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—Messenger.
The Singing Seraphim.
"Above it stood the seraphim: each
one had six wings; with twain he covered
his face, and with twain he covered his
feet, and with twain he did fly.”—
Isaiah vi:2.
As we return to this inspired
description of Isaiah’s vision, we
find the piophet still gazing upon
the awful spectacle. But he ex
hibits no special signs of fright
as yet. He remains cool and
self-possessed enough to note
the new and strange forms pre
sen ted by the ranks of attendants
doing service beside the august
Personage he saw sitting upon
the throne. In general, they ap
peared to be angels; buthespeaks
of them as “seraphim,” a name
that, perhaps, seems familiar to
us, when we sing or read the
primitive liturgies, but which, we
are always to be careful to re
member occurs now for the first
and last and only time in the Bi
ble. These seraphim rank as
having the highest dignity in
heaven. In their position and in
their attitude they shine su
preme. , ,
“In the year that King Uzziah
died I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted
up, and his train filled the tem •
pie. Above it stood the sera
phim: each one had six wings;
with twain he covered his face,
and with twain he covered his
feet, and with twain he did fly.”
The word “seraphim” means
fire bearers or burning ones. It
pictures to our imagination acer
tain flashing, scintillating radi
ance of intense splendor. These
living creatures were glowing
with light. It needs that we
deeply consider their posture al
so; they had three pairs of pin
ions; each seraph with two of
them covered his face, with two
of them covered his feet; and
with the remaining two he silent
ly supported himself upon the
throne light around the king.
Or perhaps each kept these in
reserve, spread for errands of
obedient and rapid flight in case
quick command should come. An
attitude so sober and quiet was
indicative of deepest reverence
in the hearts of those who stood
there abashed and worshipful.
We cannot be exactly certain
what force is to be attached to
this word “stood.” The brilliant
and airy character of this specta
cle inevitably suggests that
these seraphim were hovering
rather than stiffly standing in a
posture fixed and statuesque.
The word here rendered “feet” is
elsewhere in the Old Testament
applied to the whole lower por
tion of the body; it is thus that
the four wings were employed,
sine ply in concealing the forms
of the beings who wielded the
other two, in radiant doing of
God’s service. And this is sig
nificant of our ignorance too; for
we really do not know at all
what these seraphim were; we
have often sung about them in
the Te Deum, and often talked
about them in our prayers, in the
presence of each other, till, in
the traditions of the church, we
fondly think ourselves acquainted
quite as well with them as with
any other of the angels of God.
Yet, how could we expect to un
derstand much about beings who
appear before human vision only
once in all history, and then are
modestly “covered” with their
own wings from faces to feet?
Much labor of commentators
has been expended in an effort to
identify the seraphim with the
cherubim. It is difficult to see
how anything would be gained
by this; for the cherubim seem to
have their own mysteries and re
serves also; and the study of
their characteristics is compli-
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
IbTBSCRIPTION. PebVsae.--82.00. I
ITO MINISTIRS. 1.00. I
cated by the use of some general
fas-hions of their appearance and
figure in the golden adornment
of the mercy seat in the taber
nacle and the temple. The She
kinah light is said to have shone,
on the ark of the covenant, be
tween two forms of symbolic con
•structinn called “the cherubim.”
Still, the office of such heavenly
servitors may, possibly, receive
some illustration from a com
parison or a contrast between
these classes of beings. We
have long been accustomed to
use a hymn which is construct
ed on this theme; we think we
understand its meaning; there
appears nothing strange in these
new names.
“Holy, holy, holy ! all the saints adore
thee,
Casting down their golden crowns
around the gla»sy sea:
Cherubim and seraphim falling down
before thee.
Which wert, and art, and evermore
shalt be. ”
Now, are we ready to say that
these are the same order and
rank of angels, the cherubim and
the seraphim—the same beings?
Still, we have to admit that
they are represented as making
the same ascription of holiness
to God, and singing exactly the
same song. It does not seem
wise to attempt to paraphrase
the Scriptures on such a point;
and perhaps you will be willing
to rehearse what is written in
the Old Testament and the New.
