Shortly after moving to Washington, a home was found for Jared in a private family by the name of Wealch, in Georgtown, now West Washington. The head of this family, Mr. Wealch, with Mr. Herr, formed the great flouring mill firm of Wealch and Herr of Georgetown. Jared's stepfather, for a number of years, worked for this firm. In this family, Jared remained for about five months. His principal work was to make up fires, to care for the dining room and wait table and to run errands. Jared got along well most part of the time in his new line of work, was sometimes highly praised and encouraged by good words and “tips” from the head of the family and his sons; at other times it fell to his lot to be braced up sharply by severe scoldings and keen-edged chastising lectures from Mrs. Wealch, or Mrs. Stephenson the married daughter, or from some one of the four single daughters.

There were three sons in the family, all grown up, single young men, two of whom were very stately and aristocratic. From these Jared received a number of favors, but never an unpleasant word.

Only once did Mr. Wealch speak unkindly to him, and then his words were so terrifying and his manner so menacing that Jared's rabbit blood took possession of his being and he fled for refuge to the home of his mother in Washington.

The Wealch family and his own parents tried to persuade Jared to return, but Providence ordered otherwise.

In one of the Washington papers, of that evening was seen an advertisement for a bell-boy at Dver'sHotel. Jared answered it and was turned down because of failure to stand the test of reading numbers. He returned home, took lessons that night from a brother-in-law and answered the advertisement again the next morning and secured the position.

October first, 1873, Jared and his brother William returned from Pittsburgh, Pa., made the last payment of $100.00 each on their home and entered Storer College. Here they found a fine body of students, for most part healthy, thrifty and alert, and a corps of teachers, scholarly, devout, faithful and painstaking. Among them were the founders of the school. Hon. N. C. Brackett, Ph. D., came to Harper's Ferry, W. Va., in '65 as principal and founder of Storer. He was an ordained minister of the Gospel, a fluent speaker, scholarly, and a remarkably fine teacher; had fine business qualities, and was a man of very great patience. He was the man for the place and times.

Mrs. Louise W. Brackett, wife of Dr. N. C. Brackett, came to Harper's Ferry in '65 as one of the founders and teachers of Storer. She was scholarly and brilliant, a fine teacher and splendid disciplinarian and thorough in her work. A devout and memorable factor of inestimable worth in the history of Storer.

Mrs. Laura Brackett Lightner, sister of Dr. N. C. Brackett, came to Harper's Ferry as one of the teachers of Storer in '70. She was calm, deliberate, patient, painstaking, persevering, in every way a fine teacher. She is still with the school (1922) as Treasurer.

Rev. A. H. Morrell of Maine, came into the mission work of Shenandoah Valley in '65 and into the work at Storer as evangelist, pastor and theological teacher in '67. He was very spiritual, devout, magnetic, consecrated, whole-souled. Jared and all who came under the instruction of these faithful teachers owe them much.

Miss Annie Dudley, now Mrs. Annie Dudley Bates, came into the Christian Mission work of the Shenandoah Valley in '65, and remained for a number of years. She was a whole-souled, consecrated woman, overflowing with the evangelistic spirit. She will always be well remembered by those who sat under her influence.

Here soon after entering Storer Jared was asked by Mrs. L. W. Brackett to sign a temperance card on paper, which he did gladly, as he had never learned to use tobacco in any form or to drink intoxicating liquor in any form or to indulge in profanity. This act became a matter of conscience, with Jared. And not only did he keep sacredly this pledge, but there grew up in his mind a strong prejudice against these degrading habits and evil practices. Indeed he has reason to be proud, especially thankful since he is quite convinced that the moral conviction, sentiments and strength entering his life from this first positive pledge and open stand against the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage account very largely for the very creditable part he took in a strong prohibition campaign while a student in Hilldale College, and for the campaign he helped to wage against the saloon while in the Cairo Misison, meeting every Sunday afternoon with others in the county court-house, or elsewhere, speaking against the evils of the saloon and the liquor business, seeking abolition, and for the joy that comes into his soul at every item of news announcing the success of the temperance movement and the downfall of the saloon.

Here, too, in the fall of '73, under the lucid and powerful preaching of Rev. A. H. Morrell, Jared was led fully to accept Christ and from that until now he has been a soldier of the cross, fighting along the upward way.

