The subject of today's lecture is not well known. But should be. He was, arguably, the leading Baptist of his generation. And this he achieved despite many obstacles and few advantages. If any life will waken us from our self-pity and excuse-making, it is his. If you want inspiration (outside of the Bible) I can think of no better place to look for it than in the life of this man: J.L. Dagg.

John Leadly Dagg was born, 1794, in Loudoun County, Virginia, not far from the young nation's capital city. His parents were of yeoman stock; his father made saddles and delivered mail. His mother stayed home and cared for her large family. The Dagg's had little money. But much religion. Mrs. Dagg was brought up in a devout Presbyterian home, where she learned the Shorter Catechism and to "keep the Sabbath holy". Mr. Dagg, it seems, had an inferior upbringing, but still grew up to respect the faith and attend church regularly. Some time after they wed, the Dagg's experienced a work of grace in their hearts and joined the Baptist Church.

The eldest son, John, began school at the age of nine and did rather well, especially in mathematics. But after two happy years he was obliged to leave. And so ended the formal education of J.L. Dagg. From school, he apprenticed in his father's shop. But didn't take well to the leatherworking business. Three years later, he was offered a job with a general store where his love of numbers put him in good stead. He found the new work please, especially because it allowed time for outside studies. He continued his work in math and science. But added a new interest. In his own words: "Serious thoughts of religion entered my mind and dreams of the day of judgment, disturbed my slumbers; but now a deeper sense of sin affected me, than I had ever previously experienced. I saw clearly its tendency to dethrone God, and felt that by this tendency its guilt was to be estimated".

He sought the cure in good books. From his father's small library, he borrowed Richard Baxter's Call to the Unconverted and John Bunyan's Heavenly Footman. From a friend, he obtained Thomas Boston's Fourfold State. But these books--as useful as they were--did him no good. As an old man he would write: "I do not remember any particular effect produced by the reading of these books; but I was restless and unhappy".

After some months of conviction, the young man lay awake all night, thinking of Christ's promise: "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be filled". For the first time, he wrote, "a glimmer of hope, feeble and transient, entered my mind". The next day was his fifteenth birthday. And before going to work, he hoped that it would be his "birthday" in more ways than one: "I prayed that as I had been born on this day into the natural world, so the Lord might bring me this day into the spiritual world".

"The desire of the righteous shall be granted". That night, he rose from his bed and went behind the corn house to pray and seek God's mercy. He "asked and received". About that moment, he would later record: "Here, while in prayer to God, my soul was relieved by a joyful sense of divine acceptance...the words, though originally spoken in a far higher sense, appeared applicable to my case: `Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee".

Although "filled with a joy unspeakable and full of glory" at first, he later wavered in his faith. Not "denying the Lord" he assures us; but feeling "ashamed" of professing Him. But after several months of indecision and struggle, he confessed His Lord in the New Testament way: by baptism. From this point on, there was no turning back. J.L. Dagg had "put his hand to the plough". He would live a long and exemplary Christian life.

But he still hadn't decided what he would do for a living. At 16, he took up the study of medicine with an uncle. He did well in this field, too. But remained unsatisfied. Four years later, he was given a glimpse into his future work. His country was at war with England, the War of 1812. All men were called to the defense of their state. But this troubled Dagg--not because he was a coward--but because his health was very poor, and he feared that the soldier's life would kill him. But what could he do? A worried friend, Mr. Rust, came to Dagg, on the day he was to muster for service and asked if he would like a substitute. "Of course" answered the young man, "But I have no means to hire one". Mr. Rust then informed him that he had taken up a collection and had the money to hire a man to serve in Dagg's place. But why? Rust answered: "I have formed the opinion that God has designed you to be useful in the Gospel ministry, and I feel it to be my duty, to preserve your life for that service". The money was gratefully received, and Dagg's military service, averted.

