Unknown County GaArchives Biographies.....Postell, Edward P. circa 1799 - 1837
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 3, 2005, 10:58 am

Author: J. H. Campbell

EDWARD P. POSTELL.

  Mr. Postell is believed to have been a native of South Carolina. The date of
his birth is not known. Mr. Law* says— "His life was not an eventful one. At an
early age he entered the service of his country (as a midshipman in the navy) in
which he remained three years. Returning home, he studied the law and was
admitted to the bar in South Carolina. He did not practice long, before he
removed to this State, and devoted himself entirely to planting. Some four or
five years ago he was brought by the power of divine truth to behold himself a
condemned sinner in the sight of God, and to feel his need of pardon and
salvation. He has often, with deep emotion, told me of that season of trial and
bitter sorrow. He has pointed me to the spot where he often retired in anguish
of soul and plead with his God for forgiveness through the merits of his Son. He
at length found peace in believing, and connected himself with the South Newport
Baptist church, McIntosh county. His soul seemed bent on doing good to others.
For the salvation of the young, particularly, he always manifested a lively
interest. I have known him win the respect, the confidence and the affection of
young men, and converse freely with them on the subject of religion, who could
not be approached by any other on that subject.

*Rev. Josiah S. Law.

  "If I mistake not, the first thing that turned his attention to the ministry,
and kindled in his soul that zeal which soon consumed his body, was the
condition of our colored people as regards moral instruction. It was to them he
first preached the gospel, and it was for them he desired most earnestly to
labor. In accordance with this feeling, he at one time removed to Savannah,
intending to devote himself entirely to the religious instruction of the colored
population of that place. He had labored there but a very short time, when it
became necessary for him to return to his residence in McIntosh county.

  "He was called to ordination by the South Newport church, and soon afterwards
to become their pastor. He was accordingly ordained, and entered upon his
pastoral duties with zeal and diligence. In prosecuting the work of the ministry
it was in vain that his body often complained; it was in vain that the lassitude
and debility experienced after preaching admonished him to restrain his ardor;
it was in vain that the voice of friendship and love called upon him to spare
himself, and pointed him to those symptoms as indications of the breaking down
of nature. He did not spare himself, but taxed all his powers to their utmost
capacity that he might be acceptable and useful as a minister of the gospel. He
grew rapidly in knowledge and usefulness. He had not labored long, after
entering fully upon the work of the ministry, before his lungs gave fearful
signs that they were giving way under the heavy tasks imposed upon them. But
being possessed of a strong frame, an expansive chest, and naturally strong
lungs, he heeded not these signs, but went onward in his work; and, in all
probability, had he not been called by the mysterious providence of God to
rescue his only son from a watery grave, he might have lived and labored
longer." An account of this event is given in a letter to one of his brothers in
Savannah, as follows:

  "Your letter of the 22d reached me yesterday, and, thanks to Almighty God, it
found me alive, and my house not one of mourning. On Friday afternoon last, the
weather being fine and the tide suitable, I took Charles (his son) into the
river and taught him to swim. On Saturday, during my absence at meeting, he
obtained his mother's permission, and went into the river to improve himself in
the art he had just entered his noviciate. In the afternoon, on my return home,
he expressed himself not a little pleased at what he considered his improvement.
On his return from school on Monday afternoon, he asked and obtained my
permission to go again into the river. It was on the flood, nearly high water.
You know that, in front of the house, on the flood, there is an eddy of
considerable extent, outside of which the stream runs with great velocity. The
little canoe was at anchor in the eddy, with a long scope of cable. Charles had
been amusing himself by swimming near the boat, and anon would rest himself by
suspending to her. While he was thus amusing himself, the boat was sheering
towards the stream without his being aware of it, and upon his last quitting his
hold, he was forcibly drawn into the current, and the boat simultaneously
approached the shore.   I was at the time reclining on the sofa, nervous and
exhausted from the excitement of two days' meeting, my wife seated near me, when
we were startled by his whoop from the water, which, was immediately repeated.
On springing to the window, the first thing that met my view was my only son, at
least one-fourth the width of the river from the shore, and rapidly receding.
(The river is near half a mile wide.) It was but the work of a moment for me to
throw off my jacket as I ran, and plunge into the waves. I remembered that I had
on a pair of large, heavy shoes, but as they were securely tied across my
instep, I feared that in the time necessary for me to untie and throw them off,
his strength would be exhausted, and he sink before I could reach him. They
nearly proved fatal to us both. I succeeded in gaining him while he was yet
above the water, and judging from his countenance that he was not very much
alarmed, I thought it best not to take hold of him, but to turn my back and
direct him to place his hands upon my shoulders. He did so, and while my
strength lasted, all seemed well; but that failing, together with the weight of
the shoes, which I now began to feel sensibly, I gradually sunk into the water.
At that time, the pressure of the child upon me became insupportable; I
endeavored to tell him so, but my mouth was under water, and I could not
articulate. I then hoped by diving to reach the shore; but the want of breath
soon rendered it necessary that I should reach the surface; but this I could not
do with the child holding to me. I now thought that, by gaining the bottom, I
might, by a desperate effort, propel myself to the top, but this I could not
effect! Instinctive love of life, together with the last view of my wife and
five helpless little girls in agony, with clasped hands, standing in the piazza,
determined me to break his hold. But the thought of throwing off my child, who
was clinging to me for life, was a dagger to my heart. Then did I, as Jonah, cry
unto the Lord out of the deep, and he heard me. In shoving Charles from me, I
had forced him to the surface, and upon my rising, I beheld my faithful servant,
Prince, up to his arm-pits in the water, in the act of springing into the boat.
Again did my hope revive, and seeing my child beside me struggling for life, I
took him by the arm with my left hand and swam with the other, until, once more
exhausted, we again sank. On coming to the surface a second time, I found
Charles already up and swimming. I called to him not to give up, that Prince
would soon be to us. He replied with calmness, and I took comfort. We were
within five feet of each other, and all that I could do was to watch the
approach of the boat and encourage him by words. I do not think, had I seen my
child again sinking, that I could have made another effort for his salvation.
Indeed, there is but little doubt but that I should have drowned first, for I
was caught by Prince, as I was sinking the third time, probably to rise no more,
and Charles swam to the boat. I thank my God that my presence of mind remained
with me to the last. Prince wished to draw me into the boat, but as she was
small, in the attempt she would, no doubt, have upset, I directed him to let me
hang by the gunwale and save Charles, to whom, he immediately extended his hand.