After six years of hard study and diligent application, teaching primary schools a part of three years, and by studying through three summer school terms, Jared became prepared for college.

In the fall of 1879, he entered the Freshman Class of Pennsylvania State College. He was cordially received by the student body, and so far as he knows, he was the first Negro student to enter that institution. The following two years he remained out of school and taught the district school of Rippon, Jefferson County, W. Va., the same school he had taught for two school years before entering college.

In the fall of 1882, he entered the Sophomore Class of Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Mich. Being a little short of the full requirements in Greek, he graduated, Ph. B., with the class of '85.

The next two years he taught the same district school of Rippon.

In the summer of 1887, having been licensed several years before, he was ordained to the Gospel ministry, called as pastor of the college church, and elected as a teacher in Storer College.

This position he held for four years, teaching four, sometimes five subjects in the college, and pastoring in the church.

Jared's first work in the Cairo Mission was in connection with the ministers' institute under the direction of Dr. Ford. The institute opened Sunday April 1, and continued till Saturday, April 7. Two other white brethren were present and assisted Dr. Ford. Jared was on the program for three specific addresses which he delivered, and assisted in general with the rest of the program. Rev. Dr. Ford in this institute gave several lectures, rich in timely instruction. His coming to the Cairo Mission was always looked forward to with very much interest.

On Monday, April 9, 1900, with an enrollment of nine licensed and ordained ministers the Cairo Bible School proper, under the official name, The J. S. Manning Bible School, opened in the lecture room of the 15th Street Free Baptist Church., Rev. N. Ricks, pastor. Here the school was conducted until the middle of June, when it was closed for the summer. Jared went on the field for a few weeks, visiting churches and associations in the interest of the school. In July he returned to West Virginia and spent a few weeks with his family at Rippon, and again returned to Illinois and did field work for the school till the beginning of the fall term, October 1, 1900.

Early in the summer of this year Dr. Ford, as agent for the Home Mission Society, succeeded in purchasing a staunch, two-story brick structure of eight rooms as the permanent home of the school. The new home of the school stood on the corner of 21st and Walnut Streets and had an inviting, commodious yard all around it. It was in a popular part of the city and was in every way suitable for the exalted work.

Here the school in its new home on the above date, opened with an enrollment of eleven ordained ministers and licentiates and five ladies in training for Sunday School and mission work. The student body seemed all to appreciate much their new home and the special opportunities and privileges that God, through His faithful servants of the North and their friends, had provided and opened up to them. Jared, too, was much pleased and encouraged by the manifest interest and hearty, tangible response to the endeavors made for their intellectual, moral and religious betterment and that of the Cairo Mission through them. The outlook for the school at this early stage was certainly quite promising and bright.

Thus the work in the beginning of the second term of the school, moved on very delightfully. It is readily seen that the work, this early, had developed beyond the capacity of one teacher to meet all the demands. The prudential committee and friends of the school foresaw this and in their original plans provided that a man and his wife should be employed in the school from its beginning. In line with this the five rooms on the second story were neatly fitted up and furnished and about the middle of November Jared sent for his family, a wife and three children, and located them in their new home. Mrs. Arter at once took up the work as assistant in the school. Jared remained at the head of this school as principal eight years. Eight months of each year were spent in teaching and training men for the Gospel ministry and men and women for Sunday School and mission work, and two months each year were spent on the field in visiting and working in associations and conventions and yearly meetings and General Conferences for the general interest of the school and Cairo Mission.

The eight years spent in conducting the work of the J. S. Manning Bible School of the Cairo Mission are regarded by Jared in some respects as the most exalted, practical and blessed work of his life. Men and women of Free Baptist, Misisonary Baptist, and Methodist persuasion attended the school and got the benefit of the training in the English branches taught, and in theology or the plain teachings of the Bible. They got clearer views of the great essentials, and a candid and faithful setting forth of the points of difference in belief. Of course, the school emphasized the beliefs and doctrines of the Free and Missionary Baptist denominations as those, in the judgment of the school that rested clearly and firmly on the teaching and authority of the Bible or Holy Scriptures.

