USA > Georgia > Bibb County > Macon > Georgia Baptists: historical and biographical > Part 30
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"In social intercourse he was the same sincere, disinterested, benevolent man. Ever scrupulously just in his dealings, ever courteous in his manners, and ever faithful in his friendships, he has left a reputation unsullied by a single stain, a name which no human being can mention with unkindness, and a memory enshrined in the hearts of thousands who loved him. It was especially in his family that all the virtues and amia- bilities of his character were unfolded. But within those hal- lowed precints others must not intrude.
" The griefs and consolations of the house of mourning are sacred. Strangers, not even friends, may mingle with them. To lose such a husband and father must be an irreparable be- reavement. But the hand which hath chastened can wipe away all tears. And the prayers offered, night and day, by him whose form they will see no more, whose voice they will hear no more, those prayers will now return in consolations and blessings which can cause the soul, in its bitterest affliction,
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to exchange ' beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness.'"
In April, 1857, he left Savannah in his usual health and joined his family, then in Alexandria, Virginia. The Sabbath preceding the attack of pneumonia which terminated his life, he repaired to the church for the blacks and preached to them in the morning and afternoon. During the second service the house was very warm, and the doors being opened near the pulpit, he stood in a current of air, and thus in all probability contracted the disease which resulted in death a few days after- wards. His last text was from John iii. 14 and 15. Preaching Christ was his last public service on earth. When smitten by disease, he manifested not the slightest anxiety to recover. The Saviour whom he had served was his hope, and his spirit was serene. The day previous to his death he said to one sit- ting by him, "I have run the race, I have fought the battle ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown." And to his son, a short time before he expired, in answer to the question, " Is it all well with you now ?" he said, " Not a doubt-not a doubt- all clear." On the morning of May 8th, 1857, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, he passed from earth to his reward in heaven. His funeral was attended from the Baptist church on the fol- lowing day. There, in front of the pulpit, lay the calm re- mains of the faithful minister of Christ, who had been brought to the house of God for the last time, to address his brethren and friends in speechless tenderness. A hymn was sung, prayer was offered, some words of consolation uttered, and devout men bore him to his burial. The early spring blossoms were open- ing and falling as he was laid in the sacred spot selected in the Ivy Hill Cemetery, near Alexandria. Upon the marble slab that marks his resting place is the simple inscription : "And now my witness is in heaven and my record is on high."
ELISHA PERRYMAN.
From a brief sketch of the " Life and Adventures of Elisha Perryman," published by himself in 1856, the following ex- tracts are taken, which, it is believed, will give a more correct idea of his character than anything the author could prepare.
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He says "I was born on the 6th day of February, 1769, in Halifax county, Virginia. My ancestors came from Wales ; the time of their emigration to this country I do not know. My father and mother were both natives of Virginia-the former was born in Prince Edward; the latter, in Caroline county. They, as well as my grand-parents, so far as I know, were plain, homespun, old fashioned, orthodox, predestinarian Bap- tists ; so you see I am but a chip of the old block. My father lived, at the time of my birth, on Win's creek near Dan river. Like all true lovers of their country, he was much engaged in the revolutionary war. Besides other engagements, he wa's present at the battle of Guilford Court-house. In that battle, he was captain of a volunteer company that he himself raised. In common with all others, father's family suffered much from the British about this time. When Cornwallis had got through pursuing General Greene, he took up his camp within six miles of our house, so that we were just at the mercy of these wicked people. While there, his troops ravaged the country, I reckon, for ten miles around, carrying off whatever they wanted, and destroying a great deal that they did not want. They broke us up entirely. They ate up our cattle, hogs, corn, fodder and everything of the kind. Tarleton's horse company carried off three or four stacks of our oats at one time. They broke us up there so completely that we moved away next spring and came to Georgia. After we got to this State we settled down on Big Kiokee creek, in Richmond county, about twenty-two miles above Augusta, and one mile from where Columbia Court- house now stands. Some years after this, parts of Richmond and Wilkes were taken, out of which a new county was made, called Columbia."
