Luther Rice died on this day in 1836.
His Christian service began on board a ship bound for the mission field of India with Adoniram and Ann Judson. On the long voyage east, the three decided to read the New Testament in Greek, and in the process they discovered that they had not been scripturally baptized. Upon reaching India they were baptized by the English Baptist missionary, William Carey. That act cut them off from their Protestant supporting churches in America. The three then discussed their options, and it became obvious that, at least temporarily, Rice should return home to raise missionary support for the Judsons before returning to the mission field himself.
Arriving in the United States, Brother Rice immediately began preaching missions in the churches of God, traveling back and forth, up and down the eastern seaboard. On one occasion to get from one appointment to another he rode his horse 91 miles, and in 1818 he reported that during the previous twelve-months he had ridden 9,359 miles on horse back preaching the gospel, Biblical evangelism and the need for an educated ministry. That is more than three times the distance between New York and Los Angeles.
Despite a never-ending desire to join the Judsons, who were then in Burma, he enjoyed his work in America. He literally wore himself out by the age of 56, dying in the South Carolina home of a friend, Dr. Mays. On the marker over his grave-site at the Pine Pleasant Baptist Church there is the statement “Perhaps no American has done more for the great missionary enterprise.”