But there was no friction, all moved smoothly and blessedly on and the school graduated a number of classes in the course of Jared's administration, of which a number of the younger ministers have made marked success in their work as preachers, evangelists and pastors. Some of those as young men meriting special mention are Revs. Donaldson, Hodge, Dixon, Henderson, Green, Britt, Herron, Hancock and Bullock. There are others scarcely less deserving of mention.

The one serious draw-back that Jared experienced in his career there was the early breaking down of the health of his wife. When she first went to Cairo her third child, Jared Maurice Arter, Jr., was only six weeks old. Sometime in February of the next year Jared, Jr., having fallen asleep in a draught, caught a heavy cold which fell on his bowels and placed him under the care of a doctor and careful nursing for nearly four months. Mrs. Arter herself was not very well and this extra care, though she had assistance all the while, was quite a strain upon her system. With the close of school in June, she returned to her mother's home, Rippon, W. Va., where she remained till the middle of November of the following fall, at which time she returned to Cairo with her health considerably improved. For a few months after her return she assisted in the work of the school. But before the close of the school year, in the spring of 1902, her condition of health became serious again and she gave up teaching. With the close of school in June she again returned to the home of her parents in W. Va. The following November she came again to Cairo and remained about four months. Finding the climate of Cairo so decidedly against her health, in the latter part of March she left Cairo to return no more.

When it became evident her health would not permit her to teach, Jared secured the services of Prof. J. T. Lott, who proved to be an excellent teacher and remained as assistant in the school during the remainder of Jared's administration. The year 1907 proved a sad year in Jared's life. Early in January he received the sad news of the death of his brother William, who had died with pneumonia. Jared left at once for Harper's Ferry to attend the funeral and burial services. William Arter was Jared's senior by a year and six months, and was therefore the oldest child of the family except one, Mary Elizabeth Arter, who was a year and four months older than William.

William Arter was quite a remarkable man in many particulars. In education he never went beyond the normal course in Storer. As an industrial worker he was of the highest type, as a business man he was most prompt and reliable. As a teacher he was remarkably successful. He taught the Myers Town School in Coble Town District, Jefferson Co., W. Va., for more than 32 years, and was never once late to school in all those years.

He made a practice to be at his school most always from an hour to an hour and a half before time of opening for the day. After the first four or five years he seldom, if ever, failed to have one or more pupils to finish the grade that permitted them to enter Storer. As a husband and father he was a splendid provider, a fine disciplinarian and greatly devoted to his family. As a citizen he was loyal to his country and highly respected by almost everybody who knew him.

In speaking of his life at the time of his funeral, Dr. N. C. Brackett said, “If we had two or three William Arters in every community of this country the race problem would be settled.” The maiden name of his wife was Rosie Scott of Charles Town, W. Va. At the age of eighteen when first married she was modest, gentle and a most beautiful mulatto young woman. They became the parents of six children, four girls and two boys: Estella, Rossa, Aurabella, Juanita, Charles Sumner, and Jared. The first two died when about sixteen years of age, and now sleep in the cemetery in Bolivar, W. Va., with the remains of their mother and father, in whose memory there has just been erected (Aug., 1921) at the head of their graves, by the living children, a beautiful granite monument costing $220.00. The remaining four children are Charles S., Aurabella, Jared and Juanita Arter. Chas. Sumner and Juanita are both teachers in the public schools of W. Va., and Aurabella and Jared are employees of the Federal Government in Washington, D. C., and Pittsburgh, Pa. Jared is married and has one child. They are all upright, forward looking young people of whom any father or mother might be proud. After the burial of his brother, and spending a few days with his family at Rippon, Jared returned to Cairo and pressed on with his work. Late in March, about two months after the death of his brother William, Jared received a telegram telling him that his wife was nearing death and summoning him to come at once. Again he entered upon a sad journey to Jefferson County, W. Va. He reached Rippon about 9 A. M. the next day, after leaving Cairo, and found his wife had pased away early on the night before. After fitting funeral and burial services and spending a few days with his children and the family circle, Jared again with a sad but trustful heart, returned to Cairo and took up his work. The remaining two months of this year's school were spent with much solemn reflection and deep meditation on the mysteries of life and how to make it of greatest worth., As Jared's interest in heaven was constantly on the increase, and his work was that of Bible study and training men for the Gospel ministry and men and women for Sunday School and misison work, he determined if possible to reach a higher plane of life and service, and he has reasons to believe that his efforts to live nearer the cross have been marked by success.

