227 – August 15 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

 

“One of the Leaders in the Fight for Liberty”        

William Webber was born on August 15, 1747, to parents of moderate means and received only three years of formal education, and yet he was considered one of the spiritual fathers and pioneers of the gospel in Virginia. He became a carpenter and worked at that trade until he was converted to Jesus Christ under the preaching of John Waller and quickly became an exhorter.

Few men in Virginia suffered more persecutions than Webber. He was among those who preached through the grates of the Chesterfield County jail, spending three months there. In the same year of 1771 he was taken from the platform where he was preaching to the Middlesex County jail for forty-five days, where he, along with several others, preached twice a week, through the bars to those that would hear.

He was also roughly treated on many occasions. In spite of these things, the gospel prospered, and Baptist principles were embraced by many. Many strong and fruitful churches were planted such as the Powhatah church, out of which no less than fourteen preachers were called early in its history.

Early on , Webber became pastor of the Dover Church in Goochland County, VA, and in spite of his poor circumstances, he gave a great deal of time in his youth to preaching. But as his family grew, he found it necessary to limit his labors to his own area. Semple says, “He was very successful in turning many to righteousness; and in confirming the souls of his disciples. He was a man of sound and correct judgment…well versed in the scripture, and ingenious in defending them against error. He was one of the leaders to represent the Baptists in the fight for liberty.”

Dr. Greg J. Dixon: From: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins/Thompson, pp. 335-36.

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23 – January 23 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

 

 

Patrick Henry paid his fine

1833 – JOHN WEATHERFORD, THE LAST OF THE OLD VETERAN BAPTIST PREACHERS DIED – John Weatherford, the last of the old veteran Baptist preachers, died on January 23, 1833. A little boy noticed the white, rigid seams in his hands and it left an indelible impression. In his latter years the boy learned that Weatherford had been imprisoned in the Chesterfield County jail of the colony of Virginia for five months in the year 1773. The iron bars did not hinder him from preaching through the grates to the congregation that gathered. Wicked men would stand on either side and slash his hands with knives until blood would stream down and actually sprinkle down on the people. Dr. White, the young lad, called them, ‘the martyr marks of the Lord Jesus.’ Weatherford was not released until the jail fees (room and board) were paid, which was a considerable sum. Finally they were paid by someone and he was released. Over twenty years later Patrick Henry became a neighbor to Weatherford and only then the preacher found that it was Henry who had paid his fine. As an old man he requested Newton’s song ‘Amazing Grace’ to be sung to him.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon; adapted from:  Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson/   Pg.  30

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227 – Aug. 15 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

Jailed for preaching without a license

 

1747 – William Webber was born. He was considered one of the spiritual fathers and pioneers of the gospel in Virginia. A carpenter by trade until hearing the preaching of John Waller and quickly became an exhorter.  He soon became the pastor of the Dover Church in Goochland County, VA.   Few men in Virginia suffered more persecutions than Webber. In 1771 he spent three months of confinement in the Chesterfield County jail, where he preached through the grates.  Shortly after his release he was taken from  the platform in the midst of his message and was placed in the Middlesex County Jail for forty-five days.  His crime?  Preaching without a license from the State, which was under the Anglican State Church system. These endeavors resulted in the planting of numerous strong and fruitful churches and as many as fourtee preachers were called out to spread the gospel of Christ.  [Robert B. Semple, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (Richmond: Published by the author, 1810), pp. 422-25]  Prepared by Rev. Dale R. Hart – rom623drh2@msn.com