Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Celebrating John Leland Day.
Thomas E Kresal September 30, 2019
Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Celebrating John Leland Day.
Elder John Leland married Miss Sallie Devine on Sept. 30, 1776, and God blessed them with eight children.
As the Apostles, along with Patrick Henry, Carrington, and Washington, he would have been considered an “unlearned and ignorant” man, in that he had received no formal education. But his proficiency in the gospel, law and politics was as profound as any of his contemporaries.
Born in Grafton, Mass. on May 14, 1754, he was saved after a lengthy period of conviction over his sins. On June of 1774 he moved to Virginia, was ordained, and assumed the pastorate of the Mount Poney Baptist Church in Culpepper County. For the next fifteen years he served in a very successful evangelistic ministry that covered 75,000 miles, and the preaching of over 3,000 sermons. Altogether he baptized 1,352 converts.
One woman’s husband came to shoot him but he got her under while the members detained him.
His shrewd and witty mind aided him in championing soul liberty and religious freedom. It was primarily through his able leadership that we have the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He also opposed slavery when it was unpopular to do so, and was successful in disenfranchising the Protestant Episcopal Church which was supported by taxation in Virginia. He died still preaching the gospel in his native Massachusetts at age 67 on Jan. 14, 1841.
Thomas E. Kresal from: This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, pp. 535 – 36 [Robert Boyle C. Howell, The Early Baptists of Virginia (Philadelphia: Bible and Publication Society. 1857), p. 242
September 30, 2019Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Celebrating John Leland DayElder John Leland married…
Posted by Thomas E Kresal on Monday, September 30, 2019
One Response
Jim Curran … commented … “food for thought men of that era often educated themselves. Formal education was often sparse. They often taught themselves through extensive reading and study. The same that was said of Leland could be said of such men as Isaac McCoy and many others. Isn’t it amazing in this world where there are more college degrees and endless information available at our fingertips people have no idea of even what is in our constitution or the Bible yet can tell what every ignorant celebrity wore to and said at some awards ceremony. Food for thought.” Thanks Jim …
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