179 — June 28 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

Milo P. Jewett

 

The Pastor Who Couldn’t Ignore Immersion  

 

 

Milo P. Jewett was born in Johnsbury, Vermont, on April 27, 1808, into the family of Dr. and Mrs. Calvin Jewett. Being the son of a medical doctor, young Jewett was offered the opportunity of a fine education and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1828. Looking forward to a career in the legal profession, Jewett spent a year in a law office in New Hampshire, but in 1830 he abandoned law and entered Andover Seminary. His brilliant mind fully equipped him for the field of education, and “he decided that teaching and not preaching was the work for which God had fitted him…In 1834 (he) accepted a professorship in Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio.”

 

Professor Jewett was persuaded to accept the pastorate of a Presbyterian church along with his educational duties, and for two years he served as pastor-professor. A disturbing situation developed which changed Jewett’s life, and that we might hear it in his own words, we quote from a letter he wrote from Marietta College, dated June 28, 1838:

 

Perhaps you know I have preached for about two years past to a Presbyterian church in the country. Some eighteen months ago, an elder of that church became a Baptist. On the occasion of his baptism, a sermon was preached by Rev. Hiram Gear, the Baptist minister in Marietta. This sermon disturbed several members of my church, and the session requested me to preach on baptism. . . . .

 

Afterwards I took up infant baptism; and here I found myself in clouds and darkness…I would lay down the subject for weeks, then resume it, till, some three or four months ago, I was obliged, in the fear of God, to conclude that none but believers in Jesus have a right to the ordinance of Jesus.

 

In January 1839 Jewett was baptized and united with the Baptist church in Marietta.

 

In 1840 he authored Jewett on Baptism, and the volume was blessed by the Lord in helping many to see the spiritual truth of the ordinance. Jewett passed into the Lord’s presence in 1882 after a full life of spiritual obedience and service.

 

Dr. Dale R. Hart: Adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I. (Thompson/Cummins) pp. 261 – 262.

 

 

166 — June 15 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

166 — June 15 – This Day in Baptist History Past        

 

 

 

He Pursued Law Then Preached Jesus Christ

 

Edward Miles Jerome was born on June 15, 1826 and graduated from Yale in 1850.  While at Yale, Edward Jerome was not a student in the Divinity School, rather he pursued, and graduated with a law degree. After a few years, Jerome became persuaded that Baptist principles and doctrine were biblical. Though not a divinity student, his legal mind was enlightened by the Holy Spirit. He became a Baptist, was baptized, and united with the First Baptist Church of Hartford, Connecticut. It was there that he began his theological studies and was licensed by that church to teach and preach the Scriptures. He was ordained in 1859 as an evangelist in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and began his ministry preaching and supplying pulpits. He soon settled into a pastorate and served in this office for several years until he suffered an infection in his throat that disabled him. He attempted preaching afterwards, but failing health would not permit him to continue. Fortunately, he had developed excellent writing skills and was able to use these when he lost his ability to preach. Edward Jerome’s preaching and writing were doctrinally clear and were presented in an evangelical, earnest, and effective manner. He entered into the presence of his Lord on June 8, 1891 at sixty-five years of age.

 

Dr. Dale R. Hart: Adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I. (Thompson/Cummins) pp. 246-247.