Two years later, his church called him to exercise his public gifts, which he did--in an informal way--for some time. He work was well-received and his character, more than a little admired. One anecdote will illustrate the character of this man, just out of his teen years. A deacon in the church was found guilty of excessive drinking. Dagg led the church to expel this man for his sin. They did, and a short time later, the poor man--passed out on moonshine--fell on the hearth and was literally roasted alive.

The years to come would test that character more. His older brother died of alcohol poisoning, and Dagg wrote, "I mourned over his grave without hope". His young wife also died, leaving him with four small children to rear. His finances remained meager, too. And then, his health problems began in earnest. Dagg was conduct an evening service in the loft of a barn. But as he was preaching, the joists gave way, and the floor began to fall out from under him. He had no choice: he leapt from the window, and fell--about fifteen feet--onto his ankle, which never recovered. From that time on--in his twenties--J.L. Dagg would never walk without a crutch. But then a heavier blow fell. His duties at church, in school, and with the family, took up his whole day. Thus, he rose early in the morning to study by candlelight. And by this, he promptly went blind.

And so we find J.L. Dagg, still a young man, widowed, blind, crippled, and poverty-stricken. Yet his growth in grace and knowledge was such that a prestigious church called him to the pastorate--two in fact--the Fifth Baptist Church in Philadelphia and the First Church of Richmond, Virginia.

He chose the Northern Church and served it with distinction for some years. But then, another evil befell him: he nearly lost his voice. And so, after some months out of the pulpit, he had to give up the public ministry of the Word for good.

But still, his spiritual powers were much appreciated by the Baptists of America. He was called to lead a female academy in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. And from there, he became President of Mercer University in Georgia. After ten years of service in the presidency of this Baptist College, Dagg retired from public work, and devoted himself to the ministry of the pen. In 1854 (aged 60) he wrote an important book: "A Manual of Theology". To this, he added a second volume, called "A Treatise on Church Order". Both books are of the highest value, the former to a general Christian audience, the latter, to the Baptists in particular.

Dagg develops his "Manual of Theology" in a very interesting--and as far as I know--unique way. Instead of plunging right into theology, he opens each chapter with an essay on "duty". Here they are:

Now, why do you suppose that he did this? Was it just to "be different"? I don't think so, for his work is nowhere daring or original. Then, why did he do it? In a chapter titled "Duty of Baptists", he offers a hint: "Many persons have the form of godliness who are strangers to its power...The reputation of religion suffers by our unfaithfulness, and men, who observe our conduct become confirmed in unbelief, to their everlasting ruin." In other words: What good is a doctrine about God, if not received by a love for God? Or, why study about Christ, if we don't believe in Him? Or, why think about the Fall of Man, if we remain impenitent? Or, which is more important: knowing about the next world, or preparing for it? John L. Dagg is the last man to dismiss learning. After all, think of how much he suffered to obtain it. But he realizes that there are "two kinds" of learning: abstract, which leads only to pride; and practical, which leads to godliness. He thinks the latter superior to the former. Do we?

There is another peculiarity about this fine book: Dagg cites no authority but the Bible. He nowhere discusses what other men have said about this, that, or the other. He doesn't mention creeds or prove anything by confessions of faith. He also doesn't line up authorities on his side. (He knows where this kind of "proof leads"--nowhere. Opponents can cite equally illustrious names). Thus, he goes about his work of teaching theology in the old fashioned way: "It is written". He also used this method to avoid undue controversy. "Undue" I said. Sometimes the citing of a name will prejudice a believer against a true doctrine. Many Christians--I think--would accept the basic tenets of Calvinism if it weren't for the word "Calvinism" itself. Not that there is anything wrong with it. But many have been poisoned against it. So a preacher (in my opinion) needn't mention it every five minutes!

His doctrine has been called "mildly Calvinistic". But this doesn't mean that Dagg compromised in any way. He just wasn't nasty about it!

