Jesse Mercer, D.D., was the most distinguished and influential Baptist minister ever reared in the State of Georgia; and it is doubtful if anyone, under the providence of God, ever exerted a more beneficial influence among the Baptists of Georgia, or as an instrument in the divine hands ever accomplished more beneficial results for the denomination in the State. "How is Mr. Mercer?" asked Dr. Staughton of a gentleman from Georgia. "He is well," was the answer. "He exerts a great influence in your State," continued Dr. Staughton. "His word is law," the other replied. "I am sure," said the doctor, in return, "it is gospel."Jesse, the son of Silas Mercer, was born in Halifax Co., N. C., Dec. 16, 1769. His father removed to Georgia about 1775, and settled in Wilkes County, but fled to North Carolina at the outbreak of the Revolution, and did not return until after the war, when Jesse was about fourteen years old. From that time until his death, on the 6th of September, 1841, Jesse Mercer resided in Georgia. His youthful character was free from stain; not even a profane word was ever used by him, nor was he ever guilty of any deviation from strict truthfulness. He was a sober, staid, discreet youth; even-tempered in his conduct, never dejected nor morose. He had great command of his passions, and was never known through life to have a personal quarrel with anyone. He was a pattern of filial obedience, submitting cheerfully to every command of his parents. He was converted at fifteen, was baptized in his eighteenth year, and soon after began to preach. On the 31st of January, 1788, in his nineteenth year, he was married to Miss Sabrina Chivers; and before he was twenty years of age he was ordained, on the 7th of November, 1789, by Silas Mercer and Sanders Walker. In succession he then took charge of the churches at Hutton's Fork, Indian Creek, in Oglethorpe County, Sardis, Phillips' Mill, Powelton, Whatley's Mill (now Bethesda), Eatonton, and Washington, his pastoral services extending over a period of fifty years. He by no means confined himself to the churches of his charge, however, but, traveling far and near, he preached the gospel everywhere, with a power never surpassed in the State, and with a pathos and unction productive of the best results.
As a Preacher. -- Long will he be held in honorable estimation as a truly able, pious, instructive and powerful minister of the gospel. Said Dr. Basil Manly, Sr., of him, "In his happy moments of preaching he would arouse and enchain the attention of reflecting men beyond any minister I have ever heard. At such times his views were vast, profound, original, striking, and absorbing in the highest degree; while his language, though simple, was so terse and pithy, so pruned, consolidated, and suited to become the vehicle of the dense mass of his thoughts, that it required no ordinary effort of a well-trained mind to take in all he said." His voice was neither very strong nor distinguished for its compass and melody; his gesticulations were rather clumsy, and the fastidious could find fault with his manner; but, notwithstanding all, his appearance in the pulpit was far from being uninteresting.
The fair and comely baldness of his head, his venerable mien, his portly frame, his countenance clothed with meekness, benevolence, intelligence, and devotion, rendered him an object of peculiar interest and respect wherever he stood forth
"To negotiate between God and man, As God's ambassador, the grand concerns Of judgment and or mercy."Whilst he seemed untrammeled by the laws of criticism, he violated not the principles of true taste. His sermons were for the most part doctrinal, yet always tending to practical results. His language had a noble bearing, which made it a suitable vehicle for his noble thoughts. The accurate principles of sound logic ran through his addresses, though its forms were not at all times visible. Ungodly men of cultivated minds listened to his sermons as to an intellectual treat. Religious men enjoyed them as affording a spiritual feast. To the graces of oratory Mr. Mercer made no pretensions, but there was an unction from the Holy One, that breathed from his spirit and beamed from his sweet and heavenly eye, which enchained and animated the hearer, and thus more than supplied the absence of oratorical grace. His words did not often flow down upon the people in a rushing torrent, but rather fell like a refreshing shower. No useless verbiage encumbered his topics. Some preachers are occasionally great because, like a small stream, with a shallow and narrow channel, swollen by a sudden shower, they sometimes dash and roar; but Mr. Mercer's preaching was like a stream whose channel is wide and deep: it embraced a large scope of religious instruction, exhibited a great variety and richness, and flowed onwards with a mighty and increasing volume.
The Cross of Christ was the fixed, luminous centre of his preaching. He delighted in contemplating the gospel as a scheme which honored God and abased the creature. Upon the majesty of the law; the exceeding sinfulness of sin; the amazing obligations of the sinner, and his total inability to rescue himself from his ruined and guilty state; and upon the infinite virtue of the atonement, and the uncontrolled sovereignty of God, and the glorious efficiency of divine grace, he was truly great. Never was a minister more immovably rooted in the respect, confidence, and affection of his people than was Mr. Mercer, while to all classes of the community he was an object of admiration, reverence, and love.
