Excerpt from Virginia Baptist Ministers, Vol. 2 of 2

It was while at school with the Rev. Mr. Semple that he made a profession of religion. In a letter to his brother about that time, describing his religious exercises of heart, he remarks: You may think it strange when I tell you I am born again. Of the reality of this change his subsequent life afforded satisfactory proof. To what extent the instruction of his venerable preceptor may have been blessed in the production of this change is unknown to the writer of this sketch. But it is well known to all his friends, that till the end of his days he looked up to him and admired and loved him as a father. Soon afterwards, he attached himself to the Baptist church, in which he was licensed to the exercise of gifts in public teaching and exhorting, and then fully ordained to the gospel ministry.

Upon the constitution of the Second Baptist Church, Richmond, in 1819, he received an affectionate call to be their pastor. This call it was not possible that he accepted from any other motive than an impression of imperious duty. The number of members in the church did not exceed thirty; among these there was but little wealth; the house in which they worshiped was rented; the congregation was to collect; and the boundaries of the differ ent churches and worshiping assemblies appeared to be distinctly marked. But of this small number there were praying and active men. And their efforts, under the Divine blessing, were successful in the erection of a commodious and neat edifice dedicated to the service of God. But it is easy tc_sec, that under circumstances like these their pastor could not be supported without his own individual toils.

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