WHEN THE LAW RUNS INTO JESUS -- THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

    For the past couple of weeks (with more to come), I have been visiting and speaking with churches from the Georgia Baptist Association, the first association in Georgia, and a sister association, the Kilpatrick Baptist Association. Both have many churches founded in the late 1700's and early 1800's. All of these churches are descendants of or directly founded by Daniel Marshall, brother-in-law of Shubal Stearns from the Sandy Creek Association, or his associates. 

   One of the churches, is Damascus Baptist Church, founded July 29, 1820. What a wonderful story of the church's first pastor! Does this not show that the same Jesus who saved the Phillipian jailer, was the same Jesus at work in 1820? Does this not also show that women are not exempt from proclaiming the Gospel?

   The first pastor, Samuel Cartledge, served from 1820 to 1839. He was the officer who arrested Daniel Marshall, founder of the Kiokee Church in 1772, who was haled into court in Augusta for “holding religious services not in accord with the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England.” Cartledge was so so impressed by the exhortation of Mrs. Marshall upon the arrest of her husband that he was converted, baptized by Rev. Marshall, served as a deacon for several years and was ordained in 1789. He preached for the rest of his long life. Damascus Baptist is still a very vibrant, growing, church, and still preaching that old Gospel, that JESUS SAVES!

   Who is "arresting" you today? What force tries to put out your light? What enemy of Christ and His Church is hauling you into Satan's court? Be of GOOD CHEER, for Samuel Cartledge thought he could stamp out the preaching of Daniel Marshall, little did he know that a woman of God would over power him and his might of the law, and drag HIM into another court in front of another JUDGE, would be found guilty, and set free that very day!