The book is simple enough for anyone to read. But don't confuse simplicity with emptiness. John A. Broadus was, arguably, the most learned Baptist of his age. He spent his whole life in the study and teaching of the New Testament. Here's what he thought of Dagg: "His works are worthy of thorough study, especially his small volume `A Manual of Theology' which is remarkable for clear statement of the profoundest truths, and devotional sweetness. The writer of this Memoir may be pardoned for bearing witness that after toiling much, in his early years, as a pastor over Knapp, Turretin, Dwight, and Andrew Fuller, and other elaborate theologians, he found this manual a delight, and has felt through his life the pleasing impulse it gave to theological inquiry and reflection".

Maybe I ought also to say something about Dagg as a Baptist. His second volume "A Manual of Church Order" expounds the usual views on baptism, the Lord's Supper, Church discipline, and so on. But although it strongly disagrees with other points-of-view, it never does so violently. Even on "Infant Baptism" (sort of the Baptist running sore) Dagg remains the Christian Gentleman. And this was not easy to do at the time, for Dagg's later life corresponded to the rise of Landmarkism, an ultra-Baptist theology. J.R. Graves, J.M. Pendleton, and other Landmarkers thought Presbyterian, Methodist, and other assemblies to be "human societies"--and not Christian Churches. As a consequence, their ministers are not called of God. But Dagg thinks otherwise: "Our Divine Master has commanded us to love all who are born of God. Many of these men manifest strong love for Christ...They are laboring zealously and faithfully to honor Christ and save the souls of men; and the proof that they are called of God to this work compels us to admit, that they are fellow-laborers with us in the glorious cause. It is surely not necessary, in discountenancing their irregularities, to discountenance their entire ministry. We may approve all that they do right, and rejoice in it, without approving the wrong. This is the simple mode of solving the whole difficulty; and, if people do not at once understand the solution, let us act upon it conscientiously, and in the fear of God, till men do understand it. In this way, we shall give the most effectual recommendation of the truth".

He writes as a Baptist theologian of the first rank. But--more than that--as a Father in Israel. The last chapter in his "Church Manual" is entitled "Duty of Baptists". And how fatherly he is in addressing his dear brethren. He offers six piece of advice. (I don't agree with every term he employs, but the counsel is good):

Poor Dr. Dagg! His whole life was one of suffering--two wives died; some of his children preceded him to the grave; crippled, blind, mute; poor. Yet this poor, broken-down, man lived past ninety years of age!

He was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere near the town of Hayneville, Alabama. Near the end, he wrote: "We shall sleep in Jesus, and we have the promise that, `Them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him'...We shall meet, and part no more".

The last words that he ever wrote were these: "All my five children professed Christ. Two of them are gone to heaven; and the remaining three are on the way. Of my grandchildren, seventeen have professed Christ, and are, I hope, true disciples. If all of these are heirs of the incorruptible inheritance, worth more than all the kingdoms on earth, what a rich family we are! Let us all unite in gratitude to God for his unspeakable blessings. But let us not forget that there are still nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren who need Christ and his great salvation. For them, let us pray fervently that they all may be brought into the fold of Christ, and may serve Him faithfully on earth and be united with the rest to make an unbroken family in heaven.

I wrote the first sketch, and began to write this; but my writing was so imperfect, that I desisted, and decided to give up the use of the pen".

J.L. Dagg didn't have much; but put to use what he had. Under the blessing of God, it was multiplied. He now "rests from his labors and his works do follow him". What do you have? Little or much? It doesn't matter. Just put it to the Master's use. And see what He does with it. You'll be surprised. But this you won't do as long as you are looking at the obstacles in life--the responsibilities, the infirmities, the lack of time or money. Let Dagg inspire you to look beyond them and "serve your generation by the will of God...and then fall asleep".

Our Savior's word is appropriate here: "He who has, to him shall be given; and he who does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him".

Bless God for what you have. Put it to use.