Daniel Fristoe was converted to Christ in 1755 and he was ordained sixteen years later. This was in northern Virginia. On the day of his ordination, June 14, 1771, John Young had been haled into the nearby Caroline County courthouse for preaching the free grace of Christ without a licence. According to Fristoe’s diary, the next following day, he was in a meeting examining candidates for baptism, when a man came into the assembly cursing, swearing and beginning to flop around like a fish out of water. Satan was very interested in disrupting the work of Christ. Nevertheless, sixteen people were adjudged proper subjects for baptism. They joined thirteen others who were ready to make their public stand for Christ.
That Sunday, about 2,000 people came together to witness the Baptist’s ordinance of immersion. The trees overhanging the river were so filled with people that several branches broke and heckling spectators were cast into the water. No one was hurt. After the candidates had dried off the congregation moved to a nearby field, where Fristoe preached and the service concluded with the hymn, “Come We that Love the Lord.” The preacher declared that he had never seen such a battle between God with His blessing and the raging of the Devil.
Bro. Fristoe’s ministry was blessed but short. While visiting the Philadelphia Association meeting, he was seized with smallpox, and he quickly succumbed. In his 35th year, his body was buried at the Baptist Church of Philadelphia, far from his loving wife, seven children and the churches he was serving.