"London Ferrill was a remarkable man. He was descended from a royal family in Africa, born a slave in Virginia, and was without scholastic training. Yet, Dr. William Pratt [Pastor of FBC, Lexington, KY] said of him: 'He had the manner of authority and command, and was the most thorough disciplinarian I ever saw. . . .' "His moral courage was dauntless, and his Christian integrity unwavering."
London Ferrill
African-American Pastor in Early Kentucky
By J. H. Spencer, 1885London Ferrill, the second pastor of this church, was born the property of Mrs. Ann Winston in Hanover county, Va., about 1789. At about the age of nine years, his owner having died, he was sold to Col. Samuel Overton for $600. He was taught the trade of a house carpenter, and, at the age of 20, was baptized on a profession of his faith, by Absalom Waller. Some time after his baptism, he began to exercise in public, and soon became a popular preacher. The law of Virginia forbade slaves to baptize, and, as a consequence, they were not ordained to the gospel ministry. But Ferrill's brethren solemnly authorized him, as far as their power extended, "to go forth and preach the gospel" wherever the Lord might cast his lot, and a door should be open to him. Soon, about fifty persons professed conversion under his ministry, and were baptized by a white preacher of the name of Bowles. His master perceived his remarkable natural gifts, and resolved to educate him, but died before he could execute this purpose.
Soon after the death of his master, having been freed from slavery, he moved to Kentucky, and settled near Lexington. Old Captain having become too feeble to discharge the duties of a pastor, the colored church desired Ferrill to unite with it, and become its pastor. This he declined to do on account of that organization's not being in fellowship with the Baptist denomination, although holding to the faith and general practice of the Baptists, but, instead, entered into the constitution of the First [white] Baptist church, in 1817. He preached extensively among those of his own race, and made so favorable an impression, that the trustees of the town of Lexington engaged him to preach to the colored people of that corporation. In order to secure his membership and pastoral services, the African congregation applied to the white church to be received as a branch of that organization. On receiving this application, the 1st church sent to Elkhorn Association, in 1821, the following queries:
"1st. Can persons baptized on a profession of faith by an administrator not ordained, be received into our churches under any circumstances whatever, without being again baptized?The queries were taken up by the Association, and a committee, consisting of Jeremiah Vardeman, James Fishback, John Edwards, Edmund Waller, and Jacob Creath, was appointed to consider the matter, and report to the Association at its next annual meeting. The committee reported, in answer to the first query, "that it is not regular to receive such members;" in answer to the second, "that they know of no reason why free men of color may not be ordained ministers of the gospel, the gospel qualifications being possessed by them."
"2d. Is it admissible by the Association to ordain free men of color ministers of the gospel?"
In accordance with the latter opinion, adopted by the Association, London Ferrill was regularly ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry by the 1st church at Lexington, and, notwithstanding the irregularity of the baptism administered by Old Captain, a compromise was effected by which the African congregation, which had now been constituted upon a written covenant (July 1822), was admitted to fellowship by the 1st Baptist church in Lexington, and, in 1824, received into Elkhorn Association. London Ferrill now took regular charge of this church, on its new foundation, and served it 32 years, during which it increased from 280, to 1,820 members, and became the largest church in Kentucky. On the 12th of October, 1854, the faithful and venerable pastor was called to his final reward. The funeral procession which followed his corpse to its burial, was said to be the largest that ever passed through the streets of Lexington, except that which attended the remains of Henry Clay.
London Ferrill was a remarkable man. He was descended from a royal family in Africa, born a slave in Virginia, and was without scholastic training. Yet, Dr. William Pratt says of him: "He had the manner of authority and command, and was the most thorough disciplinarian I ever saw. He was respected by the whole white population [of Lexington], and his influence was more potent to keep order among the blacks than the police force of the city." His moral courage was dauntless, and his Christian integrity unwavering. When the cholera visited Lexington in 1833, he was the only minister that remained in the city. The scourge was terrible, as many as 60 dying in a single day. He remained at his post, burying the dead, white and black, including his own wife, until the fearful plague subsided in the city, after which he went forth to aid and comfort the sick and bereaved in the surrounding country. As a preacher, he was clear, strong, and remarkably effective. He baptized at one time 220 persons in 85 minutes, and, at another time, 60 in 45 minutes. During his ministry, he baptized over 5,000. In marrying slaves, he pronounced them "united until death or distance did them part."
============= [J. H. Spencer, History of Kentucky Baptists, Volume II, 1885. pp. 655-657. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall]
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