54 – February – 23 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

 

James Smith Coleman

Lutheran’s Bible meant immersion

1827 – James Smith Coleman was born on Feb. 23, 1827, and was saved as just a boy in his native Kentucky.  He became known as the “Old War Horse” for good reason.  He refused calls to large city churches preferring to stay in the country ministering as pastor-evangelist to the hill people.  His great-grand parents had become Baptists when they came to America from Germany.  After reading Lutheran’s translation of the scriptures, they knew that the Greek baptizo with the German “taufen,” meant immersion.  James united with the Beaver Dam Baptist Church at age eleven, but at adulthood he forgot his call to preach and became county sheriff.  At a revival meeting the Holy Spirit burdened his heart again, and he resigned as sheriff and began preaching the gospel with great power.  His efforts produced converts every time he graced the pulpit.  He was especially a great debater and often put the pedobaptists to flight with his oratory and effective humor.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon, from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 74.

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12 – January 12 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

 

“My peace I leave with you”

 

1724 – Samuel Harriss was born in Hanover County, Virginia. While still a youth his parents moved to Pittsylvania County where men appointed Samuel as church warden, sheriff, a justice of the peace, burgess of the county, colonel of the militia, captain of Ft. Mayo, and commissary for the Fort and Army. All of this did not satisfy his soul and he was brought under deep conviction. He attended a meeting of the sect called Baptists and heard the Murphy Boys, Joseph and William preach in a small house. He got under conviction and was gloriously saved some time in 1758 and began to follow Daniel Marshall and travel with James Read from N.C. Harriss became so effective that they called him the “Virginia Apostle.” At the invitation of Allen Wyley he went to Culpeper, Virginia and ventured as far as the Shenandoah Valley. While preaching in Orange County he was pulled down and dragged about by the hair and sometimes by one leg. On another occasion he was knocked down while preaching. In Hillsborough he was locked up for a considerable time for preaching without a license. A man owed him a debt but he said that he was so sure that God would pay him that he would discharge the debt against the man. The man was so utterly amazed that he ultimately paid him in full.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon; adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 16-17.

 

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12 – Jan. 12 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

Daniel Marshall  Baptized Samuel Harris.
“the arrow of the Almighty stuck fast.”
 Samuel Harris led the charge for the Separate Baptists in Virginia.  He was born, Jan. 12, 1724 but not born again until 1758.  He was a nobleman, in that he held several positions of honor.  He served as sheriff, colonel of the militia, and captain of Fort Mayo.  But under the preaching of the Murphy boys he said that, “the arrow of the Almighty stuck fast.”  Daniel Marshall baptized him, and he was ordained in 1769.  He first preached in Culpepper County but was driven out of town by a mob.  In Orange County he was pulled from the platform by a roughneck and abused until rescued by friends.  On another occasion he was knocked down while preaching.  However, even then he didn’t suffer as other Baptist preachers did.  Take the case of “Swearing Jack Waller.”  He was on the jury at the trial of Lewis Craig.  Craig told the jury, “I take joyfully the spoiling of my goods for Christ’s sake.  While I lived in sin the jury took no notice of me.”  John Waller’s heart was melted and he was saved and in time became an honored Separate Baptist preacher.  One time while he was preaching he was assaulted by an Anglican parson and a sheriff.  The parson stuffed his whip handle down his throat but he returned and continued to preach.  John Taylor, John Koontz, William Webber, David Barrow, Lewis Lunsford, John Pickett, James Ireland, and Elijah Baker all suffered at the hands of mobs as they attempted to preach the gospel.  Sometimes snakes were thrown into their midst.  Many attacks were made at their baptism’s.  At times preachers were plunged into the mud with the threat of drowning.  It could surely be said of them that they were sent forth as, “sheep among wolves.”
Dr. Greg J. Dixon from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. IIII: Cummins /, pp. 24-26.