Olney Baptist Church Member Amasses Treasury of Baptist History
By Brian Tubbs
OLNEY, Md. — Eighty-seven years ago, a young boy named Bob got interested in autographs — mainly from Big League baseball players. Over the years, his interests broadened and he began collecting autographs from astronauts, political leaders, and historical figures. Starting in 1979, he began to add letters and documents from figures influential to Baptist history. It was these documents that became the basis for the Robert R. Hudson Collection, which now resides at the American Baptist Historical Society (ABHS) at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Robert R. Hudson Collection, which now resides at the American Baptist Historical Society (ABHS) at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of Olney Baptist Church)
Bob Hudson is now 97 years young and a longtime, dear member of Olney Baptist Church. I’m honored to serve as OBC’s pastor and consider Bob a friend, even a mentor. He’s been a huge blessing to me in many ways. And we both share a love for history. For example, in the foyer of his apartment at Leisure World hangs a signed letter from my favorite American president — indeed my favorite American hero, George Washington.
Pastor Brian Tubbs with letter by George Washington. (Photo courtesy of Olney Baptist Church0
Bob is not just a history enthusiast, though. He’s a Baptist history enthusiast. In 1979, the then-Executive Director of the American Baptist Historical Society spoke at a meeting of the District of Columbia Baptist Convention. Bob was, at that time, a leader in the DC Baptist Convention. Bill Brackney, the ABHS Executive Director, brought with him one of the diaries of Luther Rice. Bob explains, “I had a particular interest in Rice because I was a member of Luther Rice Baptist Church in Silver Spring, MD and a graduate of George Washington University, of which Rice was a founder. I was interested in Rice, I was interested in history per se, and I was interested in manuscripts.”
Thus began Bob’s pivot to collecting letters, journals, pictures, and documents related to Baptist history. In the early part of this century, Bob donated his collection to ABHS. Last summer, I had the privilege of going to Atlanta and interacting with the Bob’s collection. Here are just a few highlights from the Robert R. Hudson Papers collection:
- A personally autographed copy of “Stride Toward Freedom” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
- An 1854 letter from Baron Stow to a friend and classmate who was also his Congressman. Stow was a prominent Boston pastor and a leader in foreign missions. In the letter, he describes the horror at seeing federal authorities capture a runaway slave and return him to Virginia under the Fugitive Slave Act. He writes, “To submit quietly to the execution of a law that we soberly and passionately believe to be opposed to the laws of God and Humanity is a hard strain upon the moral feelings………I fear for the result should there be attempted a repetition of the outrage.”
- Handwritten letters (dated December 27, 1752, and February 18, 1754) from Baptist minister Isaac Backus to Separatist minister Solomon Paine
- A first edition copy (printed 1804) of “An Abridgment of the Church Hiftory (sic) of New England, 1602 to 1802” by Isaac Backus
- A handwritten journal (dated 1807) by Daniel Sharp, a famous Baptist minister and educator of the 19th century
- A signed check for $5 from Obadiah Brown, a Baptist minister who served as Chaplain to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate (at separate times) in the early 1800s and who co-founded Columbian College, the precursor to George Washington University
- An “Indian Territory” land grant deed (dated 1906 and sealed in 1907) signed by the Governor of the Chickasaw Nation and the Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation. The latter is Green McCurtain, who was described as a “staunch Baptist.”
- A signed personal letter (dated September 4, 1907) to a Mrs. Ireland from Russell Conwell, a popular Baptist pastor and the author of the iconic “Acres of Diamonds.”
- Numerous papers related to one of Bob’s heroes, Luther Rice, who was (among other things) a key figure in the formation of the Triennial Convention, the first national Baptist denominational organization in the United States.
- An 1821 letter from Luther Rice in which he speaks of “peculiarly propitious” prospects for the “college” which he predicts will “rise into consideration and usefulness” due to the “blessing of the Lord.” The college Rice refers to in that letter is Columbian College, which is now George Washington University.
The collection is extensive. These are just some of the highlights. I spent the better part of a day last August in Atlanta going through the collection, and I barely scratched the surface. I plan to return and take maybe two or three days on my next visit.
Editor’s Note: You can virtually explore what’s in the collection here – there are five boxes to browse through. You’ll love it if you’re a historian!)
The collection is almost as impressive as Bob Hudson himself. He is one of the wisest, most intelligent, most encouraging men of character I know. Olney Baptist Church is blessed to have him as a part of our family. I’m blessed to call him a friend.
Brian Tubbs serves as senior pastor of Olney Baptist Church.
Feature photo: Brian Tubbs at American Baptist Historical Society (ABHS) at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia, with Director Priscilla Eppinger and archivist Mariah Hamby.