Beck, Rev. Thomas J., Sr., was born in Bun- combe Co., N. C., Dec. 2, 1805

Baptist Church History

Published by Jim Curran 9/25/22

  · 1h  · Daily Baptist Encyclopedia (post by Jim Curran) Beck, Rev. Thomas J., Sr., was born in Bun- combe Co., N. C., Dec. 2, 1805, of pious parents. On reaching his majority he moved to Wilkes Co., Ga., where he was converted and baptized in 1833, joining the Rehoboth church. He was ordained at New Providence church, in Warren County, in 1835, and, during a ministerial career of twenty- seven years, preached to various churches in War- ren, McDuffie, Columbia, Taliaferro, Greene, and Wilkes Counties. At his death he had charge of four churches. He died in Warren Co., Ga., Sept. 2, 1862, at the age of fifty-six. The chief features of his character were firmness, boldness, humility, modesty, sincerity, and kind- ness. Utterly free from envy, he praised the worthy deeds and superior talents of others. Tle was honest in the scriptural sense of the term, and there was nothing mean or selfish in his nature. Ile was very successful in winning souls to Jesus and in building up and strengthening the churches he served, and, according to his talents and educa- tion, few have done more for the denomination in Georgia than he. He was a true Baptist, and in hearty sympathy with the great principles and doc- trines which are peculiar to our denomination. He was a diligent student of the Bible and a very effective speaker, delivering what he had to say in an earnest, hearty, straightforward manner. Asa pastor he had few superiors. Not many ministers were more successful than he in building up churches and in establishing and utilizing their membership. He always left his churches in a better condition than they were when he took charge of them. He was greatly beloved and es- teemed as a pastor, as a Christian, as a neighbor, and as a man, and in every relation which he sustained his life was a blessing. -In his family his Christian life shone most brightly, and his walk with God appeared most intimate. He looked care- fully after the salvation of his children, and before his death had the pleasure of baptizing all but one, who, then only ten years old, was afterwards baptized at fourteen. In his life we havea striking exemplification of the truth that in obedience to and in close communion with God lie the true secret of success and usefulness in the service of Christ. Mr. Beck always appeared before his peo- ple as if he had just come out from the presence of God, and his hearers received his messages gladly, and many of them were converted.From the Baptist Encyclopedia by William Cathcart