John jasper biography

The Reverend John Jasper
Born	()July 4, Fluvanna County, Virginia, U.S.
Died	March 30, () (aged&#;88)
Occupation	Baptist minister
Spouses	Candus Jordan &#; &#; (m.&#;, divorced)&#; Mary Ann Cole &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#; Mary Cary &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
Children	9

John Jasper (July 4, – March 30, ) was an ex-slave who became a Baptist minister and noted public speaker for Christianity after the American Civil War.^[1]

Early life

Born into slavery on July 4, , in Fluvanna County, Virginia, to Philip and Tina Jasper, John was the youngest of their twenty-four children.

Philip was a well known Baptist preacher. He and Tina were slaves of the Peachy Estate. Philip died two months before his son John Jasper's birth. Jasper was hired out to various people.

John jasper biography wikipedia In the process, he became one of the most noted preachers of any race in America of the era. It was this instruction that allowed Jasper to preach in the manner that he did. Smith, Edward D. Though a passionate preacher, Jasper was dogmatic in his views and that dogmatism produced a great deal of dissension within the Baptist fellowship.

When Mrs. Peachy, their mistress died, John was given to her son John Blair Peachy in the division of the estate. He was a lawyer and a farmer by practice who owned large cotton plantations in Louisiana, where he intended to move. Though before the plans for the move were completed, John Blair Peachy died, and John was returned to Richmond, Virginia.^[2] Jasper experienced a powerful Christian religious conversion that began in Capital Square in He was fully persuaded by the power of God that he had been chosen to preach the gospel.

In he presented the evidence of his conversation and regeneration to the brethren of the First African Baptist Church, and thus began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jasper with the help of a fellow slave, learned to read and write, and was able to read and study the bible.^[3]

Family

Jasper married four times, first to Elvy Weaden, in Williamsburg, VA.

He was sent to the city of Richmond the same night of their marriage, and never allowed to return to Williamsburg to see her again.

John jasper biography Jataka, Illustrations of. They had nine children before they divorced. Thus agreed upon, the service began with the white preacher speaking for two hours—using up most of the two and a half hours allotted. Jasper stated that he never wrote out his sermons but delivered them extemporaneously, so that no two would have been the same.

As a result, she communicated to him by writing expressing her intention to remarry. After seeking and obtaining the permission of his church to remarry himself, he eventually married Candus Jordan in They had nine children together, before eventually getting divorced. Thirdly he married Mary Ann Cole in She died on August 6, ^[2][4] On March 24, John Jasper married Mary Cary.^[5]

Career

For more than two decades, while enslaved, Rev.

Jasper traveled throughout Virginia, often preaching at funeral services for fellow slaves. He regularly preached at Third Baptist Church in Petersburg, Virginia. He also preached to Confederate Soldiers during the American Civil War (–65).^[2]

After his own emancipation following the American Civil War, Rev.

Jasper founded the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, which by had attracted members and served as a religious and social center of Richmond's predominantly black Jackson Ward—providing a Sunday School and other services. Jasper's vivid oratory and dramatic speaking style brought renown and calls for him to preach throughout the Eastern United States.

His most famous sermon, The Sun Do Move, expressed his deep faith in God through the imagery of a flat Earth above which the sun circuits.^[3] He first preached this sermon in March on the basis of Biblical revelation.

John jasper preacher He remained a prominent figure in Richmond and continued to preach, although on a reduced frequency, almost to the day of his death at his home in the city on 30 March Churches also routinely took up separate collections for him. Jasper National Park. John Jasper of Richmond, VA.

Despite his views being contrary to modern scientific theory, he went on to preach this sermon times throughout the U.S., often to thousands of people at once, as well as in London, Paris, and before the Virginia General Assembly.

Death and legacy

John Jasper left a lasting legacy as one of the most respected figures in Richmond's history, especially among the African-American and Southern Baptist communities.

He delivered his last sermon a few days before his death at the age of The Library of Virginia honored him as one of the African-American trailblazers in its "Strong Men and Women" series in ^[3] The words of his most famous sermon, The Sun Do Move, have since been modernized into standard English from the original Patois.

His name is remembered for his unswerving allegiance to the Bible from which he preached.

John jasper biography for kids In addition to significant involvement in religious movements, he helped found the Philologian Literary Society. With the granting of the request, he was again free to marry and did so in He was so excited that he could not hold it in and he was taken to the master of the plantation, who instructed him, in Jasper's words, "Aft'r you git thru tellin' it here at de fact'ry, go up to de house, an' tell your folks; go roun' to your neighbours, an' tell dem; go enywhere you wan' to, an' tell de good news" p. Then, at age 27, he discovered God had not rejected him.

References

External links