Unknown County GaArchives Biographies.....Hand, Henry 1764 - 1837
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 3, 2005, 1:06 am

Author: J. H. Campbell

HENRY HAND,

  The father of Thomas and Joseph Hand, who have both labored as ministers of
the gospel in Georgia, was a native of New Jersey. During his early childhood,
his father emigrated to Surry county, North Carolina, (where he spent seventeen
years,) and thence to Georgia. Below we have a short account of his religious
experience, call to the ministry, etc., which we prefer to give in his own
language.

  "I was of poor but honest parents, and born May 17th, 1764. The revolutionary
war prevented my parents from giving me an education. My mother learned me to
spell and read a little. They tried to bring me up in the fear of God, and would
press upon me the necessity of the new birth, which led me to seek the salvation
of my soul in early life. But my thoughts of God were very imperfect; I thought
when I did good, the Lord loved me, and when I did evil, the Lord was angry with
me. Thus I spent my time for years, sometimes praying and promising the Lord
that I would do better. But I would break my promises and sin again. After this
manner I spent my life, until I was fifteen years old. I then had to take up
arms in the defense of my country, which placed me in the midst of a wicked
crew, who led me into sin more and more. I knew it was wrong, my conscience
would often check me, and at times I was much distressed on account of my sins.
And yet the Lord was good to me, and preserved me in the day of battle.
  “When I returned home, my young companions so enticed me I tried to take
pleasure in sin, yet the thoughts of death and judgment would so alarm me that I
could not take pleasure in sin as I desired. I would promise the Lord, if he
would forgive me I would sin no more, but did not keep my promise. Thus I spent
my time until I was eighteen years old. It now appeared that I had sinned so
much against light and knowledge, that God would not have mercy on me. Sometimes
I thought I had committed the unpardonable sin. My distress of mind was so great
that I could take pleasure in sin no longer. I now tried to amend my life. I
renewed my promise again with the Lord, and prayed five times daily. I forsook
my young companions, and still I grew worse, until my case appeared hopeless.
The Lord appeared so angry with me, I thought he would not hear my prayer. I
fasted and prayed, and went to hear the word preached. It condemned me. My sins
arose before me. I thought the earth cried against me, saying, 'See here, Lord,
he has sinned.' I then fell on my face to the ground, but durst not pray. God
appeared so just, I feared to mention his holy name. At length I arose and went
groaning under a heavy burden a little way. And it seemed that something spoke
to me, saying, 'Ask, and it shall he given you.' I fell on my knees and prayed,
and my soul was so drawn out to the Lord, I thought I should receive an
immediate answer. I was encouraged by the thought that if I did not receive
then, I should certainly receive if I continued to ask. I rejoiced, and thought
I would continue to pray as long as I lived. I continued so for eight days,
praying and striving, but could not receive. I then discovered the holiness of
God, that he could not look upon sin with any allowance, and that I was nothing
but sin. I then saw myself corrupt, no soundness in me, my prayers as corrupt as
myself. I could not see how God could be just and I be spared. I then sunk into
despair. If I had any hope of salvation, I could not realize it. I then cried,
'Lord, can it be possible that thou canst be just, and a sinner be saved!' I
then had a view of Christ as mediator between God and man. My soul then leaped
for joy to see such a glorious plan of salvation through Christ. I was made to
hunger and thirst after it for several days. Then the scriptures sounded in my
ears, 'Fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom '—' Be not faithless, but believing.' I was now overwhelmed with joy and
was constrained to give glory to God.

  " But it being suggested to my mind that I was not one of that little flock,
in an instant all my joy was gone. I perceived how freely God had given his
people the kingdom, but concluded I had lost it by sinning against him. I felt
that the day of grace was past and the door of mercy closed forever. In this
case I continued four days, when my soul was fully set at liberty by the
application of that scripture to my heart, 'It is done as thou hast commanded,
and yet there is room.' In a moment I saw God reconciled to me through Christ my
Lord. I now found what it was to believe for myself and not another. I now felt
all the powers of my soul drawn out in love to God, his ways and his people. I
now wanted to do something, for the Lord, but found nothing that I could do,
only to keep his commandments and follow his examples. My conversion was on the
23d of October, 1783, and as my blessed Saviour united with the Baptist church,
and was baptized by John the Baptist in Jordan, and commanded us to follow his
examples, I therefore united with the Baptist church and was baptized by a
Baptist, Rev. George McNeal.

