Pastor Tom Admin January 12, 2021

Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives
“The arrow of the Almighty stuck fast.”

Samuel Harriss 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 baptisms. 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.”

Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. IIII: Cummins /, pp. 24-26.

Share (4)MeWe – The Next-Gen Social Network