He gives an interesting account of an expedition against the Indians between the Ogeechee and Oconee rivers, in which he was engaged as a soldier ; of his marriage, and then proceeds : " For several years after my marriage my feelings in respect to religion were not much excited. Sometimes I would become troubled because of my sins; but these troubles would soon wear off. So things went on until the year 1792; this year I got greatly stirred up in view of my sinfulness. Being very uneasy about my case, and being in great want of knowledge,
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I concluded to invite ministers to come and preach at my house, that I might gain some instruction. Among others, several Methodist ministers used to hold meetings with me for myself and neighbors. I heard them quite often, and liked them very much, for all sorts of preachers could teach me about that time. I was very ignorant as to my soul, and did not know how to get rid of my sins ; as a heavy burden, they were too heavy for me, and seemed about to crush me to the earth. My trouble was very great, and instead of getting clear of it, it appeared to grow worse and worse, until the year 1798. This year, my health becoming feeble, I went to some Warm Springs in North Carolina, to see if they would do me any good. While there, I heard a man from Tennessee. His preaching affected me very much, and I was made to reflect still more on my case, and to cry to the Lord for mercy. I got so bad off on account of my sins, that when I came back home, I became a close attendant on preaching. Instead of getting better, I got worse; so I thought I would go with Marshall every Saturday and Sunday to his meeting to see if I could find some relief. But no, there was no help for poor me; I got worse and worse ; so I fell into a great despair, and thought the Lord would never pardon me, but that I must die in my sins and be forever lost. I became so much troubled that I could not relish my daily food. I could not rest day nor night ; sleep went form my eyes, and slumber from mine eye-lids. Thus I went on very much bowed down in soul, until the month of May, 1799. One morning in that beautiful month, I went out to ploughing very soon, telling my dear wife that I would not be home to breakfast that day. Everthing looked gloomy and desolate unto me, but yet I went on ploughing, meditating upon my sad condition and thinking what I must do to be saved. While I was thus in deep distress, all of a sudden, about the middle of the day, something like a flash of lightning, came all in me and around me; and I had such a view of the fullness and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the worth of his pardoning love and mercy to a poor sinner like me, that I broke out into a great cry of joy and praise. I immediately took out my horse and went to the house as quick as I could, and told my dear wife what had happened un- to me. There was such a change in my heart, and all things wore
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such a beauty and light about me, that it appeared to me I was in a new world. It seemed to me too that I did not want to stay here any longer; so I put my horse into the stable, and ran like a deer down to Abram Marshall's, about three miles off, and told him how I had found the Lord in my corn-field, about middle-way of my corn row ; that he revealed himself to me as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, so that my soul was full of love and I wanted every body to know and feel as I did. Mar, shall seemed to be very glad and said to me, 'You must come and join the church.' But that was too much for me then, for before I got back home, my joy and love began to die away, so that I was afraid I might be mistaken. While thus troubled with doubts and fears, I went to Poplar Springs meeting-house, near Little River, where I heard a man by the name of James Landrews. His text was, 'We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.' While he was preaching the love of God flowed into my heart so much that I thought I never would doubt any more, for I felt that I had the witness in my soul, because I loved the people of the Lord. I thought, therefore, if the preacher told the truth, I must be a converted man ; so I rejoiced in the Lord with great joy, and went back home in great hopes of my real conversion and acceptance with the blessed Saviour."
On the third Sabbath in August, 1801, he was baptized by Abraham Marshall into the Kiokee church. His wife was re- ceived into the fellowship of the same church about six months thereafter.
"In considering my condition after my baptism, I found my- self to be in great want of knowledge, both mental and spir- itual. My advantages in early life had been very poor, having gone to school only about two months. But having cast my lot in with God's children, I looked about to see in what way I could best serve my blessed Master. Finding that I was so very ignorant, I thought I had better begin with myself. Ac- cordingly, I worked hard in the day time to obtain a support for, my family, and at night I would sit up and read and study by pine-knot fires. In this way I improved myself a good deal. But I lacked spiritual knowledge very much also. To obtain this, I tried to attend all the meetings in reach of me. In order
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to go to meeting on Saturday, I would labor very hard, so as to finish my week's work by Friday evening. Frequently I have had to walk to attend preaching. I have gone in this way as much as eight miles, and often as much as five and six. This, however, I did not mind. I wanted to know more about my blessed Saviour-more about that wonderful grace of God that saved à wretch like me-more about that rich and glorious ir- heritance which awaits the saints in heaven.
