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FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE OR OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST MINISTERS BY DAVID MONTGOMERY AND MARK GREEN:
ELDER ELZIE DURHAM SPEIR, SR.
WRITTEN BY HIS DAUGHTER,SISTER DOROTHY S. LEE: Elzie Durham Speir was born July 28, 1910, the secondof eight children, in Jasper County, GA, to Elder A.H. Speir (1883-1957) and Alberta Jinks Speir. Eighteen-year-old Elzie Speir and Elizabeth Martin were united in marriage by Elder Dan Henderson on July 28, 1928.They began housekeeping in a rented apartment on Hardee Street in Atlanta, GA, and on September 6, 1929, they moved to their own home, a brick house that Elzie built on Boulevard Drive in Atlanta.
In July 1932, Elzie felt himself arrested by some supernatural power. He was exceedingly distressed over his condition as a convicted sinner before a just God. Times were so hard that Elzie did not have a car--he was walking 7 miles to and from work. He fervently prayed that God would grant him enough money to buy a car so that he could take his wife and two children to church. He felt to be a lost sinner himself, but wanted to provide a way for his family to go to church. God answered his prayer. He made $75 and bought a Whippet Overland automobile.
His feelings are best expressed in his own words that he wrote January 7, 1978. "In July of 1932, God came into my life. He found me as Jacob of Old in a waste-howling wilderness. I did not find him; but he found me. He killed me to my former self and aspirations and made me alive to his marvelous love and divine Grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. He killed me to all self-help and confidence, and made me alive to a finished work by the Lord Jesus Christ. He took the worm out of my eyes and heart, and gave me a sweet hope in Christ now, and Heavenwhen this life is over."
It was on the second Sunday in January 1933, that Elzie Speir joined Forest Church, Forest Park, GA, and was baptized on the third Sunday by the pastor, Elder J.P.S. Stephens. His first public exercise was in 1934 with Elder Lee Hanks at Cool Springs Church in South Carolina.
Forest Church liberated Elzie Speir in 1937. Liberty Primitive Baptist Church and Ozias Church called for his ordination, and in 1939 he was ordained to the full work of a gospel minister. He served Ozias Church, McDonough, GA, for over 25 years. Other churches he served were Beersheba Church for 50 years, Fellowship Church in Tucker, GA, High Shoals Church and Church, Griffin, GA, Sandy Creek Church in Flovilla, GA, Emmaus Church, Hogansville, GA, Forest Church, Forest Park, GA, for 20 years, Bethesda Church, and Flat Shoals Church, Stockbridge, GA.
He especially enjoyed visiting associations, and often said, "If we wantpeople to come to our Towaliga Association, we must visit their associations."In the 60 years that Elder Speir pastored churches, he missed only one meeting. Ozias Church was on a dirt road at that time, and rainy weather made the road impassable. He got within five miles of the church, but couldn't go any further. He was sad, but acknowledged his limitations.
Although Elzie worked in construction, studying the Bible and serving churches was his vocation. He traveled extensively among Old Baptists, and his knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of the scriptures was noticed by the brethren. He praised God daily, and begged for providential guidance in every area of his life.
It was December 15, 1997, that Elder Speir suffered a stroke, andwas not expected to recover. But thanks be unto God, he did recover, andwas able to speak, and walk with a walker. It became necessary for Elzieand Elizabeth to leave their humble home of 65 years and move into the home of their son, Elder Elzie D. Speir, Jr., Jackson, GA. They lived there for five months before moving to Brasstown Manor Assisted Living, Hiawassee, GA, on May 28, 1998. Elder Speir became the resident pastor for Brasstown Manor, and preached the same gospel that he preached for 60 years. While the residents of the Manor were of all faiths, they loved the gospel of salvation by grace and the absolute sovereignty of God. His last sermon, the Sunday before he died on Tuesday, was from Deuteronomy, Chapter 8. Elder Speir preached his own funeral.
The Following was Published in North GA News - March 24, 1999 Edition
Mr. Elize Durham SPEIR, Sr., age 88, of Hiawassee, GA, passed away Tuesday, March 2, 1999 at Emory Univ. Hospital in Atlanta.
Mr. Speir was born in Jasper Co., GA July 28, 1910, a son of AHH. and Sarah Alberta JINKS-SPEIR. He had moved to Hiawassee in May of 1998 from Jackson, GA, bur his home was in Conley, GA for 65 years. Mr. Speir, a member of Forest Primitive Church in Forest Park, GA, was ordained into the ministry in 1937 and had pastored many Primitive Baptist Churches in the South Atlanta area; he was currently serving as pastor of Brasstown Manor in Hiawassee. He was also a member of Bricklayers National Union #8 for over 50 years.
Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Elizabeth MARTIN-SPEIR; sons and daughter-in-law: Elize D., Jr. and Ellen SPEIR of Jackson, GA and Thomas Lee and Carlene SPEIR of Jonesboro, GA; daughers and son-in-law: Dorothy and Fred LEE of Hiawassee, GA, Mary Ann and Joe GREEN or Rosewell, GA and Carol and Abner MOORE of Atlanta, GA and Hayesville, NC; sister Sarah ANDERSON of Stockbridge, GA; brothers: Roy E SPEIR or Kannapolis, NC, William A. SPEIR of Jacksonville FL and Branson SPEIR of Castle Hayne, NC.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 5, 1999 from the chapel of Cochran Funeral Home of Hiawassee GA with Elder Dan Hall, Elder Spencer Fussell and Elder Paul Mooney officiating. Interment followed in Oak Foreset Cem, Hayesville, NC. Grandsons served as pallbearers. |
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