61 – March – 02 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

 

A Baptist Warrior

 

1793 – Samuel (Sam) Houston was born on March 2, 1793.  After enlisting in the U.S. Army, he became a Lieutenant, lawyer, district attorney, adjutant general, congressman, and the governor of Tennessee.  He accomplished all of this before moving to Texas in 1832, where he arrived from Virginia.  Almost immediately he was elected major general of the Texas troops.  When war broke out with Mexico he dealt a crushing blow to Santa Anna and won Independence for the Republic of Texas.  He was elected governor of Texas in 1859.  Houston’s conversion was doubtless due primarily to his wife Maggie Lea prior to 1840 but didn’t make a public profession until 1854 when he was united with the Baptist Church of Independence, Texas and was baptized by Dr. R.C. Burleson on Nov. 19 of that year.  He regularly led in public prayer, was a regular attendant, even at prayer meeting service and when he lay dying at his home in Huntsville, he expressed to his family and friends his clear faith in his Savior.  After Texas was admitted to the Union he served for fourteen years in the U.S. Senate.  He was inaugurated governor of Texas on Dec. 21, 1859, and these became the most trying days for there was great ferment before the Civil War.  Houston was in the minority for secession but the majority of the people voted to secede on Feb. 23, 1861.  His office was declared vacant and he retired to his farm outside of Huntsville where he died on July 26, 1863.  Today Sam Houston is one of the most revered names in Texas and in the United States.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon, from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 86.

 

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60 – March 01- THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

Baptists and the Lone Star Republic

Sam Houston

A general convention was called and met on March 1, 1836 in Washington, Texas, after a number of small battles were fought over the freedom of Texas. With many betrayals from the Mexican Democratic government, the Texans realized that they could not rely on Mexican Constitutionalists for help, and thus determined to fight for total freedom. At this general convention, churches, except Catholic churches, had been forbidden by law, and so no schools had yet been built, so they met in a blacksmith shop owned by a Baptist, N. T. Brays.  Blacksmithing was suspended; the area was cleared, and benches prepared for the first great Texas convention.  Judge Richard Ellis, a Baptist farmer, was chosen to preside over the session. The following day Texas independence was declared, and governmental organization was begun.  General Sam Houston was selected as the commander-in-chief of Texan armies.  Four days after the signing of the declaration of Texas independence, the Alamo fell and 182 courageous men were slain.

Just twenty-five days after the horrible massacre, the Battle of San Jacinto was fought, and the Texans led by General Houston, were spurred on by the battle cry, “remember the Alamo.” In about thirty minutes 750 Texans took on 1500 Mexican troops in which half of the Mexicans were dead and the remainder captured and Santa Anna was a prisoner. Texas was free, and a new state was born led by Baptist men.  Judge Richard Ellis was from a prominent Virginia Baptist family that provided preachers for Virginia and Texas.  N.T. Byars, the blacksmith, in time was appointed the first Texas Baptist missionary, and became a church planter. General Sam Houston became a great Baptist nobleman.  Please observe these men did not desire a state church but sought political and religious freedom for all the citizenry.

Dr. Dale R. Hart, adapted from: “This Day in Baptist History III”,  David L. Cummins. pp. 125  –  126