Students of Baptist history have always found it interesting, if not confusing, that many early Welsh preachers had the same, or very similar, names. Abel Morgan seems to have been one such name, because it is applied to one Baptist preacher born in this country and to another who immigrated to America from Wales just a few years earlier.
This Abel Morgan became the pastor of the Baptist congregation at Penepeck, just outside of Philadelphia.
If he had been looking for an excuse to forsake the ministry he had one available to him. He and his family sailed for America from Bristol, England on September 28, 1710, but contrary winds made progress impossible and their vessel was detained in Cork, Ireland, until November. Once out in the Atlantic, Abel’s son died on this day of that year, and he was buried at sea. Three days later his wife’s body was also lowered into the cold water. The journey across the Atlantic lasted eleven weeks, and in all, Able was on board for twenty-two weeks. The ship finally docked in Philadelphia on February 14, 1711. Abel was called to become the pastor at Penepeck, and he served the Lord there for eleven years, until his own death. One of the things which characterized his ministry were the gospel hymns which he brought with him from the old country; hymns which undoubtedly comforted his heart in those long days of emptiness and grief.
Source – “This Day in Baptist History II” by Cummins and Thompson