Lewis Lunsford was born in Stafford County, Virginia in 1753. Early in his life, while listening to the preaching of William Fristoe, the Lord gave him faith to believe on Christ as his Lord and Saviour. After being baptized by Fristoe, the young man began to preach the gospel which led him to Christ, and the Holy Spirit blessed. It is said that everywhere he placed his foot as a preacher, there was God – and there was the Devil.
On one occasion, a stage was built and a congregation gathered on the property of a Mr. Stephen Hall, near Mundy’s Point. Just after Brother Lunsford read his text a group of men armed with staves and pistols ran toward the stage. At that point some of his supporters ran to a nearby fence and pulled up the posts to use in their counter attack. When a large group mounted the stage it collapsed, and in the confusion Lunsford was able to make it to Mr. Hall’s house – which was quickly shut up. When the enemy couldn’t break in, one of their number volunteered to debate with the preacher. He was permitted to enter and after some time returned to his friends, saying that he’d never heard a man speak like that. He said that he’d like to talk some more, but it never happened, because he was taken by an untimely death.
Despite God’s gifts and his powerful ministry, Lewis Lunsford’s life was a short one. At about the age of forty, on this day in 1793, he passed into the presence of his Saviour.
Source – “This Day in Baptist History” by Wayne Thompson and David Cummins.