With the close of this school year, after spending about two weeks on the field for the school and mission, Jared returned about the middle of June to West Virginia to spend some time with his children and his wife's people, to give and receive comfort and to plan for their future. He had at this time three living children, Charles Oliver Arter, the oldest, about sixteen years of age, Rose Elizabeth Arter, about twelve, and Jared Maurice Arter, Jr., nearly seven. While Charles and Rose were both very dear children of much promise, Jared, Jr., had a number of qualities that made him a marked child of unusual promise. But sad even to mention, he was afflicted with hernia or rupture from boyhood. His mother and father had employed the treatments of specialists for years, with promise of sure cure, but all in vain.

After the death of his mother the condition of the baby boy, Jared, weighed heavily upon the mind of his father.

The boy Jared's Aunt Lizzie Carter, had been a trained nurse at Freedmen's, D. C., and was a graduate of that institution. At this time she was a trained nurse in a private hospital at Berryville, Va., under the expert control and management of Dr. Parker, who had had more than twenty years of practice and experience in the hospitals of New York City. Baby Jared's Aunt Lizzie Carter gave most interesting accounts of quite a number of children who were placed in Freedmen's and treated for hernia while she was there, and she told how every one of them was easily and safely cured. Dr. Parker also, when approached on the subject, said he had had many children suffering from hernia put in his hands for treatment in course of his twenty years practice in the hospitals of the city of New York, and that he never had but one to come back on his hands, and that was the first one that he treated. In view of the apparent safety and certain cure gathered from these statements Jared the father of the boy, felt it to be his bounded duty to have his boy treated and cured in his childhood days. His first mind was to send him to Freedmen's. But as his Aunt Lizzie was a nurse in Dr. Parker's Hospital, and as Dr. Parker gave such convincing argument that if trusted with the case he would return him safely and soundly healed, the child was placed in Dr. Parker's hospital for treatment with all fear of malpractice or failure removed. Indeed, so completely was all fear of any ill outcome of the case removed from the father's mind that after the child had been in the hospital under treatment for three days and all seemed going well, the father took a trip to Jamestown and spent two days in attendance upon the Jamestown Tri-Centenary. On Jared's return and visit to the hospital he found his baby boy getting on seemingly as well as could be expected, but a little fretful and wanting to go home with his father. His father said nice things to him, telling him he must remain under the doctor's special care just a few days more, that if he would be good and cheerful and remain a few days longer the doctor and his aunt Lizzie were saying he could go home a new, well boy and that his father was going to get him a new suit of clothes, a new wagon, new ball and lots of other nice things. With this counsel and these promises the baby boy, Jared, was quieted and went off to sleep. While his beloved boy was thus resting, his father returned home. On the second day following this about 9 A. M., a telephone message was received summoning the father and grandmother to come at once, that little Jared was dying. His grandmother, Mrs. Amanda Carter, and his father, hitched up a horse to the buggy and drove rapidly to Berryville, a distance of seven miles and found little Jared in a dying condition from tetanus or lock-jaw, resulting from blood poisoning. He knew his grandmother and his father and threw his arms around their necks, and a little later there came over his face a beautifully sweet smile, as he passed out of this life, and as we believe met his dear, sweet mother in the blessed land of Paradise. This blow to Jared's heart, already deeply afflicted and sore from the loss, so recently, of a favorite brother and a dear, sweet, loving wife, will never fully heal in this life. Jared remained several weeks longer with his remaining two children, Charles Oliver and Rose Elizabeth and with his wife's people in their home at Rippon, and then took his journey again for another year's work in the Cairo Mission field. He spent six weeks on the field, visiting associations, conventions, churches and yearly meetings in quest of students and to deepen the interest in the work.

On October 1, 1907, he opened the school for another year's work. The attendance this year was creditably increased above other years. Professor Lott, who had been Jared's assistant for the last three years, was of signal help in the work. The school progressed through the year in good form and closed the last week in May, with the graduation of four young men as ministers of the gospel. After spending about four weeks visiting churches, Forward Movement Clubs, Sunday Schools, and other religious bodies in the interest of the school and mission, Jared, in company with Rev. S. R. Bulloch, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston, W. Va., took a trip to Niagara Falls, N. Y., where they spent several days.

