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Though constitutionally possessed of great sensibility to pain, under all his sufferings, which were at times very great, he evinced the utmost patience, and declared that he desired in his sufferings to have a single eye to the glory of God. He was not known to be delirious one moment during his illness. He often spoke aloud to himself in repeating passages of Scripture, and parts of Psalms and Hymns descriptive of the purity and holiness of the Divine nature, and of the mercy and goodness of God in vouching safe his salvation to a helpless sinner through the Lord Jesus Christ, and was often exercised in ejaculatory supplication and thanksgiving. When walking through the valley of the shadow of death, he seemed to enjoy a full answer to his prayer in his dedication, that the Lord God Almighty would strengthen and uphold him at death, by that faith which overcometh the world and all sin and fear at death. Death to the man of God may be considered as a dark but a short passage to the region of eternal day, as the birth of a new and noble existence to the immortal spirit redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. In the agony of his change, this good old man seemed to say to his religious attendants, by the sweet serenity of his countenance, "whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."

Thus lived and thus died Jacob Fishback, the companion of the pious, the benefactor and comforter of the helpless and afflicted, the friend of mankind, the practical christian, and the uniform and unbending advocate of the christian religion.

His remains were committed to the earth between twelve and one o'clock the next day, in a place chosen by himself on his own farm, after a sermon delivered by the Rev. Robert II. Stewart, and an address by the Rev. James Fishback, son of the deceased, suited to the occasion, attended by a numerous assembly.

No. 17.

OLD CAPTAIN.

OLD CAPTAIN, the founder of the first African Baptist Church in Lexington, and who died at the advanced age of 30, in the summer of 1823, was originally the property of a Captain Duerett, of Caroline county, Va. He was awakened under the faithful preaching of the gospel, and felt his situation as a lost sinner when he was about twenty-five years of age. When he had been almost reduced to despair, he was relieved by getting a clear and distinct view of Christ as the only Saviour, and the only way of life and salvation, and felt, as he thought, that he was delivered from the power of sin.

Having made application to a regular church of Christ, and having been conversed with and examined in the usual way, he was publicly baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. His heart also felt for the situation of his fellow ser

vants and fellow sinners, and he commenced immediately the work of exhorting from house to house, walking sometimes many miles during night, and on the Lord's day, that he might have an opportunity of warning them of their danger.

The gentleman who owned his wife, who was also pious, having determined to move to Kentucky; that man and wife might not be separated, an exchange took place, by which he became the property of another master, and an inhabitant of this country. His new master having settled some eight miles east of Lexington, he was for several years connected with a small Baptist church on the head of Boon Creek. After a few years this church was dissolved, and the members joined such neighbouring churches as they thought proper.

About the time of the dissolution of the church on Boon Creek, Captain and his wife hired themselves of their master, and moved to the vicinity of Lexington. They were there kindly received by several, and particularly by John Maxwell, of whom the old Captain spoke with great affection till his very last. Mr. Maxwell allowed them to settle on his land, close by a noted spring, where the 4th of July was regularly celebrated for many years. He assisted them also to build a cabin, and continued, while he lived, to protect and comfort them as part of his own family.

Having now something like a house and territory of his own, he invited to this house and to this territory his fellow servants, and on Sabbath days he preached to them, as God enabled him, the way

of salvation. His wife was also particularly active in providing accommodations for the people, and in encouraging them to be in earnest about the things which belonged to their everlasting peace. He also regularly attended a meeting-house on the lands of General Levi Todd, which had been appropriated by the General for the use of the Methodist and Baptist people of colour. His ministrations appeared to be blessed, and several, professing a hope of conversion, applied to him for the administration of the ordinance of baptism. But as he was yet a slave, and not recognized as an ordained minister of the gospel, he felt great reluctance in encouraging such applications. He at last, attended by upwards of fifty of these professed converts, applied to an association for regular ordination. The fathers and brethren, after having taken the matter into consideration, did not consider it proper to ordain him in form, but, being fully informed of his character and labours, they gave him the right hand of christian affection, and directed him to go on in the name of their Common Master.

Being thus encouraged, he proceeded to hold meetings for the purpose of conversing with those who professed to be awakend, and when he had evidences of their being passed from death unto life, he administered to them the ordinance of baptism. Upon a sufficient number being baptized, they united with one anoth er in the Lord in a church capacity, and he administered to them the ordinance of the Supper. His church increased in numbers, and evidence of genuine piety was exhibited by many of the members. They kept

no records, nor could they often meet in one place at the same time-but it was supposed that at one period there were upwards of three hundred in Lexington and the county who acknowledged him as their spiritual father, and who regularly attended upon him as their spiritual instructor. He continued to pay yearly a stipulated hire to his master, till he was so far advanced in life that no family' would have supported him merely for the services which he was capable of performing.

Their mode of discipline in the church over which he presided was in substance thus.

The Captain was called the head (under the great head of the church). He was their pastor and their standing moderator, and they had under him one or two ruling elders, with two or three deacons. In matters of dealing, complaint was first lodged with the elder or pastor, either of whom directed a deacon or two to visit the person complained of-if this failed, an elder next visited him-and if that failed, the pastor, if it was in his power, visited him. And if all these methods failed of giving satisfaction, the matter was then brought before the church, where, after the case had been heard, a majority of votes decided, though great respect was always paid to the opinion of the moderator, which was always given before the vote was put.

It is not easy to determine on the one hand how little knowledge is merely sufficient for personal salvationand on the other hand how much knowledge of divine things may be acquired, and may be really necessary for the different departments of human life. This, however, is clear, that in the family of the Redeemer there

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