122 – May 02 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

Simple in style – Solemn in manner

 

James Barnett Taylor was ordained for the gospel ministry on May 2, 1826, at Sandy Creek Church in Virginia.  He had been born in the village of Barton-upon-Humber, England on March 19, 1804.  His father brought his family to America the next year, and they settled in the city of New York.  At the age of 13, young Taylor was baptized and united with the First Baptist Church of New York City. That same year the Family moved to Virginia.   At the age of 16, he began to preach.   In 1826 he became pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia, where he served for sixteen years.  During that time he organized Sunday schools and Bible societies and promoted the cause of education.   Six hundred and sixty members were added to the church, three new churches were organized, and upwards of a dozen of the men in his church entered the ministry.  In 1839 he was elected chaplain of the University of Virginia. In 1840 he became pastor of the Third Baptist Church (later known as Grace Baptist Church) in Richmond.  In 1844 he traveled south to encourage the churches to increase their support of missions.  He collected large sums of money for the American Baptist Missionary Societies.  He was also greatly interested in the welfare of the Negroes and was appointed to work with the secretary of the Freedmen’s Bureau.  His last sermons were preached in Alexandria to Negro congregations.  This servant ministered faithfully in a very difficult time and died on December 22, 1871.  Taylor was a preacher, simple in style and solemn in manner.
Dr. Dale R. Hart adapted from: “This Day in Baptist History III” David L. Cummins. pp. 254 – 255