We will begin with the vision
wh’ch John had of a throne and
the worshiping assembly around
it in heaven; and for the sake of
some literary felicities in the
modern phraseology we will em
ploy the translation furnished us
in the new revision. There the
evangelist says: “And I saw in
the midst of the throne and of
the four living creatures, and in
the midst of the elders, a Limb
standing, as though it had been
slain, having seven horns,
seven eyes, which are • the
seven spirits of God sent,
forth into all the earth. And
round about thethrone <were four
and twenty thrones: and upon
the thrones I saw four and twenty
elders sitting, arrayed in white
garments; and on their heads
crowns of gold. And out of the
throne proceed lightnings atd
voices and thunders. And there
were seven lamps of fire burning
before the throne, which are the
seven spirits of God; and before
the throne, as it were a glassy
sea like unto crystal; and in the
midst of the throne, and round
about the throne, four living
creatures full of eyes bt so e and
behind. And the first creature
was like a lion, and the second
creature like a calf, and the third
creature had a face as of a man,
and the fourth creature was like
a flying eagle. And the four
living creatures, having each one
of them six wings, are full of
eyes round about and within: and
they have no rest day and night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the
Lord God, the Almighty, which
was and which is and which is to
come.”
Concerning all this, we need
only remark now that the “four
living creatures” mentioned here,
called very unfortunately in the
former version “four beasts,”
seem to be cherubim rather than
seraphim. When we quote what
is added in description, there can
be no doubt about the identity
they exhibit with those symbolic
beings which Ezekiel depicts in
the vision he saw by the river
Chebar. It is as well now as at
any time to bring all the partic
ulars into examination and note
the changes and differences in
the several accounts. Ezekiel
was then grouped with the mel
ancholy captives of Israel who
hung their harps upon those his
toric willows of which the Psalm
ist sang. He saw this marvelous
vision of a whirlwind, and then
a cloud, and then a fire infolded
in it:
“And out of the midst thereof
came the likeness of four living
creatures. And this was their
appearance; they had the like
ness of a man. And every one
had four faces; and every one of
them had four wings. And their
feet were straight feet; and the
sole of their feet was like the
sole of a calf's foot; and they
sparkled like the color of burnish
ed brass. And they had the
hands of a man under their wings
on their four sides; and they four
had their faces and lheir wings
thus; their wings were joined one
to another; they turned not when
they went; they went every one
straight forward. As for the
likeness of their faces, they had
the face of a man; and they four
had the face of a lion on the
right side; and they four had the
face of an ox on the left side;
they four had also the face of an
eagle. And their faces and their
wings were separate above; two
wings of every one were joined
one to another, and two covered
their bodies.— The Gospel in Isa
iah—Robinson.
For the Index.
Stone Mountain Association—A
Reminiscence.
BY REV. WM. HENRY STICKLAND.
When Dr. Ragsdale spoke in
the last meeting of the Associa
tion, calling up the different
times the body had held its ses
sions with Stone Mountain
church, mentioning f‘1869” as
one of the da'es, and “Rev. S.
Landrum as the introductory
preacher,” it set to work a train
of thought, and memory that had
been slumbering for these twen
ty seven years, waked up, and
one after another the seems,
faces and reflections of that time
came trooping up before me till
I am able to live them over again
joyfully, and so for what may
probably be a pleasure to others
as well. I will write them out for
the Index.
1. To preface,the Stone Moun
tain church had protracted its
August meeting, having had
given them from the Lord a most
gracious revival. This meeting
continued for five or six weeks,
during which forty-two were bap
tized. When the Association as
sembled on “Saturday before the
second Sunday in September” the
revival was at its best. Some of
the delegates came in on Friday
night, attended these services
and caught the spirit of the occa
sion—saw a score asking the
prayers of Christians, and saw
some new converts received for
baptism.
2. If I am correct in my mem -
ory, Rev. Wm. Thames was mod
erator, and should have preached
the introductory sermon. Rev.
S. Landrum was up the country
on vacation, could not return to
his church in Savannah on account
of an epidemic of yellow fever.
He and his family had come down
to the Mountain fora few days
and so attended our meetings
and lingered for the Association;
whereupon Bro. Thames pressed
Bro. Landrum in and had him
preach the sermon. “The en
trance of thy word giveth
light,” Ps. 119:130 was his text.
It was a very appropriate ser
mon, the fragrance of it lingereth
in my memory till this day. The
Association, delighted with it,
passed a resolution asking for
its publication in the Index,
which was not done, as the
preacher said he had spoken
without notes. t
I, had met Dr. Landrum before
and had learned to love him. On
this occasion I met for the first
time Mrs. S. Landrum. I was
deeply impressed with her dig
nity, piety,and lady like bearing.
A son, a lad of a dozen years was
with them. I remember convers
ing with him and was gratified at
his manly behavior and intelli
gence. I know not whether it
was William Warren or another.
