The Immutable Kingdom – Part 57
By Scott A. Klaft
Jacob Creath, Jr.
Fiercely independent in his thinking, and a general oddity in all of his mannerisms, Jacob Creath, Jr. was one of the most colorful personalities of the Restoration. Called the Iron Duke of the Restoration, men like Creath are what make the Restoration period pulse with the atmosphere of romance. Rare have there been men of his character, and fewer still have been sufficiently appreciated by this world.
Growing up near Taylor’s Creek, Virginia, Creath was educated locally and became very familiar with the New Testament. Being brought up in a Calvinistic Baptist home, he was naturally taught the doctrine that holds that a man can do nothing to be saved, but something extraordinary had to happen first to confirm his salvation. Creath often tried to have an experience. He once thought he had one, but then, the emotion subsided, and he was left feeling hopeless. He once wrote:
“I never saw the day when I did not desire to be good and please God, my Maker. I often withdrew to retired places, and prayed to him that I might see a great light shinning around me, like Saul of Tarsus; or hear a voice informing me that my sins were pardoned. Under these circumstances nature sometimes gave way, and I went to sleep on my knees, overwhelmed with the dreadful consideration that I was forever lost.”
For a short period, he tried living the life of an infidel, but found he could not honestly disbelieve. He responded to an “alter call” at a Baptist service, and the preacher prayed for him and pronounced him “saved,” alleviating some of his anxiety.
Somewhat less than willing, Creath preached his first sermon in June of 1817. Finishing a short lesson on Galatians 3:10, he closed the service with a prayer. An elderly woman told him he could word a pleasant prayer, but would never make a preacher. Creath was of the mind to agree and labored on the farm for the next two years, trying to avoid any more public discourses. In January 1819, the desire to preach won the battle. He sought further education, and by autumn of 1820, he was “ordained” a Baptist Minister.
After a great deal of travel to many states for preaching engagements, Creath became familiar with the publication, The Christian Baptist. He could not deny the pure and logical restoration principles. It was not long before he cast off all creeds, cleaved to the Word of God as the means of conversion, and began to preach the necessity of obedience. The Baptist Association to which he was connected attempted to try him for heresy. During the trial, he read the speech of Paul as he stood before Agrippa and Festus. John T. Johnson, who was later a powerful voice in the Restoration, was present and said, “Absolutely, if they don’t let that man alone the stones of the street will cry out against them.”
Many great men of the Restoration made close friends with Jacob Creath Jr. Alexander Campbell, “Raccoon” John Smith, John F. Rowe, Barton W. Stone, Tolbert Fanning, and W. K. Pendleton were only a small number of them. As Alexander Campbell grew aged, Creath perceived and agreed with Tolbert Fanning that The Millennial Harbinger had taken an inappropriate stance concerning the War of the States. The Harbinger had spoken of “justice” being on the side of the North, and of the South being “conquered.” Creath thought such expressions were wrong in a paper dedicated to the spread of the gospel. In addition, Creath found himself in disfavor with many of his friends as no one more ardently opposed missionary societies and other humanly based organizations supplanting the design of the church.
A brief exposition of the life of this prince of the Restoration does not do justice to the extent of the influence he wielded for the cause of Christ. In keeping with his unique character, he wrote his own obituary; he insisted that no funeral sermon be preached; and, that he was to be buried in a plain coffin with his pocket Bible and a copy of The Living Oracles beneath his head, desiring that they return to dust with him. He was quietly laid to rest two days after his death on January 11, 1886.
(Next Week: John T. Johnson)
