Elder A. Kerley and his brother are the chief founders of this body. They greatly need an infusion of light from without. Rev. James Kerley, the pastor at Springville, is an ex-student of Talladega College. While they were in session in Ashville in 1892 the white people gave them the use of their church, and pastors, mayor of the city, and other leading people, turned out to encourage them and to financially strengthen their enterprises. While there, a white minister related to the writer the following story: “When the late Dr. Renfroe was a young man he was very poor, though, as later in his life, he was a powerful preacher. In the height of a glorious revival, the grass in his crop called him to his field. A colored brother who wanted the meeting to continue, requested his master to allow him to prolong the meeting. His master replied: ‘Jim, you can’t read, you can’t preach.’ The slave replied: ‘I can _plow_ and _kill grass_--can do these _for Brother Renfroe_.’” * * * * * Gleaning from the associational chapter, we obtain: 1. The origin and field of each Association. 2. The names of the pioneers in each section in the State. 3. The location and something of the history of churches and communities. 4. Something of the lines of thought and action prevailing in the various gospel enterprises of the denomination. It was not thought well to try to tell the same things many times over; hence, some things are given in connection with _one_ Association and other things in connection with _another_--all aiming at the same end, namely: THE GIVING OF A TRUE PICTURE OF THE COLORED BAPTISTS OF ALABAMA. [Illustration: Rev. W. T. Bibb, A. B., Pastor Baptist Church, Oxmoor, Ala.] _IV. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES._ Adams, Rev. Stewart, of Greenville, Butler county, was the chief leader and organizer in that section of the State for the first seventeen or eighteen years of freedom. He was a pure-blooded Negro, and was possessed of a fine personal appearance. His forehead was large and broad, and the sparkle of his eye indicated the presence of mental power. He could read and write fairly well, and in his speeches always succeeded in conveying his thoughts to others. He was for some years missionary in that part of the State under the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York, during which time he organized many churches, which were united to form the Union Baptist Association. His neatness in dress and caution in the use of words were everywhere noticeable. It was sometimes thought that he was rather tenacious of his opinions, but I think all his brethren credited him with honesty of purpose, and hence he died in the love and respect of the denomination. Allen, Rev. Wallace, of Greenville, was a very pious, hard-working preacher in the Union Association. The young men delight to honor his memory. The author has been unable to learn anything of his history or lineage.