"A rare and radiant soul has passed from life. For a quarter of a century Rev. Dr. William C. Bitting had contributed to the best thought and the best ethics in St. Louis. During nineteen years of that time he was the well-beloved pastor of the Second Baptist Church, retiring from the ministry five years ago.
Always he was a was an influence for good; and not merely good in the strictly religious sense, but an influence for good citizenship, for the good in cultural advancement, for the good in human associations, for the good in free and independent thought. It was, indeed, for the good in life that he labored. 'I am not trying to get men into heaven", he once said, "I am trying to get heaven into men.'
Christianity he regarded as a way of life. And no less a way of light - an upward-leading, mind-expanding, soul-advancing way. A cheerful way, also. There was nothing lugubrious in his religion or his nature and he strewed smiles and sunshine wherever he passed. Nor were any of these superficial or professional. They were expressions of his own personality.
Moreover, he was a deep-thinker, an earnest student, and stood high in the councils of his church. Such a man is an asset in any community, and his passing is a public loss.
-Jefferson City Post-Tribune, Jan. 27, 1931
"Famous Minister Dies:
The Rev. Dr. William Coleman Bitting, 73, pastor of the Second Baptist church for nineteen years and widely known in church circles in the United States, died here early today.
Dr. Bitting, known as a liberal exponent of religion once said in an address that 'creeds are merely intellectual guesses at the infinite. I am bound by no creed. Personally I am a Metho-formed, Presby-gational, Bapto-palion.
I am not trying to get men into heaven; I am trying to get heaven into men. Nor am I trying to keep men out of hell, but to keep hell out of men.'
Dr. Bitting was born in Lynchburg, Va., studied at Richmond college and was ordained to the Baptist ministry in 1880."
-Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Jan. 12, 1931
William Coleman Bitting was graduated M.A. by Richmond College, Richmond, Va, June 1877. He was Final Orator Mu Sigma Rho Literary Society, of his alma mater, June 1876; Gwin Medalist, School of Philosophy, session 1876-77; Orator of Society of Alumni, June 1885. He was licensed to preach by Franklin Square Baptist church, Baltimore, MD, Sept 2, 1877; the same months matriculated at Crozer Theological Seminary, Chester, PA, by which he was graduated June 1880, after pursuing full courses.
William and Anna Mary (Biedler) were married in November, 1886
William also has a burial plot at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Montgomery County, PA - next to his parents. Researchers may come across his name on cemetery lists for West Laurel Hill, however William was actually interred on January 12, 1931 at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in Missouri. Thank you to contributor Tulsa90 for the cemetery correction!
Always he was a was an influence for good; and not merely good in the strictly religious sense, but an influence for good citizenship, for the good in cultural advancement, for the good in human associations, for the good in free and independent thought. It was, indeed, for the good in life that he labored. 'I am not trying to get men into heaven", he once said, "I am trying to get heaven into men.'
Christianity he regarded as a way of life. And no less a way of light - an upward-leading, mind-expanding, soul-advancing way. A cheerful way, also. There was nothing lugubrious in his religion or his nature and he strewed smiles and sunshine wherever he passed. Nor were any of these superficial or professional. They were expressions of his own personality.
Moreover, he was a deep-thinker, an earnest student, and stood high in the councils of his church. Such a man is an asset in any community, and his passing is a public loss.
-Jefferson City Post-Tribune, Jan. 27, 1931
"Famous Minister Dies:
The Rev. Dr. William Coleman Bitting, 73, pastor of the Second Baptist church for nineteen years and widely known in church circles in the United States, died here early today.
Dr. Bitting, known as a liberal exponent of religion once said in an address that 'creeds are merely intellectual guesses at the infinite. I am bound by no creed. Personally I am a Metho-formed, Presby-gational, Bapto-palion.
I am not trying to get men into heaven; I am trying to get heaven into men. Nor am I trying to keep men out of hell, but to keep hell out of men.'
Dr. Bitting was born in Lynchburg, Va., studied at Richmond college and was ordained to the Baptist ministry in 1880."
-Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Jan. 12, 1931
William Coleman Bitting was graduated M.A. by Richmond College, Richmond, Va, June 1877. He was Final Orator Mu Sigma Rho Literary Society, of his alma mater, June 1876; Gwin Medalist, School of Philosophy, session 1876-77; Orator of Society of Alumni, June 1885. He was licensed to preach by Franklin Square Baptist church, Baltimore, MD, Sept 2, 1877; the same months matriculated at Crozer Theological Seminary, Chester, PA, by which he was graduated June 1880, after pursuing full courses.
William and Anna Mary (Biedler) were married in November, 1886
William also has a burial plot at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Montgomery County, PA - next to his parents. Researchers may come across his name on cemetery lists for West Laurel Hill, however William was actually interred on January 12, 1931 at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in Missouri. Thank you to contributor Tulsa90 for the cemetery correction!