3. How many who were in that
meeting have gone to their re
ward? W. T. Brantly, pastor
Second church, Atlanta, was
present and preached; C. C. White
was present, Fielding Maddox,
Samuel B. Churchhiil, S. May
field J J Toon, representing the
Index, T. E Kennedy, Robert
W. Fuller, H. F. Buchanan, Tur
ner Goldsmith, W. R. Webster,
P. A. Hughes, Joseph Walker, !.
A. Baron, W. D. Atkinson, H. C.
Hornady, D. E. Butler Wm.
Shepherd, E. L Wood, J. L.
Hamilton—all these have gone to
their reward.
4. Robert W. Fuller was pas
tor of Atlanta First church and
preached the missionary sermon;
the day was warm, the house
jammed and packed, but the peo
pie stood round the doors and
windows and listened to the end.
Quite well do I remember his
text, I had never heard it used
before,nor have I since: 2 Chron.
25:9. The preacher made a most
touching and beautiful reference
to the great sacrifice that Adoni
ram Judson and his wife had
made in Burmah, when they gave
up their dear little children and
sent them back to the States to
be educated.
On Sunday p. m. the pastor, in
the presence of a great throng of
visitors, delegates and citizens of
the town baptized thirty con
verts. It was in the open air,un
der broad spreading oaks and
hickories, east of the depot. A
natural amphitheater, a cold,
clear spring gushing from a
ledge of rock, its waters caught
and held by a rock wall, a grad
ual descent into the pool,the peo
pie standing or seated all round
under the “leafy coolness.”
“Shall we gather at the river,”
w T as sung. Dr. Landrum lead in
prayer, the pastor then deliber
ately, and with due decorum, re
ceived the thirty, led them into
the water, one by one dipped
them and handed them back to
the deacons on the margin. Af
ter pronouncing the benediction,
Bro. George Rily Wells stepped
forward and said to the pastor,
“How long think you it took you
to baptize the thirty?” “I have
no idea,” said the pastor. “I did
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 24. 1896.
not hurry.” “I timed you,” said
Bro. Wells. “It took you just
thirty minutes to baptize the
thirty.” Then Dr. Landrum and
wife, Bro. Turner Goldsmith,
Maj. Wooten and others came
round the pastor to shake hands
and united in saying, “This is
one of the prettiest baptisms we
ever saw anywhere.”
Last Tuesday I dined with one
of those candidates, Wednesday
with still another, and Thursday
shook hands with a good many of
them. They abide at Stone Moun
tain and continue in the faith to
this day, are fathers and mothers
in Israel and all firm and faithful
supporters of the present pastor,
M. L Carswell. Some of them
have laid down the cross for the
crown, and alas! some—a few—
have gave back to the world.
6. One of the sweett st sermons
during the meeting of the Asso
ciation was preached on Satur
day night by the District Secre
tary of the Domestic and Indian
Mission Board, Drr W. N. Chau
doin, now of Florida. His sub
ject was: Redemption. The peo
pie were used to weeping, but on
that night it was a Bocbim. I
sigh for a return of such meet
ings and such revivals.
7. If there were any divisions or
wranglings I do not recall them;
in fact, in such a blessed spirit
was everybody that Satan would
have found it a hard job to have
gotten up a row. On Monday p.
m. ’mid fervent prayers, tears,
and handgrasps, with “God bless
you” echoing all around, “Blest
be the tie” was sung, and the body
adjourned to meet the following
year at Tanner’s church.
I have referred to those who,
present at that time, have gone
to their glory. I recall some who
still linger, who may have their
“pure minds stirred byway of
remembrance” when they read
these lines: Col. W L Gold
smith, who was then Superinten
dent of the Baptist Sunday
school; John H. Goldsmith, now
Comptroller of Atlanta; Dr. C.H.
Strickland, Sioux City, Iowa; A.
K. Seogo, Rev. T. B. Cooper, J.
F. Edens, Hon. I. W. McCurdy,
G Rily Wells, the writer and
others. The meeting of the As
sociation just passed, last week,
at Stone Mountain, was most de
lightful and harmonious, but it
could not excel the one of 1*69.
Again I say, why cannot we
have in our churches now such
revivals as were common then?