" I felt continually pressed in spirit to testify unto the pec- ple that Jesus Christ was the only name given under heaven, among men, whereby they could be saved. I wanted to tell them of their lost and undone condition in a state of nature- of that tremendous punishment which God would pour out upon the finally impenitent, and of that blessed and glorious way of escape which had been provided by the death of a cru- cified Redeemer. Feeling this way, I commenced by holding prayer meetings about at different houses in the neighborhood, wherever I could collect the people together. In this manner, I spent a good deal of time, singing and praying with the peo- ple, exhorting christians to love and good works, and calling upon poor sinners to fly for their lives. In the meantime, I went about as much as I could with Jesse Mercer and Abraham Marshall to their meetings, in which way I learned a great deal in respect to the doctrines and truths of the Bible. The most of my knowledge of the teachings of the scriptures I got from the lips of these great and good men. Though not set apart by ordination to the full work of the ministry until several years after, I felt myself wholly given up to this good cause. I did not think myself qualified for the duties of a pastor, and never have thought so; but still I was able to proclaim the good news of salvation through faith in the precious blood of Christ. Accordingly, I gave myself up to the work of an evan- gelist. I went throughout the country, singing and praying with the people, exhorting professors to walk worthy of their high vocation, and beseeching poor sinners to fly for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel. I went, sometimes, to private houses, sometimes to the meetings of my brethren, and sometimes to destitute places, where the name of Christ was seldom or never heard. In this way, I humbly hope that I was
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enabled to do, at least, some little good. We often had very interesting meetings. Sinners were made to weep because of their sins, and christians to rejoice in the glorious hope of the gospel of Christ.
"In the early part of January, 1810, I moved into Warren county, and settled in the woods, on Briar creek, not far from Sweetwater meeting-house. Changing my home brought me into the neighborhood of some very destitute sections. In some of these places the people seemed to be in greater want of light and knowledge than any I had ever seen before. The preaching of the gospel was such a strange thing to many of them that they came out to meeting finely. The good Lord was with me, and I would thunder the law down upon them with all my might and power. Many of them became alarmed, and seemed to think they ought to do better than they had before. I had no house to preach in for a great while, except when there would be meeting at private houses. Finally, however, there was a meeting-house built, and that, too, in one of the darkest corners in the county, and not long after a church was constituted. Thus these dark and heathenish places were cheered by the rays of the glorious sun of righteousness. But I did not con- fine my labors to one section of the country. As my custom had been, I went from place to place, wherever destitution abounded .. I often went down through the counties of Mont- gomery, Emanuel, Tatnall and Bullock, and there, in those des- titute regions, lifted up the Saviour's banner and called upon poor sinners to ground the arms of their rebellion and come and gather around it. Sometimes I would make tours through Richmond, Burke, Jefferson and Screven counties, mingling with my beloved brethren, and singing and praying with the people. Sometimes I would sally out into the counties north and west of me, sometimes into South Carolina, and all up and down the Savannah river. I often met with trials, crosses and privations ; but I tried to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, feeling, with the Apostle, that these light afflic- tions, which were to endure but for a moment, would work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
" While the war with England was going on, there were felt, in different parts of the country, several very severe earth-
Vincent R. Thornton. 339
quake shocks. Once, during this earthquake period, brother George Franklin and myself were conducting a meeting at the house of a man named Parker. The meeting lasted until late at night, and several of. the congregation remained at the house as well as ourselves. Just as we had laid down, and before the lights were out, the earth began to shake very powerfully, when some of the dear young people jumped out of their beds and ran, all in a tremble, to Franklin and myself, crying to us to pray for them. All over the country, all classes were very much alarmed, for they thought the day of judgment was at hand, and they were not prepared for it. A great revival took place not long after, and many that were converted dated their first impressions back to the earthquakes.
