Brother White says: “In April, 1868, my wife was baptized by the Rev. W. E. Northcross, and her devoted life constrained me to desire peace with God. My wife overthrew all my old ways and lovingly compelled me into the ways of the Lord.” At once he became zealous for the cause of Christ, and soon began to speak as opportunity offered itself, first at Russellville and then at Tuscumbia. At the request of a church which he had built up near Tuscumbia, Rev. W. E. Northcross called a council, and on October 8, 1873, solemnly set him apart to the office of the ministry. He has attained to some knowledge of books, of which he is still an industrious student. Before his whole time was employed in the ministry he taught in the public schools. The good people of Russellville and Florence have long held to him as pastor. Brother White owes much to his excellent, Christian wife, who has been a helpmeet for him since 1865. He is a hospitable brother and faithful Christian minister. White, Rev. J. W., the son of Claburne and Elizabeth Hatcher, was born in Dallas county, Ala., in October, 1839, eleven miles south of Selma, on the Alabama River. He takes his name from the Mr. White who owned his mother. He was baptized into the St. Phillip Street Baptist Church, Selma, by Rev. John Blevins, in September, 1868. He was ordained to the work of the ministry by the above named church, in August, 1875, Revs. J. Dosier, J. Carter, Henry Stevens, and John Blevins, officiating presbytery. Bro. White was at one time moderator of the Uniontown Association; was for some months missionary under the American Baptist Publication Society; was pastor, at different times, of the Mt. Zion, the Summerfield, the St. Paul, and the Providence Churches, near Selma; was pastor at Camden, Ala., and recently retired from the pastorate of the Sixth Avenue Church, Birmingham. He has from the first been officially connected with the Selma University, in which he studied for about three sessions, being the first ministerial student who was enrolled. He is an earnest preacher and a studious man, so that it may be said of him that he is an elevator of the people on all lines. He relates the following story: “During the war, and at a time when things looked rather dark for the South, my stepfather and I were attending a Presbyterian meeting, when he was called on to pray God to ‘drive back our enemies.’ Father prayed: ‘O Lord, drive back our enemies.’ When we were at home alone I told him that I found fault with his prayer, for it was really against the interest of his people. The old man answered: ‘The _our_ meant the colored people, and the word _enemies_ referred to our oppressive chains.’”