Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Jesse Mercer – The Gamaliel of the Georgia Baptist Convention – Part SIX of SIX

Thomas E Kresal Admin · February 1, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Jesse Mercer – The Gamaliel of the Georgia Baptist Convention – Part SIX of SIX

For some years Mr. Mercer was an active member, and for a while corresponding secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Co-operating Baptist Associations for Instructing and Evangelizing the Creek Indians, organized under the direction of managers appointed by the Ocmulgee, Georgia, and Ebenezer Associations. By his pen, in the pulpit, and with his purse Mr. Mercer strenuously advocated the mission cause throughout his whole career, and was one of those who organized, and for the ten years of its existence was the master spirit of, the General Committee of the Georgia Baptists, which resulted in the establishment of the Georgia Baptist Convention, the grand missionary body of the Georgia Baptists. For eighteen years in succession he was elected president of the Georgia Baptist Convention, and for more than twenty years he was successively elected presiding officer of the Georgia Association.

In the discussion of all weighty and difficult subjects in the religious bodies which he attended he usually took a prominent part, and his views generally decided the question under discussion. On one occasion some important subject was discussed for a considerable time, when a worthy brother rose and said, ” Well, I now move that Brother Mercer give us his views, and that the question then be put, without any further debate,” intimating that it would be improper for the question to be taken until the Gamaliel of the meeting had expressed his opinion, and that after he should speak little more of importance could well be said.

Thomas E. Kresal from: Baptist Encyclopedia by William Cathcart, pg. 779-780