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"`The Lord has blessed me with a strong constitution, for which I desire to be truly grateful. Though I am now press- ing hard upon four-score and ten years, and though I have en- dured many hardships and suffered many privations, and not- withstanding my once erect form is now bowed with the weight of years, I still possess much vivacity and vigor. I still meet with my brethren from year to year in their Associational and other meetings, and I still lift up my voice in calling upon poor sinners to fly from the wrath to come."
"I hope soon to leave the cares and 'sorrows of this un- friendly'world ; I hope soon to cross the swelling waves of Jor- dan ; I hope soon to pass the pearly gates of the New Jerusa- lem," etc.
In this strain the good old man closed his narrative. His hopes have been realized. The precise date of his death is un- known to the author.
VINCENT R. THORNTON.
Vincent Redmon Thornton was born in the year 1806, in the neighborhood of Bethesda meeting-house, Green county, Geor- gia. His father, Redmon Thornton, was a member and a dea- con of Bethesda church, and was esteemed by his brethren and the community as a good man and worthy deacon.
The neighborhood was at that time rude and unrefined, and, though he received from his father christian instruction, young
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Thornton grew up a rough and boisterous youth. After a pre- paratory course of instruction in the schools of the country, he was sent to Franklin college, at Athens, where, however, he did not more than complete the studies of the sophmore class. At college he was not particularly studious, and his boisterous manner gave him a bad name. I have heard him, however, contradict the traditional reports that he had been habitually vicious or michievious.
After leaving college he lived on the plantation with his father, except a few months which he spent in Greensborough read- ing medicine in the office of Dr. James Foster. But his tastes and habits equally disinclined him to a professional life, and he returned to the country, where he married and settled on a .
plantation.
The year 1828 was distinguished in Georgia as a period of general revival; and the church at Bethesda, sharing largely in the gracious influences of the spirit, Vincent R. Thornton became a regenerated man, and, having related his experience to the church on the 19th of April, was baptized on the 18th of May of that year .* Notwithstanding his youth, he was almost immediately elected and ordained a deacon, and in the fall of the same year was sent as a delegate to the Georgia As- sociation.
He was soon licensed to preach, and in the course of two or three years was ordained. Concerning his ordination, rather a singular story is told by Dr. Sherwood. A Presbytery was called by the Bethesda church to ordain Thornton and another young brother. When the Presbytery assembled, objection was made to the ordination of the former, because the brethren were afraid that he was too learned. There was certainly no ground for such an objection. But the ordination did not take place at the time first appointed, though I think the postpone- ment was for a different reason from that assigned by Dr. Sher- wood. The brother who was to be ordained with Thornton
*On a baptismal occasion, during the revival that year, the pastor, Jonathan Davis, was (without knowing it,) timed by a distinguished lawyer, a Presbyterian, according to whose watch over sixty were baptized by Davis in less than fifteen minutes. "At that rate the twelve apostles"-this was the comment of the jurist-" on the day of Pentecost, would have baptized the whole three thousand in a little over an hour; " and he went on his way unbaptized.
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had given rise to some fear as to his fitness for the ministerial office, and it was thought best for all parties not to proceed until the matter was more fully decided. A few months afterwards Thornton was ordained, and I think the other never was.
The revival spirit, of which mention has been made, contin- ued several years, and the ministers in that region of Georgia were indefatigable in labors. Thornton being young, zealous and in easy circumstances, and blessed with a wife who was anxious to assist him as much as possible in his ministerial du- ties, entered heartily into the work. His missionary journeys, then called "tours of preaching," were numerous, arduous and very successful. He delighted ever afterwards to talk of that period of toil and blessing.
