Unknown County GaArchives Biographies.....Perryman, Elisha 1769 - unknown
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 3, 2005, 3:22 pm

Author: J. H. Campbell

ELISHA PERRYMAN.

  From a brief sketch of the "Life and Adventures of Elisha Perryman," published
by himself in 1856, the following extracts are taken, which, it is believed,
will give a more correct idea of his character than anything the author could
prepare.

  He says " I was born on the 6th day of February, 1769, in Halifax county,
Virginia. My ancestors came from Wales; the time of their emigration to this
country I do not know. My father and mother were both natives of Virginia—-the
former was born in Prince Edward; the latter, in Caroline county. They, as well
as my grand-parents, so far as I know, were plain, homespun, old fashioned,
orthodox, predestinarian Baptists; so you see I am but a chip of the old block.
My father lived, at the time of my birth, on Win's creek near Dan river. Like
all true lovers of their country, he was much engaged in the revolutionary war.
Besides other engagements, he was present at the battle of Guilford Court-house.
In that battle, he was captain of a volunteer company that he himself raised. In
common with all others, father's family suffered much from the British about
this time. When Cornwallis had got through pursuing General Greene, he took up
his camp within six miles of our house, so that we were just at the mercy of
these wicked people. While there, his troops ravaged the country, I reckon, for
ten miles around, carrying off whatever they wanted, and destroying a great deal
that they did not want. They broke us up entirely. They ate up our cattle, hogs,
corn, fodder and everything of the kind. Tarleton's horse company carried off
three or four stacks of our oats at one time. They broke us up there so
completely that we moved away next spring and came to Georgia. After we got to
this State we settled down on Big Kiokee creek, in Richmond county, about
twenty-two miles above Augusta, and one mile from where Columbia Courthouse now
stands. Some years after this, parts of Richmond and Wilkes were taken, out of
which a new county was made, called Columbia."

  He gives an interesting account of an expedition against the Indians between
the Ogeechee and Oconee rivers, in which he was engaged as a soldier; of his
marriage, and then proceeds: "For several years after my marriage my feelings in
respect to religion were not much excited. Sometimes I would become troubled
because of my sins; but these troubles would soon wear off. So things went on
until the year 1792; this year I got greatly stirred up in view of my
sinfulness. Being very uneasy about my case, and being in great want of
knowledge, I concluded to invite ministers to come and preach at my house, that
I might gain some instruction. Among others, several Methodist ministers used to
hold meetings with me for myself and neighbors. I heard them quite often, and
liked them very much, for all sorts of preachers could teach me about that time.
I was very ignorant as to my soul, and did not know how to get rid of my sins;
as a heavy burden, they were too heavy for me, and seemed about to crush me to
the earth. My trouble was very great, and instead of getting clear of it, it
appeared to grow worse and worse, until the year 1798. This year, my health
becoming feeble, I went to some Warm Springs in North Carolina, to see if they
would do me any good. While there, I heard a man from Tennessee. His preaching
affected me very much, and I was made to reflect still more on my case, and to
cry to the Lord for mercy. I got so bad off on account of my sins, that when I
came back home, I became a close attendant on preaching. Instead of getting
better, I got worse; so I thought I would go with Marshall every Saturday and
Sunday to his meeting to see if I could find some relief. But no, there was no
help for poor me; I got worse and worse; so I fell into a great despair, and
thought the Lord would never pardon me, but that I must die in my sins and be
forever lost. I became so much troubled that I could not relish my daily food. I
could not rest day nor night; sleep went form my eyes, and slumber from mine
eye-lids. Thus I went on very much bowed down in soul, until the month of May,
1799. One morning in that beautiful month, I went out to ploughing very soon,
telling my dear wife that I would not be home to breakfast that day, Everthing
looked gloomy and desolate unto me, but yet I went on ploughing, meditating upon
my sad condition and thinking* what I must do to be saved. While I was thus in
deep distress, all of a sudden, about the middle of the day, something like a
flash of lightning, came all in me and around me; and I had such a view of the
fullness and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the worth of his pardoning
love and mercy to a poor sinner like me, that I broke out into a great cry of
joy and praise. I immediately took out my horse and went to the house as quick
as I could, and told my dear wife what had happened unto me. There was such a
change in my heart, and all things wore such a beauty and light about me, that
it appeared to me I was in a new world.   It seemed to me too that I did not
want to stay here any longer; so I put my horse into the stable, and ran like a
deer down to Abram. Marshall's, about three miles off, and told him how I had
found the Lord in my corn-field, about middle-way of my corn row; that he
revealed himself to me as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, so that my soul was
full of love and I wanted every body to know and feel as I did. Marshall seemed
to he very glad and said to me, 'You must come and join the church.' But that
was too much for me then, for before I got back home, my joy and love began to
die away, so that I was afraid I might be mistaken. While thus troubled with
doubts and fears, I went to Poplar Springs meeting-house, near Little River,
where I heard a man by the name of James Landrews. His text was, 'We know that
we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.' While he was
preaching the love of God flowed into my heart so much that I thought I never
would doubt any more, for I felt that I had the witness in my soul, because I
loved the people of the Lord. I thought, therefore, if the preacher told the
truth, I must be a converted man; so I rejoiced in the Lord with great joy, and
went back home in great hopes of my real conversion and acceptance with the
blessed Saviour."

  On the third Sabbath in August, 1801, he was baptized by Abraham Marshall into
the Kiokee church. His wife was received into the fellowship of the same church
about six months thereafter.

