Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Henry Holcombe, DD – 1762-1824 – Attempts to Take His Life – PART SEVEN

Thomas E Kresal November 9, 2019

Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Henry Holcombe, DD – 1762-1824 – Attempts to Take His Life – PART SEVEN

Several attempts were made against him, among which were the following, which we give in his own words: “An attempt was made at night, to decoy me by a stratagem into an ambuscade; but, as an ever-watchful Providence would have it, without success. A well-dressed fellow, who assumed the style and manner of a gentleman, endeavored to get me out of my house after midnight, under the pretense of wanting me to perform a marriage ceremony.

And had I not happened to hear the clock strike twelve, just before the knock at my door, I might have believed him in the assertion, that it was but a little past ten o’clock, and been led into the snare of my adversaries. He said his name was Clark, that the parties to be married were respectable strangers, had been disappointed in obtaining their marriage license sooner, had to sail next morning, were very desirous of being married by me, and that he would give me immediately a fee of fifty dollars.

But, on peremptorily refusing, from an upper window, to come down stairs on any consideration at so unseasonable an hour, this Judas, who had before expressed himself with the greatest politeness, overwhelmed me with a torrent of the bitterest curses; and swore by his God, that if I opened my mouth to call the guard, he would break every window in my house. From this unsuccessful stratagem, they had recourse to violence. Returning, according to my well-known custom, about nine o’clock in the evening, from the meeting of a society of which I was a member, with a small son at each of my hands, a musket was snapped at my breast, and the fire rolled so near me, in throwing out my hand in the dark, I laid hold on a bayonet!

But God being pleased, at this critical moment, to make my heart like adamant, I exerted a loud authoritative voice in a few interrogations, which so alarmed the two cowardly assassins, whom I perceived before me with fixed bayonets, that they sneaked away, as if expecting every moment to be seized, ‘begging ten thousand pardons,’ and, with tremulous voices, apologizing for their dastardly attempt on my life.”

His efforts to promote union and concentration of effort among all Christians, and especially those of his own denomination, were worthy of the man, and were productive of good results. He was in the conference of Baptist ministers which agreed to found the Mount Enon Academy, (in 1804,) and adopted a constitution as a missionary society, called the General Committee, (in 1806,) and exerted his utmost powers to promote these objects. He selected the site, purchased the land, and was appointed the agent to collect funds to carry it on, in which he was quite successful. He had the happiness to baptize many persons of distinction, among whom was Hon. Joseph Clay, an eminent civilian, and a Federal Judge of the District of Georgia.

Thomas E. Kresal from – J. H. Campbell, Georgia Baptists: Historical and Biographical, 1874, pp. 189-191

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