Maybe such obtain in some
sections—iter has not seen
such ait oilvjj l . h, long time—
such an one would do bis soul
good. |
I spent five years among the
Stone Mountain people, shared
their joys and sorrows, they shar
ing mine; when death came and
darkened my home,no truer sym
pathizers and comforters ever
gathered around a bereaved pas
tor than gathered around me. I
don’t know that I ever had the
blessings of God in greater meas
ure anywhere else than among
them. My dead rests in their
beautiful cemetery, and while life
lasts and heart holds its love,
these goed people will hold a
very warm place in my soul. God
bless them; the recent Associa
tion was so delightful to me.
For the Index.
In China.
BY ANNA S. PRUITT.
Our heathen neighbors believe
that when they awake in the next
world they will find themselves
arrayed in such garments as they
wore at death. They certainly
do not conceive of the place of
punishment,to which all descend,
as a warm one, for poor indeed
must be the person who does not
provide a suit of thickly wadded
garments for his demise. When
his sickness is considered hope
less, he is arrayed in these by
friends who would forever la
ment were they to leave his
last hours undisturbed by this
ceremony.
Woe to him whom death over
takes so suddenly that he has
not time to be clothed upon with
proper earthly garments. I
know two women who have
mourned for years and felt them
selves most unfortunate of their
sex because their mothers-in-law
bad died suddenly in bed, unclad
for the next world. How eagerly
they accepted the truth when I
assured them that earthly gar
ments could in no way warm or
benefit the departed soul, and
that their absence could not be
missed. A wealthy man of our
village died recently with so lit
tle warning that his wardrobe
was not complete, and he was
obliged to make use of garments
already prepared for his aged
father, as well as appropriate his
coffin. A mother recently told
me how her baby was suddenly
stricken with death, and what
haste they were obliged to make,
one sister tearing off the old gar
ments, another bringing the new.
She expected me to congratu
late her that they actually suc-
ceeded in dressing the sick baby
before the breath left its little
body. One of our neighbors has
just died. He was a young man
recently married. His last hours
were vexed with discussion as to
his burial robes. The silken
outer garments prepared by his
family pleased him well enough.
But a cotton undergarment
raised his anger. They sought
to pacify him by reminding him
that his ancestors had died in
even poorer garments and did he
wish to rouse their resentment
by appearing in their company
better clad ? But he made him
self and others so unhappy over
the matter that his young wife
promised he should have a silk
undergarment, too. Now he is
dead and she has dutifully
pawned her fine trouseau to buy
imitation ingots of gold and sil
ver to burn for her husband’s
use along the journey on which
he has gone. Before his death
she asked him “If you die what
will become of me ? ” To which he
replied, “You have a rope, can’t
you follow me?” Now her rela
tives are obliged to watch her
perpetually to keep her from
following her husband’s advice
to hang herself. She eats noth
ing, but beats her head against
the wall. As she is left a child
less widow, she sees no hope in
this life or the next. She is for
ever denied the privilege of rais
ing up heirs to perpetuate the
family name and to continue an
cestral worship at her own and
her husband s tomb.
Ore night the vigilance of the
family having relaxed a little,
she sought to end her life by
drinking water in which she had
soaked a quantity of match
heads. Mr. Pruitt was roused at
midnight and requested to do
what he could to save her life.
The remedies suggested by him
were successful, and the poor
girl’s hopeless life drags on. Oh!
that they would come to us with
faith in the Gospel’s power to
heal their weary, heavy laden
souls. Pray with me that the
life of this young widow may be
filled with hope and joy through
belief in God our Father, and
Christ our Savior.
Hwang Hien, July 23, 1896.
For the Index.
A Reminiscence.
BY L. H. K.
As Dr. W. W. L’andrum is now
pastor of the First Baptist church
of this city, I would like to re
late an incident that occurred, I
think, in the summer of 1870.
The First Baptist church was
without a pastor, a day was ap
pointed, and a meeting called for
the purpose of selecting some one
to occupy that place. Dr. W. T.
Brantly, then pastor of the Sec
ond church, was asked to meet
with us and act as the moderator
during the conference; he did so.
The house was full, all were in
terested, when the votes were
cast, it was seen that there was
but one candidate in the minds of
the people. All hearts were
turned to Rev. Sylvanus Lan
drum, father of the present pas
tor. The call was unanimous.
