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Jesse Mercer's Father Mercer: The Old Man

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The book Father Mercer, is the life of Jesse Mercer, also known as Father Mercer to those who did not love the priesthood or “the Old Man” by his critics. The biography of his life begins with a description of what he looked like and of his personality. He was born in “North Carolina in Halifax County on 16 December 1769.” His parents Silas and Dorcas Mercer had eight children and Jesse was their oldest. Silas, who at age twenty moved to Georgia with his family and was able to purchase 100 acres of land near Washington but was only able to live there for a short time because British soldiers took over Georgia, during the revolutionary war. After the war, the Mercer family moved back to Georgia, where in 1977 Silas decided to leave the church …show more content…

They were able to read documents and sign their names to the documents. But, education was not something that was needed in the frontier. People were secluded and lived off the land. Pastors of the Baptist denomination, did not need an education like the Presbyterians. Jesse’s childhood story is mostly from his uncle John, who was younger then Jesse. His conversion did not take place until the age of seventeen, when he was walking in the forest feeling despaired. He explained his transformation to the Church op Philips Mill where his father was pastor, and on 8 July 1787, Jesse Mercer was …show more content…

Jesse grew in his faith as he followed his father preaching from town to town. He learned that just like the Apostles, he too fell asleep while on watch. Jesse “was well acquainted with these changes as his father a Baptist minister the year before the war began. His father, who was a pastor of “three separate congregations from 1785 until his death in 1796.” During his father’s ministries, pastors were paid with food tobacco, clothing and other things because they were poor. Silas, was able to bring other churches together and formed the Georgia Baptist Association, and Jesse was present at the inaugural meetings. Although, they did not have any authority over other congregations they could give advice when it was asked of them. For Jesse, when he was baptized he has two things on his mind: preaching and courting Sabrina Chivers. His first preaching jig was for his family who “encouraged him to follow his father as a minister of the gospel.” Jesse also married Sabrina in 1788, who although poor was able to care for her preacher-husband and hand made his clothes. Sabrina took care of the house while Jesse was away preaching, but as soon as they could afford a carriage they would buy one so Sabrina could accompany

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