BIOGRAPHY: James Wagner

FROM "THE GOSPEL MESSENGER" JANUARY 1886: I was born in Franklin County, Tenn., December 25th, 1821. My parents' names were Solomon Wagner and Dicy Russel, the latter a daughter of Major Russel, who accompanied Jackson in his campaigns against the Indians. In early life I had serious thoughts about death and judgment; but in the fall of 1840, while walking alone in my father's apple orchard as suddenly as thought, with invincible power, I was made to realize that I was a desperate sinner against a just and holy God, and equally as sudden all earthly comforts present and prospective fled; the gloom that overshadowed and encompassed me was deep and depressing, being environed as it were with the very flames of hell. These exercises began on Friday evening and continued with increased intensity, if possible, until the next Sunday evening, in which time I slept no sound sleep. I withdrew from company to a densely shaded creek bottom, meditating upon my awfully miserable state, to try to make my complaints known to my offended Maker, and petition for mercy upon a poor hell deserving rebel, and as I trust, when legal hope fled and creature helps failed, the good Lord appeared and gave the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Under such transporting emotions of soul, I arose from the earth praising such a glorious and merciful God as I now viewed him. While thus exercised I thought I would go and tell my mother what had befallen me, but had not gone far before it occurred to me that I might be mistaken, and had better wait till more fully assured of a work of grace. In this state of doubt and uncertainty I continued with occasional manifestations of God's love and reproofs for my rebellion, till the summer of 1855, when I resolved, after maturely considering the subject in all its bearings in connection with my duty to God and myself, to offer myself to thc Primitive Baptist Church, believing it to be the Church of Christ, which I did in connection with my wife, at Old Macedonia Church in four miles of where I now live, and was baptized by Elder John P. Walker. Soon after this the duty of appearing before my brethren and fellow man in a public capacity, under a sense of unworthiness, incapacity and unfitness in every sense the importance of the position and the obligations involved, filling me with terror and racking my very soul, against which I fought and contended with all the power and zeal of which I was master was impressed upon me and continued with me for about two months, when, being so overcome with the love of God, my proud heart was humbled, my opposition and rebellion removed, that I rose in conference and in much weakness, tried to tell my brethren some of the exercises of my mind and that I was willing to labor as a child in. any place where it was God's pleasure I should. The church responded by giving me full liberty to exercise my gift, which, with much weakness and diffidence as occasion required, I did, until the next fall some time, if I mistake not, a committee from a sister church (the Boiling Fork) requested my ordination, which was consented to, the time set, and a presbytery called, consisting of Elders Elijah Turner, I. E. Douthit and Richard Fain, who officiated in my ordination. On the 23rd day of December, I was married to Miss Mary A. Hudson, with whom I lived pleasantly till July 1861, when she died. She gave birth to ten children. In February 1864, I married a Mrs. Champion, a widow, whose maiden name was M. A. Sewell, who gave birth to seven children. My circumstances, in a pecuniary sense, were good up to the late war, [Civil War-DM] when all my property, except land and household property, was taken and destroyed. Since which time, by the agency of a very treacherous and corrupt man, I have lost my land, and am living on a thousand-dollar homestead, with a judgment hanging over me.