"A rare and radiant soul has passed from life. For a quarter of a century Rev. Dr. William C. Bitting had contributed to the best thought and the best ethics in St. Louis. During nineteen years of that time he was the well-beloved pastor of the Second Baptist Church, retiring from the ministry five years ago.
Always he was a was an influence for good; and not merely good in the strictly religious sense, but an influence for good citizenship, for the good in cultural advancement, for the good in human associations, for the good in free and independent thought. It was, indeed, for the good in life that he labored. 'I am not trying to get men into heaven", he once said, "I am trying to get heaven into men.'
Christianity he regarded as a way of life. And no less a way of light - an upward-leading, mind-expanding, soul-advancing way. A cheerful way, also. There was nothing lugubrious in his religion or his nature and he strewed smiles and sunshine wherever he passed. Nor were any of these superficial or professional. They were expressions of his own personality.
Moreover, he was a deep-thinker, an earnest student, and stood high in the councils of his church. Such a man is an asset in any community, and his passing is a public loss.
-Jefferson City Post-Tribune, Jan. 27, 1931
"Famous Minister Dies:
The Rev. Dr. William Coleman Bitting, 73, pastor of the Second Baptist church for nineteen years and widely known in church circles in the United States, died here early today.
Dr. Bitting, known as a liberal exponent of religion once said in an address that 'creeds are merely intellectual guesses at the infinite. I am bound by no creed. Personally I am a Metho-formed, Presby-gational, Bapto-palion.
I am not trying to get men into heaven; I am trying to get heaven into men. Nor am I trying to keep men out of hell, but to keep hell out of men.'
Dr. Bitting was born in Lynchburg, Va., studied at Richmond college and was ordained to the Baptist ministry in 1880."
-Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Jan. 12, 1931
William Coleman Bitting was graduated M.A. by Richmond College, Richmond, Va, June 1877. He was Final Orator Mu Sigma Rho Literary Society, of his alma mater, June 1876; Gwin Medalist, School of Philosophy, session 1876-77; Orator of Society of Alumni, June 1885. He was licensed to preach by Franklin Square Baptist church, Baltimore, MD, Sept 2, 1877; the same months matriculated at Crozer Theological Seminary, Chester, PA, by which he was graduated June 1880, after pursuing full courses.
William and Anna Mary (Biedler) were married in November, 1886
William also has a burial plot at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Montgomery County, PA - next to his parents. Researchers may come across his name on cemetery lists for West Laurel Hill, however William was actually interred on January 12, 1931 at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in Missouri. Thank you to contributor Tulsa90 for the cemetery correction!
Always he was a was an influence for good; and not merely good in the strictly religious sense, but an influence for good citizenship, for the good in cultural advancement, for the good in human associations, for the good in free and independent thought. It was, indeed, for the good in life that he labored. 'I am not trying to get men into heaven", he once said, "I am trying to get heaven into men.'
Christianity he regarded as a way of life. And no less a way of light - an upward-leading, mind-expanding, soul-advancing way. A cheerful way, also. There was nothing lugubrious in his religion or his nature and he strewed smiles and sunshine wherever he passed. Nor were any of these superficial or professional. They were expressions of his own personality.
Moreover, he was a deep-thinker, an earnest student, and stood high in the councils of his church. Such a man is an asset in any community, and his passing is a public loss.
-Jefferson City Post-Tribune, Jan. 27, 1931
"Famous Minister Dies:
The Rev. Dr. William Coleman Bitting, 73, pastor of the Second Baptist church for nineteen years and widely known in church circles in the United States, died here early today.
Dr. Bitting, known as a liberal exponent of religion once said in an address that 'creeds are merely intellectual guesses at the infinite. I am bound by no creed. Personally I am a Metho-formed, Presby-gational, Bapto-palion.
I am not trying to get men into heaven; I am trying to get heaven into men. Nor am I trying to keep men out of hell, but to keep hell out of men.'
Dr. Bitting was born in Lynchburg, Va., studied at Richmond college and was ordained to the Baptist ministry in 1880."
-Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Jan. 12, 1931
William Coleman Bitting was graduated M.A. by Richmond College, Richmond, Va, June 1877. He was Final Orator Mu Sigma Rho Literary Society, of his alma mater, June 1876; Gwin Medalist, School of Philosophy, session 1876-77; Orator of Society of Alumni, June 1885. He was licensed to preach by Franklin Square Baptist church, Baltimore, MD, Sept 2, 1877; the same months matriculated at Crozer Theological Seminary, Chester, PA, by which he was graduated June 1880, after pursuing full courses.
William and Anna Mary (Biedler) were married in November, 1886
William also has a burial plot at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Montgomery County, PA - next to his parents. Researchers may come across his name on cemetery lists for West Laurel Hill, however William was actually interred on January 12, 1931 at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in Missouri. Thank you to contributor Tulsa90 for the cemetery correction!
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