  "I think (he further observes) I can distinctly see the hand of the Lord in
our rescue from a watery grave. Had not the boat continued to sheer in from the
time of Charles' leaving her, she would have been out of the servant's reach,
and had he found a paddle in her, in his anxiety he may have passed over me in
my exhausted state, or had he succeeded in securing me in his hold, had the boat
been passing swiftly through the water, after saving me she would have shot
beyond Charles But he was compelled to propel her with his hands, and the
approach was therefore gradual, so that as soon as my weight was suspended to
her she stopped and was approached by Charles." The preacher adds: "Thus was he
delivered by his God from a watery grave, afterward to repose beneath the cold
sods of the valley.

  "From this time his health declined rapidly, baffling the skill of the
physician. Many of you remember the last time he occupied this pulpit, when, in
an earnest and solemn manner, he addressed you from the interesting passage,
truly significant of what shortly awaited him, 'There remaineth therefore a rest
for the people of God.' He seemed at this time to feel that he should not
survive long, that his end was vapidly approaching, for on descending from the
pulpit, being requested by me to preach a funeral sermon in memory of a deceased
friend, he replied, 'His own would soon be preached.' Some little time after
this, he was confined to his bed to rise no more. It was a bed of pain and
suffering, yet not a murmur escaped his lips; but he submitted patiently to him
who doeth all things well. All who visited him bear testimony to the entire
resignation he manifested to the will of God. A ministering brother, who was
with him the day before his decease, beholding his situation and observing that
every moment was spent in struggling for breath, stated to brother Postell that
'his painful condition forced upon his mind the folly of putting off repentance
to a deathbed,' he replied, 'I thank my God I did that four years ago.' The
minister, having further remarked upon, the preciousness of Christ as a Saviour,
in sustaining his followers even in the dark valley and shadow of death, he
lifted his hands and eyes towards heaven, exclaiming, 'It is but a shadow! His
rod and his staff, they comfort me.' "

  Thus did this gifted man live and die. The author's acquaintance with Mr.
Postell was quite limited; yet he remembers that his personal appearance was
fine, his countenance the very index of a magnanimous and noble spirit, and his
voice possessed a richness and power rarely equaled. He took great delight in
singing the songs of Zion, which uniformly produced a happy effect, owing to the
power of his voice. His house was ever open to his numerous friends, where they
met with a hospitality corresponding with his generous nature, and which was
rendered doubly enticing by the agreeable manners and interesting conversation
for which he was noted, and by the intelligence and amiable deportment of his
pious wife. His talents, which were of a high order, were consecrated to the
honor of the King of kings. "Whoso honoreth me, him shall my Father honor."

  His death was about nine o'clock Wednesday night, the 7th of October, 1837, in
the thirty-eighth 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.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/unknown/bios/gbs715postell.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 12.0 Kb