Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives Henry Holcombe, DD – 1762-1824 – Endangered With a Violent Fever – PART EIGHT

Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives Henry Holcombe, DD – 1762-1824 – Endangered With a Violent Fever – PART EIGHT

Thomas E Kresal Admin · 2 hrs November 11, 2019

Henry Holcombe, DD – 1762-1824 – Endangered With a Violent Fever – PART EIGHT

During a preaching excursion in the up-country, while some two hundred miles from home, he delivered a discourse on a very warm day; and immediately afterwards drank freely of cold water. This brought him, in a moment, from perfect health to the borders of the grave. Though, for the time being, he obtained partial relief, yet he continued seriously indisposed; and, on his homeward journey, fainted in the pulpit at Mount Enon.

Continuing to preach after he reached Savannah, he was taken dangerously ill of a violent fever, and was laid by about two months. In 1808, he again met the General Committee at Mount Enon, and the following year went to Augusta and aided in the ordination of Rev. William T. Brantly, Sr. His labors were too much for the state of his health, which continued very feeble, and brought another violent and protracted attack [attact] of sickness in 1810. After recovering, so far as to be able to attend the session of the Savannah River Association in the city, he resigned his charge of the Savannah church, and retired to Mount Enon.Such a man could not be permitted to remain long in retirement. He was recalled to Beaufort — soon after, invited to visit Boston, with a view to settlement — and then called to the care of the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia; which last call he accepted, and made arrangements to remove thither.On the 14th December, 1811, he embarked for Philadelphia, via New York, and after a stormy and dangerous passage, he arrived among his new charge the 1st January, 1812.

With characteristic zeal he entered upon his labors in this important position, and was instrumental in doing much towards the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause. Though in early life a soldier and an officer, he became an advocate of peace principles, and was at the head of a peace society. A volume was published by him, entitled “Primitive Theology;” a very good work, and teaches sound doctrine.

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