Page:The Afro-American Press.djvu/204

196 Having professed faith in Christ, he determined to enter the Richmond theological seminary, at Richmond, Va., in 1881. Completing a course of three years, he was, to his surprise, called to the pastorate of a large church in Petersburg, Va. His labors at this church have been highly successful. He published, in 1884, a book of sermons, preached at various times. It is a volume of four hundred and twenty pages, and is replete with evidence of his ability as a theologian.

His journalistic career began with the launching of The Pilot, a monthly religious sheet, May 16, 1888, of which he was the founder, proprietor and editor. It was at once made the organ of the Virginia Baptist State Convention. After the suspension of The Baptist Companion, at Portsmouth, the Baptists had no organ through which they could speak, until the founding of The Pilot, which afforded them a mouth-piece.

The Pilot became popular at once, and in demand. After having experienced the "troubles "of journalistic life one year, Mr. Gordon became so pleased with its success that in May, 1889, it was issued weekly. It can be said of this weekly sheet, as can be said of few others, that it is sustained by the Baptists of the state. Virginia is proud of The National Pilot, and proud of this young divine.

In closing this sketch of Rev. Mr. Gordon, we could not say more of his present and future career than is said by a writer in The Indianapolis Freeman of March 30, 1889, which we here quote:

"To write a full and elaborate estimate of the brilliant and growing subject of this sketch, would be impossible in an ordinary newspaper article; therefore, suffice it to say, that as an author, orator, poet, essayist and divine, the negro race in this country has hardly produced his equal, at his age, 28."