About 1818 he removed from Greene County to Powelton, where he resided until the end of 1826 or beginning of 1827, when he removed to Washington, which remained his home until death. Of the church at the former place he was pastor for twenty-eight years, and of the church at the latter he was pastor about seventeen years; but after removing to Washington he resigned the charge of most of his other churches.
Connection with the Index. -- In the year 1833 the Christian Index, published by Dr. Wm. T. Brantly, Sr., at Philadelphia, was purchased by Mr. Mercer and removed to Wahington, Ga. For several years he was the editor of the Index, assisted by Rev. Wm. H. Stokes, and was the means thus of greatly benefiting the denomination in the State by his wise counsel and skillful expositions of discipline and doctrine. But editorial duties were not congenial to him, and the paper became a pecuniary disadvantage. In 1840 he tendered the Index, and all its appendages, to the Georgia Baptist Convention. The gift was accepted, and it was published by the Convention, through a committee, until 1862, when it was sold to Rev. S. Boykin, who for several years had been employed as editor. To Mr. Mercer the denomination in the State is indebted for much of its harmony and prosperity, through the influence exerted for many years by that paper.
Efforts in Behalf of Education. -- The cause of education has had no more indefatigable, successful, and liberal advocate in the State of Georgia than Jesse Mercer. He took an active part in the establishment of Mount Enon Academy, in Richmond County, in 1807. He was one of the most munificent supporters of Mercer University from its very inception, and the institution was accordingly named after him. His donations, including legacies to the university, did not amount to less than $40,000.
His Efforts in the Missionary Cause. -- No object was dearer to Jesse Mercer than the cause of missions. Through his influence the Powelton Baptist Society for Foreign Missions was established, May 5. 1815; and in the year following he procured the appointment of the Mission Board of the Georgia Association to be a component member of the General Missionary Convention of the Baptist denomination, which board existed for many years, and prosecuted its business with much success. He was uniformly appointed a member of the board, was generally its president, and always one of its most liberal and efficient supporters. In 1820 and in 1826 he represented this board in the General Convention. Not until merged into the operations of the State Convention was this board dispensed with.
For some years Mr. Mercer was an active member, and for a while corresponding secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Co-operating Baptist Associations for Instruction and Evangelizing the Creek Indians, organized under the direction of managers appointed by the Ocmulgee, Georgia, and Ebenezer Associations. By his pen, in the pulpit, and with his purse Mr. Mercer strenuously advocated the mission cause throughout his whole career, and was one of those who organized, and for the ten years of its existence was the master-spirit of, the General Committee of the Georgia Baptists, which resulted in the establishment of the Georgia Baptist Convention, the grand missionary body of the Georgia Baptists. For eighteen years in succession he was elected president of the Georgia Baptist Convention, and for more than twenty years he was successively elected presiding officer of the Georgia Association.
In the discussion of all weighty and difficult subjects in the religious bodies which he attended he usually took a prominent part, and his views generally decided the question under discussion. On one occasion some important subject was discussed for a considerable time, when a worthy brother rose and said, "Well, I now move that Brother Mercer give us his views, and that the question then be put, without any further debate," intimating that it would be improper for the question to be taken until the Gamaliel of the meeting had expressed his opinion, and that after he should speak little more of importance could well be said.
His Liberality. -- He gave hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands. To home missions, to the Bible, tract, Sunday-school, and publication societies, to Columbian College, and to Mercer University he dedicated many thousands of dollars. His bequests to Mercer University amounted to more than $40,000, and to various other benevolent objects not less $20,000 or $25,000.
His Character. -- With all his greatness and reputation he was lowly and humble. His modesty was conspicuous; yet, though eminently meek and gentle in spirit, he was a man of uncommon firmness and of great moral courage. In matters of principle and conscience he was immovable as a rock. His heart was remarkably tender and sympathetic, and he was kind, courteous and hospitable. He treated his servants with the greatest humanity and with the most judicious consideration. The mental elevation, the distinguished piety, and the ministerial excellence which were combined in Mr. Mercer partially account for the extensive and wonderful influence he exerted over the minds of men, for no other man has wielded the same power over the Baptists of Georgia, nor is any other Baptist who has ever lived in the State to be compared to him in the beneficial results accomplished by his long ministry. In the denomination in Georgia he stands as a bright and shining light, and while it exists in that State his exalted merit and faithful service will cause him to be held in affectionate and sacred remembrance.
====== [From William Cathcart, editor, The Baptist Enyclopedia, 1881; reprint, 1988, pp. 779-781. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall]
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