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Biographical Sketch of Elder John Gaston Carter

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Date: 1800 to 1882
Location: Chester, South Carolina, United Statesmap
Surnames/tags: chester_south_carolina Carter
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Source: "Sketches, Historical and Biographical of the Broad River and King's Mountain Baptist Associations, from 1800 to 1882 by Deacon John R. Logan", published in 1887 by Babington, Roberts and Co. Shelby, N.C., pages 289-296

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

CARTER, ELDER JOHN GASTON was born in Chester county, S. C., July 31st, 1822, and lived in said county until he was about eighteen years of age, his father having died in 1836. His mother some years after moved to Union county, and on the 17th of September, 1840, the subject of this sketch was converted to God, and at that period of time, by reason of having had no school opportunities, he was un-able to read the New Testament. He was at the time living with a Methodist family, and soon after joined the Methodist Episcopal church. Not being able to read, he became dis-satisfied, and doubted whether he had been baptized according to the requirements of the Scriptures. He had never as yet attended school, but had acquired a knowledge of the alphabet and could spell a little; he became a laborious student, and began to try to put words together, so that he could read. Having made this much progress, and yot having no school opportunities, he procured a Bible, and when an opportunity was afforded him would go to a silent grove somewhere, and upon his knees ask God to assist him in is efforts to learn to read, and also to understand the subject matter of his lessons. He continued thus in the use of such means as he had, and in the course of six months he read (after a fashion) the entire New Testament. Having done this he became satisfied that his doubts in regard to baptism were well founded: that anything short of immersion was a mere mockery or substitute. Viewing matters in this light, he was never received into full fellowship in the Methodist church, but began to cast about for a more suitable and satisfactory connection with a different sort or denomination of christians, and for reasons satisfactory to himself he was soon baptized into the fellowship of the Cane Creek Baptist church, in Union county, S. C.. by Elder D. Duncan, on the 18th July, 1842.

Soon after he joined the Baptist church he began to have strong impressions of mind that there was a work for him to do in calling on sinners to repent, but being illiterate and grossly ignorant, as he conceived himself then to be, he ran from them for years, endeavoring all the time to dismiss such thoughts from his mind.

On the 27th of April, 1846, he no doubt, through the providence of God, intermarried with Miss Mary C. Page, of Union county, S. C., a lady of not only estimable qualities of head and heart, but possessing a good English education. As a matter of course she at once rendered all the service she could in giving literary instruction to her husband, who was anxious to acquire all that was obtainable: and as the good work of literary training progressed, the more weighty became the impressions on his mind to preach the Gospel. He however still resisted these impulses, believing the work to be of such magnitude that he would make an utter failure. Time after time he was afflicted, and felt the rod of correction. He began to make pledges and promises, which he invariably broke, until the Lord saw fit to take from him his little son, the idol of his heart: then it was that he felt more sensibly the stroke, and began to think of Jonah's disobedience. In the silent grove upon his knees he cried from the depths of his soul. "Lord, I surrender! What wilt thou have me to do ?" Then and there his duty was made plain to him, and he made known to the brotherhood his grief of mind and the resolve that he had made. On the 1st December, '60, he was licensed to preach the unscarchable riches of Christ, and the next year supplied two churches-- Duckpen and Lower Fair Forest. During the year several requests were sent to his church asking tor his ordination, which, however, he opposed vehemently, believing that he ought not to be ordained. Suffice it to say he was overruled, and a presbytery was called on the 2d of August, 1862, consisting of deacons from Unionville, Duckpen, Lower Fair Forest, Hebron and Neal's Creek, who, together with Elders J. G. Kindrick and John Gibbs, pro gether with Elders J. G. and Neal's Creek, who, proceeded to examine and set apart Elder Carter to the regular work of the ministry, he then being a member of Unity church, Union county. S. C.

For fifteen years he has supplied four churches. He served as missionary one year under the direction of the Executive Board of the Bethel Association, and has done a good deal of missionary work in the Broad River Association, having become a member of that body in 1870, then one of the delegates from Goucher Creek church, and has continued uninterruptedly a member at every annual session since. At the sessions of 1875-'76 and '79 he was chosen Moderator of the body, which we take as evidence of his good standing in the Association.

We have heard Elder Carter preach the Gospel several times, we to say we would be doing him injustice were we to say that he was not "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth, and giving to each hearer his portion in due season."

Bro. Carter's first wife died July 18th, 1866, from whom he received the principal part of his scholastic training, never having attended school longer than three months during his life. How sad to think of the loss of so great a benefactor! On the 26th November 1868, he married Miss Lucinda Briant, with whom he now lives in tender affection. At the session of the Broad River Association of 1875 Elder Carter was appointed to write the Circular Letter to be read before the next meeting, and as he made the choice of the Final Perseverance of the Saints, as a subject, we have thought proper to reproduce the letter in this work, which is as follows:





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