While thus associated Rev, S. R. Bullock, who was at one time a student of the J. S. Manning Bible School, and at this time besides being pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston, was a trustee of the West Virginia Industrial School Seminary and College, mentioned to Jared the fact that the above named school at Hill Top, Fayette County, W. Va., was without a president and sought to ascertain if a call came to Jared whether he would accept or not.

After being released from the presidency of the seminary, Jared accepted appointment as principal of the Fayetteville graded school. Here he taught and continued to serve as pastor at Sun until the fall of 1916, when he received and accepted a recall to the pastorate of the College Church at Harper's Ferry. He began his work here for the second time September 9th, and when the school opened arrangements were made with him to take charge of the Bible work of the college, and to assist Prof. H. H. Winters in superintending the boys at Lincoln Hall. These duties were quite agreeable and the work for the most part went forward in a normal way.

There is perhaps but one thing in the course of Jared's work this year that merits special mention, and that is the revival begun on the last Sunday of that year, December 31st, 1916, and continued for two weeks, closing Sunday, January 14, 1917.

Mrs. Elizabeth M. McDonald, wife of H. T. McDonald, president of Storer College, writing to the Missionary Helper concerning this revival, said: “Storer has just witnessed one of the most satisfying revivals in her history. In two weeks nearly every student out of 157 has declared himself openly for Christ. Think of what that may mean in the next thirty years. For in a school like this it is not merely a matter of saving souls, but it is saving leaders who are going out to powerfully touch for weal or woe the other souls in their community. And so when our best singers, football and baseball players, our strongest students in all departments, put themselves on the right side, it means that just so many more safe leaders are given to the colored race and to humanity. The writer has seen many revivals, but never one like this, where at a word from the leader, several would instantly respond with professions of their desire for a changed life. To a casual observer, it seemed little short of marvelous, but when one realized the personal work done each day by the pastor, Rev. J. M. Arter, and the systematic, earnest campaigning done by the Y. M. C. A., the C. E. and the Christian boys and girls for their non-Christian classmates one realizes that in these meetings faith and works were indeed going hand in hand. Too often in a school, a revival breaks up class and disorganizes routine; it was not so with us in the last few weeks. Instead there seemed a more earnest desire to show practical Christian living by a more conscientious performance of all duties by a greater carefulness on the part of the careless. Nothing more clearly told me that one of our heedles boys was sincere in his efforts than when one morning he stopped before class to carefully explain why his lessons was incompletely prepared. In all previous years he had never deigned any explanation even when it was asked for. And between teacher and student there is a greater harmony, a more human understanding and fellowship, which is one of the sweetest experiences of the teacher's life. The Christ life did not dawn for all the same way. Some were obliged to seek Him in the storm and stress of the old time, of the old-time religion accompanied by the beautiful, old-time hymn, that we so seldom hear at Storer in these latter days; to others it was a thoughtful, sober determination to work on God's side. You will be interested in one young man, a Junior. Several years ago he started his course with a smart lad among students of his own age. Circumstances forced him to leave school, but did not take from his his ambition. A younger brother and sister entered Storer before he was able to return. Two years ago he returned a freshman, while his brother and sister were already in the Junior class. What would have been so galling to the spirit of a youth of less perseverance, made him only more determined to make good. And he has made good in everything he has undertaken. Therefore, when at our closing meeting he quietly announced his decision to be a Christian, we all felt his strength would be as the strength of ten. Many times during these two weeks it seemed as if the spirit of those at the North who so earnestly pray for Storer was present with us. Often the older teachers spoke of Mrs. Anne Dudley Bates and her daily prayer for the salvation of our boys and girls. To those who know the history of Storer this revival is a fresh evidence of God's answer to prayer, so often shown towards Storer. And now that our young people have been taken under the watch-care of the church and are being helped through Bible study and special Sunday afternoon meetings to adjust themselves to the regular religious duties demanded of active Christians, we are attacking our work with fresh vigor and courage.” This is certainly valuable testimony to the blessed character and true success and worth of this revival. During the remainder of this school year, Jared's work as pastor of the church and teacher of the Bible work moved along quite normally, nothing, perhaps, meriting special mention occurred. With the close of 1917 and the opening of 1918 again we ran a revival for about two weeks and were blessed with about ten converts. During the remainder of this school year nothing deserving special mention in the line of Jared's work occurred. In the fall of 1918, a large number of the male students of Storer had been drafted and were subject to be called to the colors any day, and as the girls always outnumber the boys and now it seemed the girls in the school would be more than two to one of the boys; so for the sake of economy and as a war measure, it was decided to make an important change in the dormitory homes of students. Lincoln Hall, though in the most retired part of the campus, was originally built for the boys, and when destroyed by fire some years ago it was rebuilt for the boys. It was rebuilt of stone, large gray stone, with thick, heavy walls; a gymnasium, large dining room, kitchen, pantry, storeroom, and other rooms on the basement floor. Its halls are large and airy. Its rooms are large and well-lighted, with high ceilings, and large clothes-closets. Thus in every way Lincoln Hall is the most ample, roomy and attractive dormitory on the school campus. This hall, for the reasons mentioned, was given to the girls, and the boys were transferred to Myrtle Hall, now changed in name to Mosier Hall. The president of Storer had been South a part of this year (1918) visiting a number of schools, and he had observed some practices which he decided would be of advantage if applied in Storer.

