Early English and American Baptist
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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ISAAC
BACKUS Isaac
Backus was born at Norwich, Connecticut, January 9, 1724, of
parents who were actively identified with the "pure"
Congregationalism, and his early religious training influenced
greatly his future life. He
was converted in 1741 during the Great New England Awakening, but
did not join himself to the church until ten months later, and
then with some hesitation, owing to the laxity of church
discipline and its low state of religious feeling.
Feeling himself called by God to the work of his ministry,
he shortly after began to exhort and preach, although at that time
there were penal actions against public preaching by any except
settled pastors, unless with their consent and with their express
desire. His
first pastorate was that of a Separate church at Middleborough, to
which he was ordained in 1748.
The subject of baptism was agitating the church of which
Mr. Backus took charge, and it was only after a long and bitter
struggle with himself that he came out unreservedly for baptism
through a profession of faith.
His stand on the subject and his baptism soon led to his
exclusion from the church, although he did not consider himself a
Baptist, nor did he desire to connect himself with that
denomination. He
labored as an evangelist until 1756, when, with six baptized
believers, a Baptist church was formed in Middleborough, and Mr.
Backus became its pastor. Isaac
Backus was the first Baptist historian in America, and his words
are of great value on account of the deep research he made in the collection
of his material, and his impartiality in presenting
the facts. The Baptists owe
much to him for the discovery and preservation of many interesting
and important events concerning their history during colonial
times. Backus
was a champion of "soul-liberty," and was himself
arrested for refusing to pay taxes in support of the state church. His mother, Elizabeth Backus, was imprisoned for refusing to
pay rates in support of the standing order.
Isaac Backus died November 20, 1806, having lived a useful
life for God. *SOURCES CITED ARE CATHCART'S BAPTIST ENCYCLOPEDIA AND BENEDICT'S HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS.
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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source: Smith, Helwys and the Rise of the Baptists in England, 1901 |
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Twenty first Century Truth and Testimony Sermon Archive |
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| VALENTINE
WIGHTMAN Valentine Wightman was born in North Kingston, R.I., in 1681.
He was a descendant of Edward Wightman, the Baptist martyr of
Lichfield, England, who was burned because he denounced
"infant baptism." His father was one of five
brothers who came to this country, all of whom were Baptists, -
two preachers, two deacons, and one a private member.
Valentine was ordained in Rhode Island and, in 1705, removed to
Groton, Connecticut, where he established the First Baptist Church
in the Sate of Connecticut. He went to New York in 1712, and the result of his preaching
was the formation of the First Baptist Church in that State.
He was a missionary throughout Eastern Connecticut and aided in
the planting of several churches - Stonington, Waterford, and Lyme. Wightman's writings show that he was a student of the
Scriptures, with a well balanced mind, of calm but decided spirit,
of sound judgment, clear convictions, warm heart, plain and
transparent speech, a wise man in laying foundations. He was married to Susanna Holmes February 10, 1703, and left
descendants, who have been honored in the ministry. After
the scenes and labors of the Great Awakening, in which he labored
and rejoiced, he died June 9, 1747, at the age of sixty-six, and
after a ministry of forty-two years. His son, Timothy
Wightman, and his grandson, John Gano Wightman, followed him as
Pastors of the First Baptist Church. Their ministries
covered a total of one hundred twenty-five years, and were marked
with numerous revivals and success. ** THE GRAVES OF THE WIGHTMANS ARE IN THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY-OLD MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT. THERE IS A PLAQUE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CEMETERY WHICH MARKS THE ORIGINAL SITE OF THE CHURCH. ** SOURCES CITED INCLUDE CATHCART'S BAPTIST ENCYCLOPEDIA, AND BENEDICT'S HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST'S.
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