I have conflicting information about the birthday of Thomas Hume, Sr. One article begins by saying he was born on March 16, 1812 and then later says on this twenty-first birthday, March 17, 1833 he became pastor of the Baptist church in Portsmouth, Virginia. When I tried to determine which was correct, Cathcart wrote that his birthday was March 15. I’ve decided to compromise and say that it was on this day in 1812.
Thomas Hume was the son of a Presbyterian minister who actually died while preaching. When the son was eighteen, he was born again, and after studying the doctrines and history of various denominations, the Holy Spirit led him to the tiny Baptist church in the area. After spending some time at the newly-established Virginia Baptist Seminary, he was called to become the pastor of the church in Portsmouth, as I said, at the age of twenty-one. Immediately, the Episcopal and Methodist ministers began to make light of his youth. The Methodist, Dr. Waller, put in the local paper that “the young preacher might do well to tarry at Jericho til his beard be grown.” But the power of God was on Brother Hume’s ministry, and soon there was a rhyme running throughout town: “While Waller at home was studying his Greek, Hume took the converts down into the creek.” And he took many to the creek for baptism. The church in Portsmouth soon had a membership of more that 650, and the church historian records that the pastor conducted at least 800 baptisms during his ministry there.
– Source: “This Day in Baptist History III,” Cummins