minister, came his appointments to some of the most prominent places in Mississippi. Before pointing the reader to his career in journalism, we will name these positions: In 1869, he was appointed by Geo. A. Ames of the United States Army a member of the board of police for the Third District of Bolivar County. In 1870, he became a Justice of Peace for the Fifth District of Bolivar County, through Gov. J. L. Alcorn. In August, 1870, he was appointed supervisor for the Fifth District. He was also elected to the State Legislature for four consecutive years, and was returned in 1877 as State Senator for the Twenty-eighth Senatorial District. He has since held the position by re-election. He was Corresponding Secretary for the Missionary State Convention, and has since been unanimously elected and re-elected to the position of president. Thus we see that his wide experience in religious, political and general affairs, has served to make him a grand force in journalism. The Convention of which he was president founded The Baptist Signal in 1880, and elected our subject to be its editor.
As an editorial writer, Rev. Mr. Gayles ranks high among those of the "pencil-shoving" class. He is a dignified and practical writer, believing in laying before his readers that which will be of solid benefit to them in their progress through life.
The Signal, a six-column paper, issues monthly one thousand copies, and always contains matter of a helpful nature. As a religious journal and an exponent of religious ideas, it ranks among the first. Through his great personal influence and that of his paper, the Baptist State Convention feels proud to own a college in Natchez, Miss., costing six thousand dollars.
In presenting Mr. Gayles in this work, we score another success in the pioneer labors of Afro-American journalism, for it must be conceded he has achieved much with his pen.
