Samuel Augustus Hayden
Encyclopedia
Samuel Augustus Hayden was a Baptist
pastor, denominational leader and newspaper publisher. Hayden was born in Washington Parish, Louisiana
, U.S.
on April 7, 1839. He was the son of Allen and Nancy McLendon Hayden. S. A. Hayden married Mary Guion Relya on July 2, 1868 and five children were born to them.
After service in the army of the Confederate States of America
, he served as a pastor and teacher in Louisiana. He came to Texas in 1874. He pastored churches in Paris, Galveston, and Dallas.
He purchased the newspaper Texas Baptist from Robert Cooke Buckner in 1883. Thereafter Hayden became a chief proponent of consolidating the five regional bodies, the two newspapers, and the two schools of Baptists in Texas. The consolidation of Baptist bodies was effected in 1886, with the formation of the Baptist General Convention of Texas
. After this consolidation, Hayden purchased the other newspaper, J. B. Link's Texas Baptist Herald, and changed the name to Texas Baptist and Herald. J. Frank Norris
bought the paper in 1907 and it was no longer published after 1908.
Hayden and his paper played a major part in a controversy among Texas Baptists at the end of the 19th century. Hayden and others became convinced of financial mismanagement on the part of the corresponding secretary of the Convention and other improprieties associated with the missions board. Through his newspaper he waged war on those activities he thought improper. Hayden was denied a seat as a delegate at the 1897 State Convention, and was eventually expelled from it. This controversy led to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas (see Baptist Missionary Association
). This association was formed against the advice of Hayden, who wanted to continue the fight within the Convention. Hayden sued over his unseating, which resulted in two hung juries and two victories. Though the victories were appealed, the court actions ended in 1905, when J. B. Cranfill made an out of court settlement and paid $300 to Hayden.
Samuel Augustus Hayden died in Dallas, Texas
on October 10, 1918.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
pastor, denominational leader and newspaper publisher. Hayden was born in Washington Parish, Louisiana
Washington Parish, Louisiana
Washington Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Franklinton. In 2000, its population was 43,926....
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on April 7, 1839. He was the son of Allen and Nancy McLendon Hayden. S. A. Hayden married Mary Guion Relya on July 2, 1868 and five children were born to them.
After service in the army of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, he served as a pastor and teacher in Louisiana. He came to Texas in 1874. He pastored churches in Paris, Galveston, and Dallas.
He purchased the newspaper Texas Baptist from Robert Cooke Buckner in 1883. Thereafter Hayden became a chief proponent of consolidating the five regional bodies, the two newspapers, and the two schools of Baptists in Texas. The consolidation of Baptist bodies was effected in 1886, with the formation of the Baptist General Convention of Texas
Baptist General Convention of Texas
The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. The churches cooperating with the Baptist General Convention of Texas partner nationally and internationally with both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,...
. After this consolidation, Hayden purchased the other newspaper, J. B. Link's Texas Baptist Herald, and changed the name to Texas Baptist and Herald. J. Frank Norris
J. Frank Norris
John Franklyn Norris was a flamboyant Baptist preacher, one of the most controversial figures in the history of fundamentalism.-Biography:...
bought the paper in 1907 and it was no longer published after 1908.
Hayden and his paper played a major part in a controversy among Texas Baptists at the end of the 19th century. Hayden and others became convinced of financial mismanagement on the part of the corresponding secretary of the Convention and other improprieties associated with the missions board. Through his newspaper he waged war on those activities he thought improper. Hayden was denied a seat as a delegate at the 1897 State Convention, and was eventually expelled from it. This controversy led to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas (see Baptist Missionary Association
Baptist Missionary Association of America
The Baptist Missionary Association of America is a fellowship of autonomous Baptist churches for the purpose of benevolence, Christian education, and missions....
). This association was formed against the advice of Hayden, who wanted to continue the fight within the Convention. Hayden sued over his unseating, which resulted in two hung juries and two victories. Though the victories were appealed, the court actions ended in 1905, when J. B. Cranfill made an out of court settlement and paid $300 to Hayden.
Samuel Augustus Hayden died in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
on October 10, 1918.