Biography of the late rev. DANIEL MARSHALL
communicated to the editor by the rev. ABRAHAM MARSHALL
The Georgia Analytical Repository, 1802IN giving a biographical fketch of my honored father, we muft look back to the diftance of almoft a century. His birth was in the year of our Lord, 1706, in Windfor, a town in Connecticut. He was religioufly educated, by refpectable and pious parents, and being hopefully converted at about twenty years of age, joined the then ftanding order of Prefbyterians, in his native place. The natural ardour of his mind foon kindled into the fire of holy zeal, and, without the advantage of a liberal education, raifed him fo high in the efteem of his brethren, that they called him to the office of a deacon. In the exemplaty difcharge of his duty, in this capacitv, he continued near twenty years. During this time, in eafy circumftances, he married, and loft a wife, by whom he had a fon, named, after himfelf; Daniel, who is ftill a ufeful member of fociety. At the age of thirty-eight years, our worthy parent was one of the thoufands, in New-England, who heard that fon of thunder, the rev. George Whitefield, and caught his feraphic fire. Firmly believing in the near approach of the latter-day-glory, when the Jews, with the fulnefs of the Gentiles, fhall hail their REDEEMER, and bow to his gentle fceptre, a number of worthy characters ran to and fro, through the eaftern ftates, warmly exhorting to the prompt adoption of every meafure tending to haften that blifsful period. Others fold, gave away, or left their poffeffions, as the powerful impulfe of the moment determined, and, without fcrip, or purfe, rufhed up to the head of the Sufguehanna, to convert the heathens, and fettled in a town called Onnaquagey, among the Mohawk Indians. One, and not the
24
leaft fanguine, of thefe pious miffionaries was my venerable father. Great muft have been his faith! great his zeal! when without the leaft profpect of a temporal reward, with a much beloved wife, and three children, he exchanged his commodious buildings, for a miferable hut; his fruitful fields; and loaded orchards, for barren deferts; the luxuries of a well furnifhed table for coarfe and fcanty fare; and numerous civil friends, for rude favages! He had the happinefs; however, to teach and exhort, for eighteen months in this place with confiderable fuccefs. A number of the Indians were in fome degree, impreffed with eternal concerns; and feveral became cordially obedient to the Gofpel. But juft as the feeds of heavenly truth, fown, with tears, in this unpromifing foil, began to appear in their firft fruits, the breaking out of war among the favage tribes occafioned his reluctant removal to Connagogig in Pennfylvania. — From thence, after finding it much more dificult to benefit Scribes and Pharifees, than Publicans and Sinners, he removed to a place near Winchefter, in Virginia.Here he became acgainted with a Baptift Church, belonging to the Philadelphia affociation, and as the refult of a clofe, impartial examination of their faith and order, he, and my dear mother, were baptized by immerfion in the forty-eighth year of his life. He was now called as a licenced preacher, to the unreftrained exercife of his gifts, and though they were by no means above mediocrity, he was inftrumental in awakening attention, in many of his hearers, to the interefts of their fouls.
Under the influence of an anxious defire to be extenfively ufeful, he proceeded from Virginia, to Hughwarry, in North-Carolina, where his faithful and inceffant labors proved the happy means of aroufing and converting numbers. Being fo evidently
25
and eminently ufeful, as an itirierant preacher, he continued his perigrination to Abbot’s creek; in the fame ftate, where he was the inftrument of planting a church, of which he was ordained paftor, in the fifty-fecond year of his age, by his brothers-in-law, the rev. Mefirs. Henry Ledbecter, and Shubal Sterns. Soon after receiving this honor, my rev. father travelling at different times, into Virginia, baptized Col. Samuel Harris, with whom he immediately afterwards made fevera! tours, and preached, and planted the Gofpel in various places, as far das Jamies’ river. It was but a few years after his ordination, before induced by appearances of increafing ufefulnefs, he took an affectionate leave of his beloved charge, and fettled on Beaver Creek, in South-Carolina.In this place, likewife, a large church was raifed under his miniftry, and, till brought to a good degree of maturity in divine things, was an object of his tender and unremitted care and folicitude. At the direction of divine Providence, as he conceived, and as fubfequent events have proved, his next removal was to Horfe Creek, about fifteen miles north of Augufta.
