Dr. Ira Jay Martin III was a fixture at Berea College serving as professor in the Philosophy and Religions Department for thirty-three years.  He was an instructor for two years before being promoted to Assistant Professor in 1946.  In the fall of 1966 he was appointed to the Henry Mixter Penniman Professorship, which he held until his retirement in 1977 (becoming an emeritus professor).  Martin published several books on a variety of topics in religion.  He was the author of Glossolalia in the Apostolic Church; Glossolalia, The Gift of Tongues, A Bibliography; Rare Bibles of Berea College; The Faith of Jesus; The Faith of Paul, Through the Epistles to Paul and contributed an article in the Encyclopedia Britannica on glossolalia.  In addition, Martin did extensive research on Snake-handling and Religion in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, and completed manuscripts on Early Christian Thought and Bunyan’s Pilgrim Progress.

Martin was born on September 2, 1911 in Pawtucket, R.I.  He received a degree in Philosophy and Biblical Studies from Brown University in 1933 and a Bachelor of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in 1936.   During the summers of 1934 and 1935, Martin was the pastor of the Calvinistic Baptist Church of Woolwich, ME.  From 1936 until 1941, he was the pastor of the Littleton Baptist Church of Littleton Common, MA and from 1941 to 1944 he was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Athol, MA.

While at Andover Newton Theological School, Martin met his future wife, Ethel Virginia Augenstein.  They were married after his graduation from Andover in 1936.  Their adopted daughter, Rita Elaine Gay, was born on February 27, 1953.  Nearly every Sunday afternoon the Martin’s hosted a group of students at their home.  The Martin’s were also very involved in Union Church in Berea.  Ethel Martin served as the Assistant to the Minister during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s.  She later served for many years in the position of Director of Women’s Industrial.  Ira Martin was a Life Deacon of Union Church as well.  Martin toured the Middle East and parts of Europe during his sabbatical in 1965-66.  After his retirement in 1977, Ira and Ethel Martin eventually settled in Black Mountain, N.C., where they had kept a summer home for many years.  Ira Martin died on November 25, 1983.