Many years before there was a Senior Mission II, even before there was a Junior Mission, there was Mother George, first African American Woman Missionary to Liberia, Africa.

Mother Eliza Davis George - Life Span: January 20, 1879 to March 8, 1979

Married to Charles Thompson George, a medical student in Guiana, in 1918

Foreign mission Work Span: December, 1913 to 1977

Parents: Litt and Jane Davis (Parents born in slavery); One of eleven children

A member of the Antioch Baptist Church at Hills Prairie

Educated at Guadalupe College in Seguin, Texas

Early Career: Teacher at Central Texas College

On December 12, 1913, Eliza Davis boarded a ship for Africa with six other missionaries. Landed in Monrovia, Liberia January 20, 1914. One hundred Fifty souls were saved in the first meeting. She began her missionary venture before the split in the national convention, and continued to serve both conventions after the split.

A sampling of her work:

Adopted and brought children to America to be educated, so they could return to help their people. After the children grew into adulthood, some of them died on the mission field working for our national convention. Others served in various capacities. One, Adekie, attained his Doctorate, and became a teacher in a university abroad.

Mother George founded numerous schools and churches for our convention, some with help from Southern Baptist Convention.

She continued to work despite threats of war, internal church or convention discord, and ultimately a split in the convention, the death of her husband, and much hardship..At the time Mother George organized the first Mission Station of our convention, her support was mostly coming from churches and individuals in Texas, and only a few of them. Sis. M. A. B. Fuller, the St. John Regular Women, led by Sis. Birda Bradshaw, along with Dr. G. F. Curry, Dr. S. A. Pleasant, the Mt. Zion Association, and a few others were among those who help purchase land for a mission station from the Liberian government. The land was deeded to the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas. The station was named Kelton Baptist Mission.

Mother George completed her last tour of Africa in 1977 after 64 years in the foreign mission field. She passed away at age 100.

Land of America
by Eliza Davis George - 1913

Land of America, I love thee
But a voice has called me over the sea;
I will not stay longer, the Lord said, "Go."
And I must obey Him for He loves me so.
Land of America, nations love thee,
They greet your honor'd name with glee!
Poor Africa's benighted sinful land,
Where millions of heathens in darkness stand.
South America, Mexico, Isles of the sea,
India, China, Japan, all look to thee.
Missions there are groping their way in the night,
Of ignorance and sin, what a dreadful sight!
Land of America, how I love thee!
But I must go; will you help? Please don't forget me.
Your prayers are needed and finance, too,
With a life consecrated I'll make it through.
Friends of America, I bid you good bye,
My purpose is fixed, it's no time to cry.
My work is before me, I will do my best;
When life ends here, with God I shall rest.

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Missionary Zelma Johnson

Dr. M. A. B. Fuller, a devout Christian woman and a loyal supporters of our early missionaries, organized the Junior Mission at the national level in 1927 under President Green Prince. However, the state convention under Dr. Sam Prince did not make any changes at that time. In October of 1929 in Tyler, Texas, Dr. M. A. B. Fuller, President of the National Mission, and Sis. O. Solomon Barnes, President of the State Mission, worked together to organize the Junior Mission in our state convention, under President Sam Prince.

Sis. O. Solomon Barnes

Sis. Elnora Cunningham (Photo unavailable) of Waco, Texas was the first president of Junior Mission, but personal circumstances prevented her from serving a full year. Sis. Mora D. Daily (Photo unavailable) of Athens, Texas was elected president in 1930. Sis.. M. A. W. Stewart of Waco, Texas was elected vice president, and Sis. Blanch Hardman, secretary. Later, Sis. Olivia Harris Woodfork was elected corresponding secretary and Sis. Ethel L. Johnson, music director, assisted by Sis. Olivia Branch, Sis. Inez Humphrey and Sis. Gwendolyn Browning.

At that time, the Junior Mission was not an independent organization, but worked under the Senior Mission. President Mora Daily would allow space on the program for the junior women to participate. It was in 1942 that Dr. Sam Prince pulled the Junior Mission out and made it an auxiliary.

After the demise of Sis. Mora D. Daily in 1962, the torch was passed to Sis. M. A. W. Stewart to serve out the remainder of the year.

Sis. M. A. W. Stewart

Sis. Stewart was elected President at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Austin, Texas in October, 1962, and served admirably for thirty-five years.

Area Presidents

The first area presidents were appointed by President Stewart at the May Board in Crockett, Texas in 1965. Their primary purpose was to reach every woman in every area, and to organize convention workers to sponsor workshops and other events to raise funds and report at the annual session.

