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Life and Travels of William Conrad
Chapter II - The Author's Great Persecution for the Truth's Sake
Now additional distress followed, for of course the regular preacher, Elder Christian Tomlin, soon learned what I had done, and as soon as opportunity served, he called on me to say something, the more, it seemed, that he might have the opportunity to taunt and jeer me for my poor effort in trying to talk about a precious Savior and poor sinners, and I so weak that he would again and again prevail on me to try to talk a little as best I could. The old preacher would follow, and in a tantalizing manner put a very dark meaning on it, especially on the doctrine, and so at last the doctrine I tried to preach came from hell, and would go to hell, and so strengthen those that believed the doctrine he preached, thereby laying the foundation in their minds for not only a great prejudice against me, but also to persecute those of the church that held the doctrine of Salvation through grace abounding to the chief of sinners.
However, on the 8th day of June, 1822, notwithstanding the church wrote out and delivered me the following:
To all whom these presents may come, greeting, sendeth Christian salutation:
WHEREAS, our beloved brother, William Conrad, a regular member of the church at Dry Ridge, is at liberty to exercise his gift in any way the Lord may direct, where God in his providence may cast his lot. As such we recommend him to the people of God, praying that God may make him a blessing to precious souls, and to feed the sheep and lambs is our prayer, for the Redeemer's sake.
This done by order of the church at Dry Ridge at our meeting of business, on Saturday, the 8th of June, 1822, and signed in behalf of the whole.
CHRISTIAN TOMLIN, Pastor.
Elder William Glasscock for the Church.
After which things grew no better, the pastor using all his skill and a portion of the church to help move me off from the doctrine of grace.
None complained of my course of life, but often said to me that I had done more and was doing more than my share of expense and support of the church. But the doctrine which I tried to publish was the ground of the opposition and great persecution. At length Elder Tomlin more than once proposed to me to lay down or cease to preach my doctrine, and preach, said he, the doctrine that I (Tomlin) preached and you will get; along better. But not obtaining my consent to do so, he then told me publicly if I would quit preaching my doctrine and preach his doctrine I would make a preacher; but unless I did so I never would make a preacher. My answer to him and those who stood with him I well remember, "Preacher or no preacher, I can not preach the doctrine you preach." So it appeared his last alternative was an extreme and heated opposition and persecution, conducted in a great measure through those members who stood with him, with all the help they could obtain. It surely was the fiercest and most heated persecution I have known in my day for the truth's sake. Finally, after some trouble with some of the members for immoral conduct, some ten of us obtained letters of dismission in 1820. Seven of the same were finally organized into a church of Christ, particular Baptists at Williamstown.
This organization took place in the old brick seminary in said town on the fourth Saturday in November, 1826, and as a church of Christ, having obtained mercy of God, still continues to this dark day without any change of doctrine or practice, professedly, at least, and a regular supply of preaching-some years nearly every other meeting of as able gifts as are found in the States over and above my poor effort, at least my presence from the beginning not tailing in any case when at home and able to ride, so that there has been and still is, proclaimed in our midst, not only to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, but to observe all things whatsoever Jesus commanded, and so look to the fulfillment of Jesus' promise, "Lo I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Amen." I have been trying to preach to said church from its organization, except when on tours to the far west, &c.
The church called for my ordination at their regular meeting on the fourth Saturday in February, 1827, by a unanimous voice, and at; their April meeting, on the fourth Saturday, I was solemnly set apart to the work of the ministry of the Gospel by Elders Joel Morehead, William Glasscock and Thomas Threlkill, and laying on of hands with prayer by Elder Morehead, and charge delivered to me by Elder Threlkill in the presence of the church.
How I should conduct myself in the work just assigned me in the ministry of God's word, at the unanimous request of the church, and so fully acquiesced in by the above named Elders, that as they had jointly with the church acted as directed in the scriptures of the New Testament in the work of my ordination, that on my part I doubtless should fully demean myself in all things so as most fully to maintain the character recorded in God's word, in the humble sphere of servant to the church and minister of Christ, "and so approved of God that no man despise thee."
The next morning (Sunday) the church, or such portion as could repair to the water aide, in company with the above named Elders, who kindly assisted me, done all that should be done in the case. But I must go down into the water and baptize the dear sister, Nelly O'Neal, who had been received at the previous meeting for baptism. I shall perhaps never be able to express my poverty, my--unworthiness; and withal so awkward did I feel in my performance, in the presence of the brethren and congregation, that as I buried and raised out of the watery grave the sister, so quickly I felt that surely I had bruised her against the rocks in the bottom of the creek. Oh, I so feared I had not baptized the sister right that the brethren had much to do to convince me that it was all right.
After the candidate or newly baptized had changed her garments, and I had changed mine, we all repaired to the meeting-house, the old seminary. Elders Threlkill and Morehead both preached. Surely their preaching was to us a great feast of gospel food, and delivered with such clearness that the doctrine of grace appeared more delightful and clear than ever before, so that we felt to thank God and take courage. I had heard both these brethren preach before, and had been so delighted and comforted under their ministry, especially; Elder Morehead. I had been with and heard him often, and it was so seldom in those days that I could hear the doctrine of sovereign reigning and discriminating grace proclaimed, that when opportunity served I could but hear, weep tears of joy and gladness: for truly for a time it seemed that I was alone in struggling to publish the gospel of Christ, except the preaching of Elder Glasscock, which was quite seldom in our parts, and he, as well as myself, seemed doomed to persecution for the truth's sake. But the blessed Lord, I trust, was with us, and God was pleased to add some to the church at Williamstown, such as should be saved. At no one meeting, up to the present, was there more than six of God's children added, yet the church was all along blessed with some seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, although there were seasons when all looked dark and gloomy to me.
About the year 1832 I was under great heaviness and manifold temptations, and one of my greatest troubles about; that time was that in my own estimation I was such a poor weakling as regards preaching that the church, sure, never would prosper while such a poor, unworthy dust was almost their only supply as regards preaching to edification and comfort. And failing in my effort to get the church to look out for, as I felt, a preacher to minister to them whom the Lord would bless to the upbuilding Of the church by adding numbers to them as well as their 'edification and comfort, that God might be glorified by the church, pastor and people, which was, and yet is, my soul's deepest; solicitude, and to accomplish the object of release and fresh supply to the church, I concluded to take a tour to the west, and succeeded in obtaining a letter of dismission, such as they would give any of the members that should move out of the bounds of the church, and not such as is generally given a preacher, under the plea that if while gone I should meet with a church of old Baptists, I would lay my letter in as a member among them, and so be under their watch and care while absent from home, with the understanding that ii I should conduct myself while among them so as to justify them in giving me a like letter of dismission when the time came for me to return home. All seemed to work well, and the writer makes his first start for the west.
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