  "About this time my father removed to Georgia, (from South Carolina,) and I
had to part with my brethren whom my soul loved. I thought I should never love
another church so well. When I came to Georgia I found no church for some time,
but still felt much engaged for the salvation of sinners, pleading with them to
forsake their sins and accept the offers of salvation. After many days I found
five Baptists that had joined together to serve the Lord. This was a comfort to
me. I joined the little band, and the Lord added to the number until a church
was constituted. I now thought that if I had a house and home of my own I should
serve God better. I made it a subject of prayer for direction, and being fully
persuaded it was the will of God, I married, the 28th of November, 1784. My wife
was not a believer, but a moral woman. In February, 1786, she gave a declaration
of her faith before the church, and put on Christ openly by baptism. And this I
esteemed as one of God's favors, for which I never could feel sufficiently
thankful.

  "The Lord visited this church in a wonderful manner, bringing many to the
knowledge of the truth. I now felt the word was a fire in my bones, and I
entered into the work more fully and began to preach more extensively. I
continued in this way for some time. At length I fell into such horror, darkness
and despair as none but a pilgrim knows. In this state I remained two years. I
had such views of my unworthiness as made me conclude never to preach again. But
after enduring many gloomy feelings too tedious to mention, the weight of
preaching again returned. I fasted and prayed, and prayed and fasted, to know
the mind of God. As I was going to meeting one day in great distress, the
inquiry was pressed upon my mind, 'Ought you not to preach the gospel to the
people?' I answered, 'Yes.' It then followed, 'If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them.' The cross was so great I knew not how to take it up. But,
in the strength of the Lord, I made an effort to preach that day, and found
happiness in the work. Some time thereafter, while I was reading the scriptures,
that word sounded in my heart, ‘Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.' When I
inquired of the Lord wherein the woe consisted, I seemed to receive for answer,
'He that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many
stripes.' I now looked for heavy judgments from the Lord to fall upon me, for my
disobedience. ... At length my case was mentioned to the church, which gave me
liberty to preach.

  " I spared no time or labor in endeavoring to improve my gift and education,
so that I might be 'acceptable to God and approved of men.' The enemy being
enraged turned loose a flood against me on every side. Yet the Lord stood by me,
and did not suffer any of these things to move me, but blessed my feeble labors
to many. I preached eight years before I was ordained. I continued an itinerant
four years longer, when duty called me to take charge of a church fifty miles
from me. This occurred in June, 1803. In September following, we constituted a
church of thirteen members, about sixty-five miles from me. I took the care of
that also, and in February, 1804, I removed and settled near to it. In 1806, our
number had increased to sixty-three, thirty of whom were constituted into
another church. I then had the charge of four churches, one of which was in
South Carolina, about forty miles from me. My time was now entirely given to the
work of the Lord. I spent a number of years in traveling and preaching, and I
trust the Lord blessed by ministry to the salvation of hundreds. I rode from
three to four thousand miles a year."

  The foregoing was written by himself some thirty years before his death. It is
regarded as an interesting relic of a good man, especially when it is remembered
that he was, in the strictest sense, a self-taught man, having never enjoyed a
day's schooling in his life.

  His labors were bestowed upon the southeastern parts of Georgia, and
contiguous regions in South Carolina. His mission in the latter State was from
Savannah river to Beaufort, and thence to Charleston. He aided in constituting a
church near Edisto, about sixty miles from him, and preached to it many years.
In Georgia, he scattered the good seed of the kingdom from Savannah to Augusta,
up and down the river, and for many miles out. If affliction in his family, or
any other cause, prevented his attendance upon his appointments, he always
suffered much distress on account of so many being deprived of an opportunity to
hear the gospel of the grace of God. Such privileges were more rare in those
days than now, and it may he added, they seem by many to have been more highly
prized.

  The person of Mr. Hand was large and corpulent, his countenance open and
pleasing, his voice soft and harmonious, his address easy and natural. The
author remembers to have heard him but once. His theme then was Christian
experience, a subject with which he seemed to be familiar, and which he treated
with great force and powerful effect. The end of such a mail was peace, as might
have been expected. For several years before his death, he was laid aside from
the work in which his best days had been spent, by old age and infirmity. In his
last illness, he declined medicine offered him by his kind physician, saying, "I
feel assured that my earthly toil is done, and the time of my departure at hand.
I feel perfectly submissive. I am willing to go at any moment." In this frame of
mind, with bright prospects of future bliss, did the Lord take away his servant
from the evil to come, to enjoy the rest that remaineth unto his people. This
event occurred the 9th of January, 1837, in the sixty-third year of his age.


Additional Comments:
From:

GEORGIA BAPTISTS: HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL
BY
J. H. CAMPBELL,
PERRY, GEORGIA.


MACON, GA.: J. W. BURKE & COMPANY. 1874.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by
J. H. CAMPBELL,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.





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