Background
Newton was born in Screven County, Georgia on April 27, 1892.
pastor president vice president
Newton was born in Screven County, Georgia on April 27, 1892.
He graduated from Mercer University in 1913 and then taught history at the university before earning a masters degree in journalism from Columbia University.
He joined the United States. Army in 1917, and taught soldiers at camps near Macon during the First World War. From 1920 to 1929 Newton edited the Georgia Baptist Convention’s Christian Index newspaper. In 1936 Newton started writing a daily column titled "Good Morning" for the Atlanta Constitution and Savannah Morning News, while writing weekly columns for the Christian Index.
He also published several books
Newton broadcast a radio show on Georgia School of Technology-Atlanta from 1929 until his death. Newton became pastor of Druid Hills Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929.
He initially resisted the offer of this position since he was only a layman, but was persuaded to accept and was ordained on April 20, 1929, just before his thirty-seventh birthday. Newton reported that the churches were open seven days a week, carrying on highly active programs of religious instruction, culture and recreation.
He received a certain amount of criticism for the positive statements about Russia he made on his return, with some accusing him of communist sympathies and others of naivety.
Newton was president of the Georgia Baptist Convention in 1950 and 1951. He retired as pastor of the Druid Hills Baptist Church in October 1968. He died of pneumonia in 1986 at the age of 94.
Newton is the namesake of Newton Hall, a large chapel on the Mercer University campus in Macon.