These were the forming years of his ministerial character, and his associations and labors at this time developed him into what he was in his riper years. He was much in company with Jesse Mercer, was a favorite of that great man, and learned much from him. Without any of the graces of oratory, as learned in the schools, Thornton was an orator by nature. He spoke with an ease which I have never seen surpassed. His voice was singularly melodious, and had great compass and power. He had the simplicity of a child, and his feelings were both ardent and tender. His fluency was so great that I never saw him at a loss for a word, and though his words appeared to be unstudied, they were selected so well that no study could have made a better choice. He was a man of few books, but first among them was the Bible, and next to it he prized and studied the works of Dr. Gill. As his heart fully received the doctrines of grace, so he had a mind which was able clearly to unfold them. When in the proper frame, (for he was a man of impulse and variable temperament,) he gave those doctrines a form and breathed into them a spirit which showed them to be indeed a gospel of power and life.
In one of the preaching tours to which I have referred, a member of the first church he visited, being pleased with his sermon, determined to go with him to his second appointment and return home the next day. But the second sermon pleased him more than the first, and he concluded to go on and see if the third would be as good. He decided it to be better, and
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ho determined to stick to the preacher to the end of the trip, which extended to the borders of Alabama. He declared him- self richly paid for his trouble, and though at the end he could not tell which sermon excelled, he declared they were all best.
He served a number of churches for a greater or less length of time. Of Smyrna he was pastor four years; Raytown, twen- two years, embracing very near the whole period of his minis- terial career ; Crawfordsville, six years ; Phillips' Mill, twelve years ; White Plains, three years ; Washington, five years ; Madison, ten years; Bethesda, seven years. I should have said pastor " so called," for all his labors were on the once-or- twice-a-month schedule.
The members of these churches always remembered his ser- vices with pleasure, and delighted to have a visit from him. Under his ministry revivals were frequent, and he was very successful in building up the churches to which he preached. Perhaps in Madison his labors were most successful in this re- spect. When he commenced preaching there, the church was small and feeble, and in the course of ten years they were able to support a settled pastor. When they reached that point he left them, because neither he nor his wife were willing to live in a town.
While he was an earnest supporter of missions in general, he took especial interest in the missions to the Indians, and for several years acted as a voluntary and unpaid agent of the In- dian Mission Association, (afterwards merged in the Domestic Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.)
As has been said, he was in easy circumstances, having in- herited a moderate competency from his father, which was increased by some property received with his wife. His churches generally paid him what was considered a liberal salary. In the management of his affairs he was economical and prudent, without being mean and niggardly. At his home he dispensed a liberal farmer-like hospitality, being always glad to receive his friends, and enjoying their society and conversation with rare zest. But he required a conformity to the usages of his house- hold, which to some was a serious impediment to the enjoyment of his hospitality. An instance may be stated in reference to that most excellent and distinguished brother, Dr. A. C. Dayton, au-
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thor of Theodosia Ernest, etc. The first time he visited Georgia, he came as a Bible agent. After spending a day or two at Pen- field, he was advised to go to Thornton's, who could give him full information in regard to the churches in Burke and Jef- ferson counties. Thornton received him gladly, and enjoyed his society. But at eight o'clock he had worship and went to bed, dismissing Dayton in about these words, "Brother Dayton, you can go to your room up stairs, where you shall have fire and candles, but I always go to bed at eight." Theodosia went to his room well enough pleased with his part of the arrange- ment and sat up pretty late writing. What was his horror, however, to be disturbed next morning by a servant coming in at four o'clock to make a fire, summoning him to prayers and breakfast. About two months afterwards, having finished his tour in the lower counties, Dayton again visited Thornton, was again gladly welcomed and kindly entertained, and was once more sent to bed at eight o'clock and called up at four. That day, a little after sunrise, as good brother Davis, of Greens- boro', (whose house was a free Baptist hotel,) was going to breakfast, he heard a call at the gate. It was from Dr. Day- ton, who had come nine miles from Thornton on one of the coldest winter mornings. " Brother Dayton, I am glad to see you. Breakfast is just ready ; come in and eat with us." " Well," replied Dayton, "I ate breakfast last night at brother Thornton's, but I'll take a little more, as it's morning now." Dayton never went to Thornton's again, though the latter never knew that it was his anti-lucan repast that drove him off.
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