Then Dr. Brantly rose, and, with
a voice full of joy, called on us
to join him in thanksgiving for
the unanimity of feeling mani
fested, and also to ask the bless
ing of God on our choice of an
under shepherd. At his sugges
tion we knelt in prayer. Sitting
next to me was a young lady vis
itor, whose home was in Savan
nah. Dr. Landrum was pastor
of the church where her member
ship was. She knelt with us as
Dr. Brantly prayed that God
would incline the heart of his ser
vant to accept the call thus heart
ily given. I was startled by
hearing these words, just sobbed
out as it were, from au anxious,
pleading heart: “Nay, nay
Lord, do not take him from us.”
When we rose, I could not wait
for the services to be over but
saidtoher, “Why did you do that,
Mattie? What do you mean by
it?” Shereplied, “I did not real
ize what I was doing when I
knelt with you, but when I heard
Dr. Brantly asking that our pas
tor might be taken from us and
given to you, 1 was compelled to
mutter a protest.” Well, Bro.
Landrum did not accept the call
thus tendered him, and I have
often wondered how much the
prayer of that young lady had to
do with his declining to come. I
knew when he wrote that he
could not come, as his church
positively refused to accept his
resignation. Two of our mem
bers were sent to plead with the
Savannah church to re ease him,
but failed to accomplish the pur
pose for which they went. While
pressing their suit, they received
this answer from one of the dea
cons: “We cannot consent to
his leaving us. It is possible
that his place might be filled, but
we know it would be hard, ex
ceedingly hard, to doit, yet it is
not impossible, but Mrs. Lan-
drum’s place as a minister’s wife
cannot be filled in all our land.”
Noble praise, what a priceless
heritage to have such parents.
Have we not a right to expect
great things from the son of these
godly people?
.Atlanta, Sept. 11, 1*96.
For the Index.
Atonement—Reconciliation.
j. g. m’call.
Not long since one of your
numerous correspondents asked
for the leading idea in the first
word of the caption above, and
not waiting for an answer from
any one of your many readers,
he proceeded in order to formu
late a reply to the question ac
cording to his own understand
ing. It was apparent that he
was prompted to propound the
question, not so much for infor
mation as to give information to
to your readers, or such of them
as might need F, touching this
great Scripture doctrine.
In response to his own question
he said, as now remembered,that
the leading idea in “atonement”
was “sacrifice.” Upon reflection,
I desire to demur.
Atonement, abstractly consid
ered, may be effected without a
sacrifice; for two persons at va
riance may be reconciled without
a sacrifice, of necessity. Atone
ment is very nearly synonomous
with reconciliation.
Reconciliation may be effected
by moral suasion—persons at va
riance may be reconciled when
made sensible of the uselessness
of remaining in a state of aiena
tion. The word atonement im
plies primarily a previous aliena
tion—a state of estrangement and
a consequent separation of the
parties thus alienated. The
means employed to effect this
reconciliation are incidental rath
er than essential, it is true that
the atonement between God and
man was effected by the death of
Jesus Christ.
It will be noted that we have a
Latin word “aduno,” which is
properly translated “atone,” and
by the use of the English suffix
“ment,” which implies state or
condition, as in abatement, fulfill
ment and many other words end
ing in “ment” we have atonement.
Atonement is the counterpart of
at-two-ment, if we may coin -a
word just now. The doctrine of
atonement is a prominent tenet
in the Gospel system of redemp
tion of the sinner from the power
and dominion of sin and Satan,
and yet this word is found only
once in the New Testament.
Rom. 5:11. The Greek word
“katallagas”, in this place is
translated atonement, This
Greek word is found in thirteen
other places in the New Testa
ment, and in every instance ren
dered reconciliation, and perhaps
conveys the mind of the Spirit
more clearly to the average read
er than atonement
Atonement has become a theo
logical technicality and is an ad
mirable word to the Christian.
And we do not desire to see it
displaced in our English Bible by
any other term, though Drs.
Campbell, Dodridge and Mc-
Knight, in their excellent trans
lation of the New Testament use
the word reconcile and its cog
nates.
Another remarkable fact touch
ing this great doctrine is that
God has provided the means of
reconciling to himself man—the
sinner. God is graciously pleased
and seeks this reconciliation that
man is reluctant to be reconciled.
This reluctance is the wonder of
wonders. While atonement
brings to the lost sinner light,
life and immortality eternal
happiness—yet he turns from it
and must be superinduced to ac
cept at all.
Quitman, Ga., Aug. 16, ’96.
