A Tribute to the Mystery of Wilberforce: Dr. Floyd Wilson Alexander, Sr.
The Christian Recorder
Dr. Brandon A. A. J. Davis, Contributing Columnist
Encompassing the personhood and ministry of the Rev. Dr. Floyd Wilson Alexander, Sr., is difficult. He was a respected preacher, pastor, former general officer, presiding elder, and at one time temporarily appointed President of Payne Theological Seminary. His reach, influence, generosity, and dedicated commitment to God are a tiny fraction of who this legendary leader was. Outside the ministry, Dr. Alexander was a family man, a devoted husband to Mrs. Sara Margaret Thomas Alexander, and a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
I learned of this mystery of Wilberforce before my acceptance to Payne Theological Seminary. I began inquiring about the movers and shakers to be somewhat informed of the who’s-who when I arrived. Dr. Alexander served at that time as the President of the Alumni Association. After about a month of living on campus, the Rev. Rodrecus Johnson, Jr. recommended (unbeknownst to me) my pastoral and preaching abilities to Dr. Alexander, who, in addition to being PTS Alumni President, was the Presiding Elder of the Cleveland District of the North Ohio Annual Conference.
While doing my laundry at a local laundromat in Xenia, Ohio, I received an interesting call from Dr. Alexander, who later appointed me the Supply Pastor of Mason Chapel AME Church, Findlay, Ohio. That was the beginning of a relationship that spanned 16 years—a relationship filled with mentorship, a grandfather’s love, and support.
With ease, I recall my first face-to-face encounter with Dr. Alexander and remember it being a teaching lesson that started as “You young preachers think too highly of yourselves than you ought to.” Naturally, to any person, this random and unseeingly wanted statement would rub anyone a certain way. Yet, I was a young preacher with a high opinion of myself and my abilities. Equally, though, I was taught to respect my elders.
After that brief exchange, I recall asking the late Dr. Eugene L. Schoolfield II, “Who is that man?” to which he replied, “The Godfather.” Schoolfield urged me to remain on his good side, entreating me: “You either lived or died in ministry in the Third District with one cross of his leg.” A rather strange explanation, yet I would soon come to the full knowledge and meaning of that statement.
Known to his close and collegial friends as “Preach,” a story within a story, Dr. Alexander remains, in my estimation, a sincere and thought-provoking preacher—one whose lived example compels you to think about the sovereignty of God in your life. He was a classmate of Bishop Robert Lee Pruitt, Bishop Robert Vaugh Webster, Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning, Sr., and others while matriculating at Wilberforce University. Their mastery of preaching and ability did not sway Dr. Alexander; he was himself, a character anomaly I wholeheartedly adored.
Dr. Floyd Alexander taught me my knowledge and understanding of African Methodism and black church politics. Like a student, I gleaned from his wisdom and knowledge. He was my principal source of historical knowledge about the Wilberforce community, historical figures, and the formation of the schools in the area. Dr. Alexander bi-monthly would call to ensure I pursued my degree with vigor. As he saw it, he had plans for me, including my earned doctorate.
A funny story includes my late brother and friend, The Reverend James Howard Stowe, Jr. As struggling seminarians, we always needed money! Dr. Alexander employed us to drive roundtrip (12 hours) to Nashville, Tennesee, to bring back a cargo van full of disciplines. After unloading heavy boxes at 4 AM and thinking we were about to get paid, Dr. Alexander gave us $100.00 a piece and said, “It is better for a Bishop to owe you than for you to owe a Bishop. Bishop Henning will remember what you young men did for the district.” What I learned from him has sustained me in ministry and redirected my focus in life. I will never forget Dr. Alexander; I will remember this prominent leader for who he was as a preacher, a family man, and a dedicated Christian leader. And when I call his name, I will say, “The Mystery of Wilberforce.”
In April 1915, a Canadian poet, John McCrae, penned a tribute to the battle in Belgium’s Ypres salient. For 17 days, he tended to the wounded injured in combat. He wrote the poem “In Flanders Field” after the death of a close friend. On several occasions, these words were a tribute to Dr. Alexander’s friends who preceded him in death. I offer it in his sainted memory: “We are the dead. Short days ago, we lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow, loved, and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields. To you from failing hands, we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high.”
Good Night, Sweet Prince, the Reverend Floyd Wilson Alexander, Sr.