The fruits of his labors in this place remain in a refpectable church, fome of whofe fons, raifed up under his care, have fuccefsfully diffufed the light of divine truth through various benighted regions. From Horfe Creek my aged father made his firft vifits to this ftate. On the fecond, or third of thefe, while in prayer, he was feized, in the prefence of his audience; for preaching in the Parifh of St. Paul, and made to give fecurity for his appearance in Augufta, on the following Monday, to anfwer this charge. Accordingly, he ftood a tryal, and, after his meeknefs and patience were
26
fufficently exercifed, was ordered to come, as a preacher, no more into Georgia.In the words of an Apoftle, fimilarly circumftanced, he replyed, "Whether it be right to obey GOD, or man, judge ye." Confiftently with this jut, 'and fpirited replication, he perfued his luminous courfe, and on the firft of January, 1771, came, with his family, and took up his final earthly refidence at the Azcke. The following fpring the church here was formed, and is famous for having furnifhed materials for feveral other churches. — For this purpofe, many common members have been difmiffed, and feveral minifters ordained. Among thefe are the rev: Meffrs, Sanders Walker, Samuel Newton, Loveless Savage, Alexander Scott, ahd the writer of this article. — Through GOD's bleffing on the miniftry of her indefatigable founder, and paftor, this church continued to lengthen her cords, and ftrengthen her ftakes, breaking forth on the right hand, and on the left, till our beloved country was unhappily involved in the horrors of war. No fcenes, however, from the commencement to the termination of hoftilities, were fo gloomy and alarming as to deter my ineftimable father from difcharging the duties of his ftation. Neither reproaches, nor threatenings could excite in him the leaft appearance of timidity, or any thing inconfiftent with chriftian, and minifterial heroifm. As a friend to the American caufe, he was once made a prifoner, and put under a ftrong guard; but obtaining leave of the officers, he commenced, and fupported fo heavy a charge of exhortation, and prayer, that, like Daniel of old, while his enemies ftood amazed, and confounded, he was fafely and honorably delivered from this den of Lyons. Even the infirmities of old age, and the evident approach of the king of
27
Terrors were not fufficient to fhake his faith, or hope, nor, in the leaft, perceivable, degree to thi his zeal.A few months previous to his deceafe, rifing in his pulpit, which he had frequently befprinkled with his tears, and from which he had as often defcended to weep over a carelefs auditory, he faid — "I address you, my dear hearers, with a diffidence that arises from a fatiure of memory, and a general weakness of bady, and mind, common to my years; but if we callect be that holds out to the end suall be saved, and am resolved to finish my course in the cause of GOD. Accordingly, he attended public worfhip regularly, even through his lingering, mortal illnefs, till the laft fabbath, but one, before his diffolution. In his family he invartably performed his ufual round of holy duties, till the morning immediately preceding his happy change. Fully apprized of this, as at as at hand, and perfectly in his fenfes, he expreffed, diftinctly, and emphatically, his fteady, and increafing confidence of future blifs.
The following, taken by me, in the prefence of a few deeply affected friends and relatives, as he delivered them, were his last words: —
"Dear brethren, and sisters, I am just gone. This night I shall, probably, expire: But I have nothing to fear. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; ana henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. GOD has shewn me that he is my GOD, that I am his son, and that an eternal weight of glory is mine!"
The venerable partner of his cares, and, I may add, faithful assistant in all his labors, fitting
28
bedewed with tears, by his fide, he proceeded, "Go on, my dear wife, to serve the LORD. Hold on to the end. Eternal glory is before us."After a filence of fome minutes, he called me, and faid, "My breath 1s almost gone. I have been been praying that I may go home to-night. I had great happiness in our worship this morning, particularely in singing, which will make a part of my exercises in a blessed elernity."
Now, gently clofing his eyes, he cheerfully gave up his soul to GOD, with whom, I doubt not, he walks, *¢ high in falvati ion, and the climes of blifs.’”
This folemn event took place at the dawn of the fecond day of November, ’84, in the feventy-eighth year of his age.
A fuitable difcourfe to his memory, was delivered, from the above-mentioned paffage of holy writ, by the late rev. Charles Bussey.
Whatever infirmities might appear in my certainly eminently pious,and extenfively useful father, it would not become me to bring them into view, except it were to fhew, as might eafily be done, that 'e'en his failings lean'd to virtue's side; and I handle too feeble a pen to delineate the various excellent qualities, and graces which adorned him in every relation he fuftained through life. — I will only fay —
Tho' no proud pile, learn'd pen, nor letter'd ftone,A.[braham] M.[arshall]
His virtues rare, to late pofterity reveals;
He'll ever shine, and waxingly HAS SHONE,
THRO' ROLLING YEARS IN MINISTERIAL SEALS,
APPENDIX May-June 1802