A SKETCH
OF
Charles T. Walker, D. D.
PASTOR OF TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH,
AUGUSTA, GA.
BY
Silas Xavier Floyd, A. B.,
EDITOR OF THE WEEKLY SENTINEL.
AUGUSTA, GA.,
Sentinel Publishing Co.,
1892.
Charles Thomas Walker was born on the 11th day ofJanuary, 1858, at Hephzibah, Ga. Hephzibah is in Richmondcounty about 14 miles south-west of Augusta. Heis the youngest of 11 children of whom 6 are dead and 5are living. His father, Thomas Walker, was buried theday before he was born. His mother, Mrs. Hannah Walker,died in 1866, little Charley being, at the time, only 8years old.
Thus, even before Charles was born, his mother wasdraped in the weeds of widowhood, and he first openedhis eyes on the light of this world as a fatherless child.Thus, also, in early childhood, even before he had any realizingsense of his true condition, he was compelled bythe stern, but beneficent discipline of an Alwise Providenceto wail forth the cry of complete orphanage.
On Wednesday before the first Sunday in June, 1873,while young Walker was hoeing cotton, he decided toseek the Lord. He left the field that day and went intothe woods, and remained in the woods from Wednesdayafternoon without eating, drinking or seeing anyone, untilthe following Saturday afternoon when he was converted.He was baptised on the first Sunday in July by his uncle,the Rev. Nathan Walker, then pastor of the FranklinCovenant Church, a faithful servant of the Master, whostill lives, shedding light and love among the people.
Young Walker immediately became an active andzealous Christian, and was impressed with the thoughtthat he was called of God to preach the gospel. Accordinglyin 1874, he entered the Augusta Institute, a theologicalschool located at Augusta and presided over by thelate Joseph T. Robert, D. D., L. L. D. This school hassince been moved to Atlanta and is now the Atlanta BaptistSeminary. In school. Mr. Walker was soon celebratedfor his great ability, for his thoroughness of scholarship,and for his exemplary deportment. He had only 6dollars when he entered school. The first term he didhis own cooking; he cooked only twice a week—on Wednesdaysand Saturdays; so great was his desire for knowledgethat he felt that he could not spare the time to cookevery day. When he had spent his six dollars he pickedup his little bundle and was on the eve of leaving school.Some of his student friends finding out the reasons ofhis proposed departure and realizing what a loss it wouldbe to them and to the cause, remonstrated with him and[3]urged him to be patient a day or so longer. One of his fellowstudents, the Rev. Dr. Love, of Savannah, Ga., wentso far as to promise him that he would provide for himpersonally until arrangements could be made. Mr. Walkerconsented to remain; meanwhile Dr. Robert had beeninformed and he, in turn succeeded in interesting threegentlemen of Dayton Ohio, in young Walker and throughthe kindness of these gentlemen, the motherless and fatherlessboy was enabled to prosecute his studies for 5years at the Augusta Institute.
In 1876, in the 18th year of his age, Mr. Walker waslicensed to preach, and on the first Sunday in May, 1877,he was ordained to the sacred office o