist Church in Shelby. His Pastor, Rev. John W. Suttle was a
source of help and encouragement to him.
During this period he was married to Miss Edna Hawkins of the Double
Springs community. Soon after his marriage he bought a farm in the Double
Springs community where they came to make their home.
There children, J. N. Jr. now living in Miami Florida, and Mary Sue, now
Mrs. Rupen Gulbenk, of Nashville, Tenn. were born here.
In 1917, soon afer they moved into the community Bro. Jasper was elected
superintendent of the Sunday School of Double Springs Baptist Church.
He was largely responsible for the wonderful growth of the Sunday School
from six classes to a school fully graded and departmentalized, ultimately
reaching the Advanced Standard. The first rural school to attain this high
rating.
Within a few months after the Barnettes returned to the community their
former pastor, Rev. J. W. Suttle was called as Pastor of the Double Springs
Church. They made a splindid team in planning for the erection of a modern an
well equipped building to care for the growing Sunday School.
Mr. Barnette was made chairman of the Building committee and was never to
busy with personal affairs to lend a hand with the work day or night. In fact
one night after a hard days work on the farm, he hauled brick all night that
the workmen might have material on hand next day to continue the construction
of the building.
During his superintendency the building was completed and equipped, a
weekly meeting of the Sunday School officers and teachers organized, and a
Training Union, then B. Y. P. U. started. With all his numerous duties he
found time to visit the sick, or needy, and to enlist workers for the church.
Brother Jasper's outstanding work in the church and association attracted
the attention of our State Sunday School leaders and in 1923 he was called by
the State Sunday School Secretary, E. L. Middleton, to become field worker for
the Eastern section of the State with headquarters in Dunn. Later he was
promoted as field secretary of the entire State, living in Hickory.
Soon his wonderful success in Sunday School work was noted by the Sunday
School workers of our Sunday School Board in Nashville, Tenn. and in March,
1927, he accepted a position with Mr. Arthur Flake, who was Administration
Secretary of the Sunday School Department there. Since this date Mr. Barnette
and family have lived in Nashville, where he has had several promotions at our
Sunday School Board.
He now holds the highest position in the Sunday School field offered by
our Southern Baptist Convention, that of Secretary of the Sunday School
Department, of the Sunday School Board.
At this date (April 1954) Mr. Barnette is touring our mission fields in
South America with our Southern Baptist Sunday School Program.
Hardin-Simmons College of Texas confered the degree of Dr. of Humanity, on
Bro. Jasper, around 1950.
Mrs. Zula Barnette Short and A. V. Washburn Sr. & wife Edith Green
Department, of the Sunday School Board.
At this date (April 1954) Mr. Barnette is touring our mission fields in
South America with our Southern Baptist Sunday School Program.
Hardin-Simmons College of Texas confered the degree of Dr. of Humanity, on
Bro. Jasper, around 1950.
Mrs. Zula Barnette Short and A. V. Washburn Sr. & wife Edith Green
Washburn gave me most of this record.
When we first began to talk of building a new church, Preacher Suttle went
to Jasper Barnette and said to him, "I think the time has come to build a new
church house". (There were no churches in the country like the one we built at
that time.)
Jasper said, "Edna and I have been planning to build us a new home across
the road in front of our old home, but if you think it is time to build a new
church house, we will build that first."
As I came through Nashville, Tennessee several years ago I made it a point
to hunt Brother Jasper up. He was living in the home of Dr. Holcombe,
president of the Southern Baptist Convention Board.
He is still living there now and has never built that new home yet, I
understand - this November 4, 1956.
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