Chambliss, J. A., D.D., the able and popular pastor of the Citadel Square church, Charleston, 8. C., was born at Athens, Ga., Aug. 30, 1840

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Chambliss, J. A., D.D., the able and popular pastor of the Citadel Square church, Charleston, 8. C., was born at Athens, Ga., Aug. 30, 1840, his father, A. W. Chambliss, D.D., being at that time pastor of the Baptist church at Athens, and teacher of the University Grammar School. The subject of this sketch studied in the preparatory depart- ment of Howard College, Marion, Ala., to which place his father had moved, until 1855, when he entered Georgetown College, Ky., and remained two years, returning to Marion, where, in 1858, he entered Howard College, graduating with the first honor in 1859. In the fall of the same year he entered the Southern Baptist Theological Semi- nary at Greenville, and was graduated alone—the Jirst graduate—in May, 1861. He professed con- version at eleven years of age, and was baptized at Marion, Ala., by Rev. J. H. DeVotie. His convic- tions in regard to preaching became settled and permanent when at Howard College, and God raised up friends to enable him to complete his education there and at the seminary,—first, in Jeremiah Brown, and then in ex-Gov. John Gill Shorter, two of God’s noblemen; both are now gone to their reward. Graduating at the seminary in his twenty-first year, he immediately settled as pastor of the church at Sumter, 8. C.; but the war coming on and bringing years full of anxiety and inter- ruptions, by calls to labor among the soldiers, he accepted a chaplaincy in the army and resigned his charge of the church, severing ties of the tenderest and most loving character. In 1866 he settled for a brief period as pastor of the Aiken, 8. C., church, removing in 1867 to Richmond, Va., at the call of the Second Baptist church of that city. This pastorate continued four years, until the expres- sion, by the pastor, of opinions on the communion question not in unison with those of the church, led to his resignation. That the Christian love and confidence of the church were retained by him is evidenced by the present to him from the church, at parting, of a purse containing nearly $1000. For one year Mr. Chambliss taught a large classical and English school in Richmond, preaching con- stantly in the city and vicinity. In the summer of 1872 it became known that his views were sub- stantially in harmony with those of the denomina- tion at large, and he received several calls from different churches. In October, 1872, he accepted the call of the Citadel Square church, Charleston, where he still remains. Nothing but eminent abili- ties and an unimpeachable character, added to un- tiring exertions, could have given Mr. Chambliss the success in life he has met, and obtained for him the love and confidence he has ever received. Should he live he will undoubtedly take rank among the highest in the denomination, and ac- complish results that will make his name honorable in the annals of Christian labor. Mr. Chambliss is gentle in manners, and is universally popular. His churches have always been enthusiastically attracted to him, and he seems to possess in the highest degree the magnetic power of winning the affections of all who come in contact with him. As a preacher, he is simple, earnest, forcible, and pre-eminently evangelical. There are few more effective preachers of the simple, soul-saving truths of the gospel. From the Baptist Encyclopedia by William Cathcart