One of the things which gives
life its interest and its dignity is
the fact that no experience
stands by itself, but becomes a
preparation for that which is to
follow. There is a unity and
completeness about life on the
moral and intellectual sides which
gives every act a definite force
and which lends even to trivial
things that importance which
comes from close and vital rela
tion to the working out of a large
and comprehensive scheme. It
is a truism that all life is but a
preparation, but it is one of those
truisms which very few people
appear to believe or, if they be
lieve, to act upon. A great
many men and women live as if
each day bad no bearing upon its
successor, and as if each act were
related to the acts that are to
foliowit They have read neith
er history nor their own lives.
They have failed to learn the
first and most obvious lesson of
experience. In every successful
career there is clearly revealed
the close relation between the
culmination in some striking
achievement and the fidelity, pa
tience, and courage which went
before it.— The Outlook.
VOL. 76~N0. 39
For the index.
Reminiscences of Georgia Baptists.
BY S. G. HILLYER, D.D.
VII.
REV JAMES SHANNON
As stated in a previous paper,
I first met Mr. Shannon at the
Convention of 1829, in Milledge
ville. I had, however, but little
opportunity, at that time, to be
come personally acquainted with
him. But I heard him talk, and
I could not fail to observe the re
spect and affection with which he
was regarded by those who had
previously known him.
In 1831, it came to pass that I
had a better opportunity of be
coming acquainted with him. He
was then professor of languages
in Franklin College—now the
State University—and also the
pastor of the Baptist church in
Athens, Ga. Though not yet a
member of the church, I often at
tended his ministry.
When Mr. Shannon entered
upon his duties as a professor in
the college, there was no Baptist
church in Athens. There were a
few Baptists; but their member
ship was in a church two miles
from town. Mr. Shannon at
once went to work among those
scattered sheep, and within the
year 1830, he was able, by the
blessing of God, to organize them
into a church and to see them set
tled in their own house of wor
ship. He of course was elected
pastor of the little Hock.
In the spring of 1831 there was
a wonderful revival of religion in
Athens. It extended to all the
churches that were then in the
town. The number of those who
professed conversion probably
exceeded a hundred. Much of the
largest part of them, it is true,
joined the Methodists or Presby
terians, for the Baptist church
was scarcely a year old, and for
thirty years there had been no
regular Baptist preaching in Ath
ens till professor Shannon intro
duced it the year before. Never
theless some of the converts
united with his flock. On the
12th of June, 1831, he had the
pleasure of baptizing eleven
young converts, of whom it was
my precious privilege to be one.
The baptisms were administered
in the Oconee river. A large
crowd was present to witness the
scene. After the usual devotion
al exercises Bro. Shannon led the
candidates, one by one, into
the water and there baptized
them, upon a professsion
of repentance toward God
and of faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ, in the name of the Fath
er and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost. It was a day which I
have never forgotten. Nor shall
I ever forget the dear man who
led me into that baptismal water.
As we were walking out into the
stream he said to me in a gentle
voice, “Look to Jesus.” Only
three words, but they have lin
gered in my memory for sixty
five years, and they have been
my comfort in many a dark and
trying hour, through the years
that have passed since that sweet
epoch in my life’s history. The
scene was very impressive. It
was an object lesson well calcu
lated to teach many of the spec
tators who were pedobaptists,the
way of the Lord more perfectly,
if they would only heed it.
It is now in order to speak of
Bro. Shannon’s antecedents.
What I shall say I received
chiefly from his own lips during
the years he was my pastor.
He was a native of Ireland.
His parents were Presbyterians,
and, as was natural, he inherited
their faith. At an early age he
was enabled to hope for salvation
through faith in Jesus. Very
soon, under the light of this new
hope, he became anxious to be
educated, and his father at once
took steps to gratify his desire.
In due time he graduated at Bel
fast College in his native coun
ty, and was soon made a minis
ter in the Presbyterian church.
About the time that he had
completed his preparations, Mr.
Shannon met a good opportunity
to find employment in our coun
try. He embraced it, and came
to Sunbury, in Liberty county,of
this State. He came to take
charge of the Sunbury Academy,
which at that time was a famous
school, patronized by many peo
ple living along the seaboard of
Georgia. This gave him position,
at once, with all the people. The
Presbyterians and Congregation
alists, especially, received him
with great cordiality. They were,
at that early day—not later than
1820 —quite numerous in the sea
board counties. Hence Mr. Shan
non started to work in his new
field of labor with fine prospects
before him.
Now it happened that there was
at that time a Baptist church at
Sunbury, of which some of the
most prominent citizens were
members. But the Baptist cause
was then weak in that section of
the State. Mr. Shannon had not
known much about the Baptists