Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-09-11


ftigate the doctrine, untilafter he had
exercised his belief in Christ then
reading Andrew Fuller's Gospel
Worthy OF all Acceptation," and find
ing the teachings congenial with his ex.
pcrience, his faith in spite OF his preju-
dice drove him tothe Baptist church,
and himself and wife were baptised al
the same time by Rev. Ryland I. Dill
lard, at Brysnt's Station, in Elkhorn
river, ON the 10th OF July, 1888. DIR.
Sears WINS solemnly impressed with the
beautiful figure in EMERSON given as a
church ordinance to teach the resurrec-
ticn, and from that moment felt i'm
pressed with the duty OF preaching the
Gospel, and determined toprepare him
self for the ministry without letting
any one know his feelings or purpose
before he was fully ready for the work.
But notwithstanding his secret purpose,
it seems that his church was also inn
pressed at The same time that it was his
duty to preach, and without waiting for
the course OF preparation planned. by
him, to his great surprise he was very
soon called on to pray in public, and
was quite soon licensed by the church
to preach, and in few months was Or
dained by presbytery composed OF
Revs. r. 7. billiard, Edward Darnaby
and Josiah Leake. The ordination took
place at David's Fork at a called. meet
ing ON Saturday before the third Sum
day in February, 1S40, according to
Baptist forms. Thus he was pushed in
to the ministry before he was ready, &C
cording to his:own thinking, and forced
to combine practice with study, applying
himself diligently. For days after the
ordination, he engaged with Rev. Jas.
NJ. Frost in protracted meeting at the
Forks OF Elkhorn in Franklin county,
Ky. He continued seven months, Civ
ing his time to protractsd meetings at
Frankfort, Georgetown and Flemings-
burg, and preaching once a month at
Stamping Grounds and once a month
ut the Forks OF Elkhorn. He was not
the pastor OF either church, but the
people liked his preaching, and even
those out OF the church joined in y
pressing invitation for him to preach
once month, and sustained him liber-
ally for the service. At this time the
Missionary Board Of Bracken Associa-
ton, at Maystick, appointed him mis-
sionary. with salary sufficient to sup
port his family. 1t is wonderful how
God blessed his work While his fam
lily remained located at Flemingsburg,
his home, he itinerated through three
or four counties destitute OF the Gospel,
and holding protracted meetings with
various churches soliciting his services.
The first year he preached three hun
bred and sixty-six sermons, baptizing
a great many converts. He held .
meeting with Elder Curry, pastor at
Shelbyville, KY, in April, 1910, preach
ing twice day for two weeks, which
resulted in the baptism OF one hundred
and forty-nine persons. This was fol-
lowed by meeting at South Benson,
where quite number united with the
church then at Burk's Branch, where
he preached two weeks, and baptized
sixty-six persons. His success and
fame as a minister was spreading
among the Baptist people throughout
the State. The First Baptist Church
sent pressing invitation for his help,
to which he acceded, beginning pro-
tracted meeting the last week in July,
1912, which continued eight weeks, re-
sultingi in his baptizing one hundred
and twenty-five converts. He was then
called to the pastoral care OF the Louis
vile church, which he accepted on the
LIST OF September, 1912, and this ended
his evangelical and missionary labor.
for time. DIR. Sears had been in the
ministry but a little over two years
1whenlhe accepted charge OF the Louis
vile church, in whose service he con
tinued as pastor seven years, and dur
ing the time baptized over three hun
dred persons. He resigned the care 0
his church in July, 1S49, to accept tn
appointment as General Agent OF tn
General Association Of Kentucky. II
spent year in this work, travelling an
preaching. He held four protrscte
meetings at Silvesa, Mercer count,
, Henderson and Hopkinsville, Ky, an
one in Indiana, in which over two hui
bred and fifty people were eonverte'
r He was called from this work to II
r care OF the Hopkinsville church in j
4 ~, 1854, which was then one OF Il
: strongest Baptist congregations in Kel
e lucky lie continued as pastor OF III