John Picket was born on this day in 1744. As a young man he became addicted to pleasure, sports and gaming of every kind. Becoming a dancing instructor, and in pursuit of that vocation, he moved from Virginia to Pee Dee, North Carolina. In his new home he came under the preaching of Josiah Murphy, and in 1766 he was born again – completely converted from a sinner to a servant of his Saviour. When his father died a year later, John returned home to Fauquier (faw-ker) county. There he began to privately visit his old friends and family members, exhorting them to repent before God and to trust Christ. Things developed, under the Lord’s leadership, until Picket was being urged to preach publicly – where it was unlawful to worship in any fashion other than as an Episcopalian. Over time, a few people followed Picket to Christ. Pastor Josiah Murphy was invited to come and preach, as were Samuel Harriss and James Read. On May 27, 1772, Brother Picket was ordained to the ministry and a church, known as Carter’s Run, was organized with thirty-seven members. And “run” the brethren had to do from time to time. On one occasion a mob broke into the church meeting house and split the pulpit and other pieces of furniture to pieces. They seized Pastor Picket and kept him in the Fauquier County jail for three months, but he kept preaching through the window grates. It is said that the Word of God was not bound by the laws of the colony, and many were awakened to their need of Christ through Picket’s special “prison ministry.”
