On this day in 1732 David Thomas was born at London Tract, Pennsylvania. After the Lord saved him, Bro. Thomas attended America’s first Baptist school of higher education at Hopwell, N.J. He did so well there that he was granted a Master of Arts degree from Rhode Island College before it became Brown University. In 1751 he traveled with John Gano and James Miller into dangerous Virginia to preach the gospel and Baptist doctrine among the heathens and Episcopalians. About ten years later he returned to pastor the Broadrun Baptist Church in Fauquier County. With other Baptist brethren, Pastor David Thomas was threatened and persecuted. While preaching one day in the Northern Neck above Fredericksburg he was attacked and dragged from the pulpit. On another occasion, a man pointed a pistol at him, but another man wrenched the gun from his hand. Despite the opposition, the Broadrun Church prospered and over time sponsored five or six other congregations. Those new churches were also persecuted. For example, the Chappawomsick Baptist Church was attacked by a gang of forty men who were determined to destroy the building and scatter its membership. Other churches had rattlesnakes and hornet’s nests thrown into the building during worship services. Through all these trials Brother Thomas remained faithful in preaching and traveling to preach. Thomas Jefferson held the man in high esteem, and Patrick Henry considered him a personal friend. In 1796 he moved to Kentucky where he served two churches until his death in about 1801.