Some of the Past Area Presidents:

Lois Allen, Ruby Bradley, R. W. Cage, Florence Caldwell, Jessie Phillips Chance, Earnestine Clack, R. I. B. Clark, Ada Collins, Hollie Estelle, Margaret Flakes, Alma Hayden, Shelina Hill, Annie M. Hurd, F. M. Jackson, Rose M. Mitchell, Jimmie Nichols, Nona B. Pedish, Ethel Parnell, Charlie Mae Pierce, Lucille Redman, Rachetta Rackstraw, Johnnie Mae Scott, Dora M. Shirley, Birdie Simmons, Willie Smith, Helen Ussery Washington, Ray Ethel Wheeler, A. B. Williams, Ruby G. Williams, Luella Woods

A mass meeting was held in March each year, consisting of a Saturday workshops and Sunday Mass Meeting. The dates were later changed to the Third Sunday in April so as not to conflict with Easter Sunday.

At a national convention in San Antonio, Texas in 1968, the Junior Mission was changed to Senior Mission II under national president, Dr. Carl Sams. The next year, in 1969, the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas changed the name of this auxiliary to Senior Mission II with no age limit for membership.

As Junior Mission, and later as Senior Mission II, our auxiliary and the Brotherhood met together to sponsor a banquet during the annual session each year. This tradition continued through the 1970 annual session in Galveston, Texas. At that time, President Price decided that the convention would sponsor the banquet. After that session, Senior Mission II and the Brotherhood no longer worked together to sponsor any project

Past Vice Presidents

M. A. W. Stewart, Vice President
P. E. Sample, Vice President
Johnnie Mae Scott, First Vice President
Ethel Parnell, Second Vice President
Lucille Redman, First Vice President

In October, 1997, the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas began the reconstruction of Senior Mission II. At the Annual Session in October of 1997, Sis. Alma J. Danford was elected President and Sis. M. A. W. Stewart, who was experiencing failing health, was given the title President Emeritus, because of her untiring service to the Junior Mission and Senior Mission II auxiliaries.

Sis. Alma Jean Danford

With Reconstruction came the adoption of A New Prospectus, which led to new initiatives, such as a Pre-convention Intercessory Prayer Meeting, an annual Week of Prayer, Inner-city School Donations, Scholarships to the Texas Center for Biblical Studies, a quarterly Newsletter, an annual Idea Journal, needs-driven Workshops, annual Evaluation by members, a Mission II website, and more.

Reconstruction Leadership Team

Alma J. Danford, President
Lucille Redman, First Vice President
Bennie Jones, Second Vice President
Hazel Jeane Thomas, Third Vice President
Henrietta Griffin, Recording Secretary
Mae Collins, Asst. Recording Secretary
Ruthie Page, Corresponding Secretary
Patricia Anderson, Asst. Corres. Secretary
Jacqueline Hoyt, Financial Secretary
Mary Batties, Treasurer
Tina Brown, Historian
Frances Worthey, Parliamentarian
Sallye Maxey, Music Director
Mamie Lott, Assistant Music Director
Matte Coppage Robinson, Pianist
Georgia Gaines, Bible Teacher
Vivian Owens, Bible Teacher

On July 31, 2002, President Danford passed away. The leadership torch was passed to Sis. Lucille Redman, to serve as Interim President. In October, 2002, Sis. Redman was elected President of Mission II.

Sis. Lucille Redman

President Redman has made a bold commitment to reach out and bring in the young women who once worked so faithfully in the Junior Mission, and reclaim those members who have become inactive. We hope you will unite with us around a common cause, "Winning the World for Christ," and help us elevate a great legacy to new greatness.

Our Current Leadership Team

Lucille Redman, President
Bennie Jones, First Vice President
Hazel Jeane Thomas, Second Vice President
Frances Worthey, Third Vice President
Clover Jones, Assistant to the President
Mae Collins, Recording Secretary
Valerie Willis, Assistant Recording Secretary
Henrietta Griffin, Recording Secretary Emeritus
Ruthie Page, Corresponding Secretary
Patricia Anderson, Asst Corresponding Secretary
Jacqueline D. Hoyt, Financial Secretary
Mary Batties, Treasurer
Johnnie Dickson, Parliamentarian
Robbie Overton, Historian
Odelia Walker, Music Director
Ada Tutson, Assistant Music Director
Juanita Calhoun, Bible Teacher
Carol Keggins, Assistant Bible Teacher

Current Area Presidents and Field Workers

Evelyn Brown, Ruby Collins, E. Cunningham, Willie Curtis, Margaret Dean, Henrietta Griffin, Isabella Hicks, Ruby James, Delphine Jones, Clover Jones, Freddie King, Vivian Miller, Roberta Mitchell, Robbie Overton, Cloretta Parson, Hermetta Paul, Georgia Richardson, Rosie Sims, Sherry Smith, Dorothy Starks, Lovie Taylor, Martha West, Helen Williams, Jean Williams, Mary Jo Williams
HE IS LORD!