An Obituary

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Written by Elder C. B. Massey, on September 26, 1957, by him and him alone and no one knows he is writing it.

Captain Buie Massey, son of Lon W. Massey and wife, Millie Jent Massey, was born June 16, 1867, on Little Puncheon Creek, Macon County, Tennessee, two miles east of Haysville. My father died May 7, 1872. I was reared by a widowed mother, with no advantages in this life. I was saved at Rocky Mound Missionary Baptist church Jan. 11, 1888. I did not unite with the church until I began to read the Bible and study church history, and found the old original church that the Lord set up on the mountain near Jerusalem. He being the foundation of the church and Christ being the Chief Cornerstone, and the Apostles being the first set in the church 1 Cor. 12:28, the first set in the church being the Apostles.

And Rocky Mound Baptist church, I found was one such church with a true succession back to the first church which had been built by the Lord. I united with that church the fourth Sunday in November, 1896, and was baptized by Elder Joe S. Meador in the waters of Hoskins Branch. On July 16, 1897, I was liberated to exercise my gift[to preach]. I was ordained to the full work of the ministry, June 10, 1899 by Rocky Mound old-time Missionary Baptist church.

I was married to Miss Effie Hanes, Oct. 25, 1890. To us were born six children, three sons and three daughters. Two of the girls are dead and two sons. My daughte Belle McDonald, is still living and my son, Henry Massey, also still lives. My wife, Effie, died June 18, 1904 and she is buried at Rocky Mound Cemetery. The two dead girls are also buried there. Then I married Fannie Graves, daughter of Wilford and Harriet Graves. To this union were born two sons, Buie J. Massey and Johnnie J. Massey, both still living. This marriage took place on April 20, 1905.

I raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, July 13, 1912.

My second wife died April 27, 1930. I later married Maggie Barham, my third wife, Dec. 30, 1930. She died April 11, 1944. Later I married Mrs. Thulie Williams Oldham, widow of Elder H. C. Oldham and we lived together until March 6, 1952, when she died. I have lived alone since then.

I moved my church membership to Mt. Tabor. Later I moved by letter to Sycamore Valley Baptist church where my membership is now. My Masonic Blue Lodge is at Lafayette. My Royal Arch membership is at Carthage.

I have held 33 debates with representative men of various churches and had a large number of two-hour debates, the number being 47.

When I am dead I want Homer Alexander to embalm my old body and bury me in my Dixon Springs Burial lot, with funeral beginning at ten o'clock, with my pastor to take the lead in the funeral service. Elder Calvin Gregory, if he is still living and Elder F. W. Lambert and any others my children may want to use. Also to have my funeral wherever my children want it. I want Brother A. W. Wheeley to lead the singing. I always believe in singing out, but whatever the children want done will suit me.

I am not worthy of praise, but if anyone present desires to say anything, it will be all right.

I have been pastor of 33 different churches, with as high as seven at one time. My longest pastorate was 23 years, and the shortest was six months. Then two years, four years, 11 years, 12 years and 17 years. I am unworthy of the least of all God's mercies, and am the smallest of all saints. I want no glory. Give it all to the Lord, for He is worthy. My children have all been just as good to me as they could be and I am now in my 91st year. I have preached for 59 years. I never had had a vacation in my life. I have never had a salary for preaching. I guess others who are better than I am have salaries. I just trusted the Lord and His teaching for a living. I think I have baptized 2,000 people. Thousands have been saved in meetings I have held. I love and respect all God's preachers and I love them everyone; and every child of God, I love everyone of them and hold no envy against anyone. I always confess my faults to the Lord and forgive everyone who, I think, has wronged me before I sleep at night. I carry nothing over for another day. I esteem others better than myself and the reason I do this is because the Lord said to "Esteem others better than ourselves." The Lord also said "In everything give thanks," and I have practiced that all along.

I think the one best thing I ever did for anyone, or for the Lord's cause was to take little Myrtle and she always said she was a Massey. Maggie and I took her at six years of age and raised her. And she was just as kind and good to me as any of my children and I believe she loves me as my own children do. She is a good woman, always in a good humor so far as I know. She always called me "Daddy," and she said many times, "What would I have been if it had not been for you." She says she is saved, and joined the church at Sycamore Valley.

I do not believe there is a better church anywhere than Sycamore Valley.

My three daughters-in-law are all number one Christian ladies and are just as good as my own girl or children. My one daughter, Belle, married Elder J. E. McDonald, who is a strong, well-qualified minister and my dughter has made him, so far as I know, a number one wife. All the offspring are good and kind as can be. I love all my "in-laws" and pray for them all and wish for them the best. There is never a day but what I pray for all the Lord's preachers and all His children and all my enemies. I leave the world without anything against anybody.

Your friend and brother,

Elder C. B. Massey

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