Georgia   Biographies Baptist  Archibald J. Battle

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Ref:  HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN GEORGIA;  BIOGRAPHICAL COMPENDIUM AND PORTRAIT GALLERY OF BAPTIST MINISTERS AND OTHER GEORGIA BAPTIST, 1881, Jas. P. Harrison & Co., Atlanta, GA, 


ARCHIBALD J. BATTLE  

The President of Mercer University, Macon, GA, is Dr.
Archibald J. Battle, a native of GA, but reared in AL.  Six
feet in height, with an erect and graceful carriage, he is
prepossessing in personal appearance; with a countenance
indicative of modesty and manliness, and with a demeanor in
the highest degree refined and affable, he is instinctively
recognized as a cultivated Christian gentleman.  Still in
the vigor of matured manhood, with a piety which pervade his
life, with a nature sympathetic and affectionate, with a
scholarship varied and extensive, with a dignity and
strength of mind which command respect, and with a courtesy
and delicacy which win esteem, he is admirably adapted to
the position he occupies, and if his life is spared, bids
fair to increase his usefulness with his years, and to
attain yet greater distinction in the chosen field of his
labors.  He is now in his 55th year, having been born in
Powelton, Hancock county, GA, Sep 10th, 1826.  At that time
the social, educational and religious privileges of Powelton
were the equal of any in the State, and the first ten years
of his life were, therefore, blessed with those highest and
best influences which go towards moulding character.  His
mother, a woman of great piety, mildness and gentleness, by
whom his character was, to a great extent, formed, is still
living in a serene and happy old age.  His father, the late
Dr. Cullen Battle, of honored memory, a wealthy planter,
originally from NC, removed to AL in 1836, settling in
Eufaula, then known as Irwinton.  There , amid the social
and religious influences of a cultured Christian family,
Archibald J. Battle grew up to manhood.  He professed
religion, and was baptized in his thirteenth year.  Both
there and at Powelton he enjoyed excellent school families,
to which were added all the advantages of the University of
Alabama, where he was graduated in the year of 1846, under
the administration of that distinguished educator and godly
man, the late Rev. Basil Manly, D.D.  During the following
year, 1847, he was married to Miss Mary E. Guild, a daughter
of Dr. James Guild, of Tuscaloosa, AL, a lady of rare
personal beauty and accomplishments and distinguished for
the loveliness of her character. Jesse Brown Battle was born
in Hancock County, Georgia, September 3d, 1788.  His father
was William Lamar Battle, a good soldier in the War of
Independence. His mother's maiden name was Sarah Whitehead.
His paternal grandmother was Sarah Warren, of the Family of
Gen. Warren, of revolutionary fame. He died December 2d,
1869, in the 82d year of his age.  When the scroll on which
Heaven registers the names of the good And useful, through
every age, shall be unrolled for the inspection of men and
angels, high on the list, will be found the name of him
whose virtues these lines are designed to commemorate. There
is an ancient heathen maxim, founded alike in wisdom and
propriety, which bids us "say nothing of the dead but what
is good." This injunction, in the present instance, can be
obeyed without a shadow of violence to truth, for Jesse
Battle was a good husband, father, citizen, and more than
all, a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. He was one! of
those men who almost seem to have been born to piety and
good works, no part of his life, even before conversion,
having been given to dissolute courses, such as too often
characterize the young men of every generation. He professed
faith in the Savior when only sixteen years of age,and was
baptized by Rev. Jesse Mercer into the Powelton church, of
which he was pastor, in 1804.  From that period until the
day of his death he was one "whose doctrine and whose life,
coincident gave lucid proof that he was honest in the sacred
cause." He surely deserved the high encomium paid to
Barnabas, "He was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost, and of
faith."   He was married to Miss Martha Rabun, oldest
daughter of Governor Rabun, February 23d, 1815. She was one
of the loveliest and most amiable of her sex. Religion was
her guiding star. It has often been remarked of her that,
with the same opportunities, she would have equaled Ann
Hasseltine Judson. It can truly be said of this Chri! stian
couple that "they walked together in all the Commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blameless."  He brought up his
children in the nurture and admoninition of the Lord. No
better evidence of the care and love bestowed on them do we
need than that they loved him devotedly while living, and
now mourn for him that he is removed. He was the father of
nine children, and except one who died in infancy, they were
a baptized household.  Only four sons survive him. He was a
good citizen, although he did not leave his ministry to take
part in politics, as so many of his contemporaries did, in
the times of party excitement, in which his last days were
passed;     his great influence was ever thrown on the side
of law and order.  While rendering to God the things that
are God's, he never forgot  to render to Ceasar the things
that are Ceasar's.  He was especially a good minister. His
ordination to the Baptist ministry occurred in 1818. The
Presbytery was composed of no     ! ordinary men, for among
them we find the names of Revs. Jesse Mercer and B. M.
Sanders. Those revered fathers on that solemn occasion, laid
their hands on one whose labors would entitle him to a place
with themselves in the catalogue of "the excellent of the
earth," for hundreds have been saved through his
instrumentality, and he exerted an influence for good in our
denomination which eternity alone can fully reveal. His
first pastorate was with the church at Mount Zion, Hancock
County, in which county he labored the most of his life. For
about twenty years he was pastor of our churches at Island
Creek, Bethel, Darien, and Beulah. As a pastor he was
eminently successful.  Hundreds were baptized by him and
built up in the faith of the Gospel. The churches under his
charge grew and flourished, and     were noted for zeal,
purity and benevolence. He was remarkably cautious in the
examination of candidates for baptism, and none were
admitted without safisfactory evidence of genu! ine
conversion.     As a preacher he was lucid, impressive and
interesting. His thoughts often came too fast for utterance,
which occasionally gave him the appearance being hurried.
His personal appearance was fine. About five feet eleven
inches in height, and with well formed features, and a
countance ever beaming with kindness, he would attract
notice in any group.   His advantages for education in early
life were limited, but with  A strong, vigorous mind and
close application, he attained Sufficient proficiency to
render him a good minister of Jesus Christ; for he made the
Bible, "the man of his Counsel," and was a  pure Gospel
preacher. He taught the doctrines as laid down in Scripture,
and followed no cunningly devised fables. He was
emphatically a Baptist..  He died at a very advanced age, at
the house of his son, John R.     Battle, a planter in
Sumter County, Georgia, having survived his noble wife for
many years. His fellow-laborers were Revs. R. Gunn, Wm. H.
Stoke! s, Benjamin Roberts, and Asa Duggan. With these well
beloved brethren he toiled long and arduously, with eminent
success. His labors on earth are ended; he had passed to his
reward. As we behold his godly example, let us obey the
Scripture    injunction and "be followers of those, who,
through faith and patience, inherit the promises." How
pleasant the thought that his mantle has fallen on his
grandson, Rev. Andrew J. Beck, of the Baptist Church at
Milledgeville, Georgia.   


Ref: The Christian Index, HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST
DENOMINATION IN GEORGIA WITH BIOGRAPHICAL COMPENDIUM, 1881,
Jas. P. Harrison & Co., Atlanta, GA, pp. 27-28. 

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