Abraham Marshall, the son of Daniel Marshall, who was our subject a few weeks ago. On this day in 1786 he returned to his Georgia home after journeying by horseback to Connecticut to take care of some his deceased estate. Everywhere he stopped on that trip he tried to preach the gospel. At one place a Mr. Winchester mentioned that he knew Daniel’s cousin, a Congregational minister named Eliakim Marshall. Winchester described the man as an intelligent and responsible person. Abraham replied, “Well, if this be his character, I shall expect to baptize him before I return; for if he has sound judgment, he will understand my arguments… and if he has a tender conscience, they will have an influence on his mind.”
When Abraham reached Connecticut he stayed in Eliakim’s home, and eventually the subject of baptism came up. After some long discussions with plenty of scripture, Eliakim became convinced of immersion. A few days later Abraham recorded in his diary: “After (my) sermon Eliakim Marshall mounted the stage, and gave a clear, striking and powerful account of God’s work on his soul, greatly to the satisfaction of the congregation. Also he told them that he had been an advocate for infant sprinkling, in opposition to the primitive and apostolic mode; that he was now convinced he had no warrant to in the Bible, and he was about to comply with the baptism of our Saviour. At two p.m. preached a second sermon; (God) graced the assembly with His glorious and awful presence… Then we advanced… to a river… and baptized… Eliakim Marshall in the presence of hundreds who had never seen the ordinance administered… before.”
Soon Eliakim was ordained, and for the next five years, until his death, he pastored the Baptist Church in Windsor Connecticut.
Source – “This Day in Baptist History” by Wayne Thompson and David Cummins.