  "In considering my condition after my baptism, I found myself to be in great
want of knowledge, both mental and spiritual. My advantages in early life had
been very poor, having gone to school only about two months. But having cast my
lot in with God's children, I looked about to see in what way I could best serve
my blessed Master. Finding that I was so very ignorant, I thought I had better
begin with myself. Accordingly, I worked hard in the day time to obtain a
support for my family, and at night I would sit up and read and study by
pine-knot fires. In this way I improved myself a good deal. But I lacked
spiritual knowledge very much also. To obtain this, I tried to attend all the
meetings in reach of me. In order to go to meeting on Saturday, I would labor
very hard, so as to finish my week's work by Friday evening. Frequently I have
had to walk to attend preaching. I have gone in this way as much as eight miles,
and often as much as five and six. This, however, I did not mind. I wanted to
know more about my blessed Saviour—more about that wonderful grace of God that
saved a wretch like me—more about that rich and glorious inheritance which
awaits the saints in heaven.

  "I felt continually pressed inspirit to testify unto the people that Jesus
Christ was the only name given under heaven, among men, whereby they could be
saved. I wanted to tell them of their lost and undone condition in a state of
nature— of that tremendous punishment which God would pour out upon the finally
impenitent, and of that blessed and glorious way of escape which had been
provided by the death of a crucified Redeemer. Feeling this way, I commenced by
holding prayer meetings about at different houses in the neighborhood, wherever
I could collect the people together. In this manner, I spent a good deal of
time, singing and praying with the people, exhorting Christians to love and good
works, and calling upon poor sinners to fly for their lives. In the meantime, I
went about as much as I could with Jesse Mercer and Abraham Marshall to their
meetings, in which way I learned a great deal in respect to the doctrines and
truths of the Bible. The most of my knowledge of the teachings of the scriptures
I got from the lips of these great and good men. Though not set apart by
ordination to the full work of the ministry until several years after, I felt
myself wholly given up to this good cause. I did not think myself qualified for
the duties of a pastor, and never have thought so; but still I was able to
proclaim the good news of salvation through faith in the precious blood of
Christ. Accordingly, I gave myself up to the work of an evangelist. I went
throughout the country, singing and praying with the people, exhorting
professors to walk worthy of their high vocation, and beseeching poor sinners to
fly for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel. I went, sometimes, to
private houses, sometimes to the meetings of my brethren, and sometimes to
destitute places, where the name of Christ was seldom or never heard. In this
way, I humbly hope that I was enabled to do, at least, some little good. We
often had very interesting meetings. Sinners were made to weep because of their
sins, and Christians to rejoice in the glorious hope of the gospel of Christ.

  "In the early part of January, 1810, I moved into Warren county, and settled
in the woods, on Briar creek, not far from Sweetwater meeting-house. Changing my
home brought me into the neighborhood of some very destitute sections. In some
of these places the people seemed to be in greater want of light and knowledge
than any I had ever seen before. The preaching of the gospel was such a strange
thing to many of them that they came out to meeting finely. The good Lord was
with me, and I would thunder the law down upon them with all my might and power.
Many of them became alarmed, and seemed to think they ought to do better than
they had before. I had no house to preach in for a great while, except when
there would be meeting at private houses. Finally, however, there was a
meeting-house built, and that, too, in one of the darkest corners in the county,
and not long after a church was constituted. Thus these dark and heathenish
places were cheered by the rays of the glorious sun of righteousness. But I did
not confine my labors to one section of the country. As my custom had been, I
went from place to place, wherever destitution abounded. I often went down
through the counties of Montgomery, Emanuel, Tatnall and Bullock, and there, in
those destitute regions, lifted up the Saviour's banner and called upon poor
sinners to ground the arms of their rebellion and come and gather around it.
Sometimes I would make tours through Richmond, Burke, Jefferson and Screven
counties, mingling with my beloved brethren, and singing and praying with the
people. Sometimes I would sally out into the counties north and west of me,
sometimes into South Carolina, and all up and down the Savannah river. I often
met with trials, crosses and privations; but I tried to endure hardness as a
good soldier of Jesus Christ, feeling, with the Apostle, that these light
afflictions, which were to endure but for a moment, would work out for me a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

  "While the war with England was going on, there were felt, in different parts
of the country, several very severe earthquake shocks. Once, during this
earthquake period, brother George Franklin and myself were conducting a meeting
at the house of a man named Parker. The meeting lasted until late at night, and
several of the congregation remained at the house as well as ourselves. Just as
we had laid down, and before the lights were out, the earth began to shake very
powerfully, when some of the dear young people jumped out of their beds and ran,
all in a tremble, to Franklin and myself, crying to us to pray for them. All
over the country, all classes were very much alarmed, for they thought the day
of judgment was at hand, and they were not prepared for it. A great revival took
place not long after, and many that were converted dated their first impressions
back to the earthquakes.

  "The Lord has blessed me with a strong constitution, for which I desire to be
truly grateful. Though I am now pressing hard upon four-score and ten years, and
though I have endured many hardships and suffered many privations; and
notwithstanding my once erect form, is now bowed with the weight of years, I
still possess much vivacity and vigor. I still meet with my brethren from year
to year in their Associational and other meetings, and I still lift up my voice
in calling upon poor sinners to fly from the wrath to come."

  "I hope soon to leave the cares and sorrows of this unfriendly world; I hope
soon to cross the swelling waves of Jordan; I hope soon to pass the pearly gates
of the New Jerusalem," etc.

  In this strain the good old man closed his narrative. His hopes have been
realized. The precise date of his death is unknown to the author.


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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