One was to have the boys hall superintended by a man and his wife.

So Jared and his wife, Mrs. M. M. W. Arter, were asked to move into Myrtle and to take charge of the boys. They accepted the charge and superintended the boys for two years. Mrs. Arter demanded a high standard and some of the boys thought she was too exacting.

But as we never know the full worth of privilege, service or possession till we lose them, so the old boys, some that have graduated and some that are still here seem never to tire of telling her in person or through letters how much they were helped by her careful supervision and ministry to them when sick, and how much they have missed her counsel and advice since she gave up the hall. Jared liked the work and for the most part got along well with the boys. But he esteemed his strictly religious work above all else, and he came to feel that his familiar association with the boys, and his having to police them, censure them, and discipline them at times, diminished, somewhat, his influence over them as a Gospel minister. For this reason with the close of the school year, 1920, he arranged to give up the superintendence of the boys. Each of these years was closed and the new year begun with a protracted meeting participated in by pastor, members of the faculty, church, and Christian students and on each occasion new souls were brought into the kingdom, backsliders reclaimed, and the Christian body spiritually revived and strengthened.

But the visible results of the revival efforts at the close of 1919 and the beginning of 1920 were so unsatisfactory to Jared that he secured the services of a special and strong evangelist in the last week of March, and by the grace of God through his preaching and song services and the prayers of God's people some twenty souls were led to accept Christ, and four were reclaimed. All were taken under the watch-care of the Church.

During the school year of 1920 and 1921 Jared served simply as pastor of the Church and student body. In the early summer of 1921 the harmony between the church and school that had been so cordial in relation to the pastor was now becoming disturbed and discordant.

It was evident in the interest of peace, harmony and good-will, that a separation between church and pastor should take place.

As the church had been brought to a status of activity greater than ever before, was paying larger dues, and raising more money for support of pastor and support of the church-work than ever before in its history, and was receiving greater recognition as an independent body both by the school and the other churches of the community than ever before, it seemed an opportune time for the pastor to resign.

So he offered his resignation to take effect with the closing services Sunday night of October 9, 1921.

Sometime in September of this year Jared received an urgent request from Dr. C. H. Parrish, president of Simmons University, Louisville, Ky., to take charge of the ministerial department of that institution. Jared had accepted the offer and had promised, no preventing providence, to be there to begin work Monday, October 22. But on September 29, eleven days before the expiration of his services to the college church and twenty-three days before he was to enter upon his duties in Simmons University, he was suddenly, from a vigorous state of health, struck down with a most dangerous urinary attack. In twelve hours he had to have a doctor four times, and getting almost no relief he was rushed to the local hospital of Charles Town, where he remained a week.

Here he was able to obtain slight temporary relief and to learn that his condition was very serious and that nothing short of two major and very serious operations, would probably give him any permanent relief.