Unknown County GaArchives Biographies.....Byne, Edmund unknown - 1814
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 31, 2005, 4:08 pm

Author: J. H. Campbell

EDMUND BYNE.

  This eminently pious and laborious servant of Christ was born and brought up
to manhood in King and Queen county, Virginia. He was impressed with, the
reality and importance of divine things by the following dream, while he was yet
a child: It seemed as if the judgment day had come. He saw Christ, the judge,
sitting on a dazzling throne. Men were called, one by one, before him, and
received their eternal doom. "When it came to his turn, he was compelled to
approach the judge. A large book was opened, in which he was required to read;
and, to his utter astonishment, he saw therein a catalogue of all the sins he
had ever committed. When he had read over the list, the judge looked upon him
with a stern countenance, and demanded of him whether he was "guilty or not
guilty?" He was about to open his mouth to pass sentence upon himself, when his
agitation caused him to awake. The seriousness which ensued gave his parents
(who were members of the high church) great anxiety. They supposed their son,
who was a promising youth, to be somewhat deranged. Accordingly, blisters were
applied to his head, and he was treated otherwise as a lunatic.

  After this, his convictions were deepened by a public discussion between one
Iverson Lewis (an uncle of his) and an Episcopal clergyman, on the subject of
religion. Mr. Lewis was not then a professor, but afterwards became an eminent
Baptist preacher in Virginia. He undertook to convince the clergyman and his
members that they were all going to perdition together, and that, too, from the
scriptures. His quotations were such as made solemn impressions on the mind of
young Byne.

  At what precise age he was converted, is not known. But he was a man of family
when he was baptized, as will hereafter appear. At the time he obtained a hope
in the pardoning mercy of God, he had agreed to run a horse-race, on which a
large amount of money was bet. Horse-racing and dancing were so common in
Virginia in those days, it was almost impossible to live and not be connected
with them in some way. As soon as Mr. Byne felt the love of God in his heart, he
went to his opponent in the race and tried to get off from his engagement to
run. He was flatly told, if he did not run he should pay the bet. "Well," said
Byno, "I'll run; but, if I win, (which I am sure I shall do.) I'll give every
dollar to some charitable object." An immense crowd was collected on the
race-field. Mr. Byne won the race, as he expected. When he had received the
purse, he called the attention of the crowd, informed them of his effort to get
off from running the race, and of his intention to devote the contents of the
purse to charitable purposes, and closed by exhorting them to turn to the Lord.
"And now," said he, "I shall run no other race except one—that is, the race to
heaven. Farewell!"

When the Baptists began to preach in Virginia, he went to hear them, much
against the wishes of his relatives and friends. Having been taught by them the
way of the Lord more perfectly, he resolved to submit to the ordinance of
baptism.   When he went down into the water, his oldest son (then a youth, not
fully grown,) rode into the stream, threatening to horsewhip the minister. To
such indignities and insults did our fathers have to submit in those days! Not
many years thereafter, this young man, who had married and settled some distance
from  his father, was himself brought to a saving acquaintance with Christ. He
and his father set out simultaneously to visit each other on the joyous
occasion. They approached one another on the road—but the son was so absorbed in
devotion, his eyes following heavenwards where his thoughts led, as not to
discover his father until they met. "John, where are you going?" "To heaven,"
was the immediate reply. The father and son rushed into each others arms, and a
scene followed upon which God smiled, and over which angels rejoiced, In 1785,
Mr. Byne and several other families from Virginia landed in Savannah. They had a
most boisterous and dangerous passage out, having been at sea six weeks, most of
the time driven with the tempests hither and thither. Having letters of
introduction to the Governor of Georgia, they were kindly received, and had a
house furnished them for temporary use by that excellent functionary. Mr. Byne
soon found a home in Burke county, where he lived, and labored, and died. He and
his wife had not long been settled in their new abode, when news reached them of
a glorious revival of religion, then prevailing in Virginia. Mr. Byne had
commenced preaching before he came to Georgia; and now his spirit was so stirred
within him, that he and his wife went throughout the neighborhood, from house to
house, exhorting the people and praying with them. Religion was a hissing and a
by-word in Burke county; but as these pious souls sent up their prayers, with
strong cries and tears, the Lord avenged them speedily. Under his preaching,
many souls were born into Zion. The Rocky creek church called Mr. Byne to
ordination, which he had several times declined in his native State. Now, he
felt it his duty to yield to the wishes of his brethren, and especially of those
who had recently been converted under his ministry. Accordingly, he was ordained
by David Tinsley and Loveless Savidge, and soon baptized some seventy or eighty
persons.

  Though of some eccentricity of character, he was nevertheless a fearless and
faithful servant of the Lord, as will appear from the following anecdotes. Not
long after he joined the church, he was invited by some of his former companions
in sin to attend a dancing party, which he engaged to do, on condition,
expressly agreed to, that he should give direction to all the exercises of the
evening. When the party assembled, Mr. Byne appeared in their midst, accompanied
by several church members, who were good singers. The violin at length sent
forth its enlivening notes, when a young lady stepped up to him, and invited the
preacher to lead in the dance. He politely took her arm, stepped out on the
floor, required the music to cease, and after reminding the managers of the
condition upon which he agreed to attend, struck up a spiritual song. The church
members immediately joined him. The song concluded, he engaged in prayer.
Another song was followed by a second prayer. By this time tears were flowing
from many eyes. The ball was converted into a prayer meeting. The people of the
house, with others of the company, became pious, and this was the last dance
ever attempted to be held there. After his removal to Georgia, he was in the
habit of preaching at Waynesboro, in Burke county. A certain Mr. Jones, who was
unfriendly to religion, threatened that if Mr. Byne came again to Waynesboro to
preach, he intended to give him a text that would puzzle him. Sure enough, the
next time he rose before the people, Mr. Jones was there, and demanded of Mr.
Byne to preach without meditation from the words, "Ye serpents, ye generation of
vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come !" So little
did Mr. Jones know about the Scriptures, that he understood the words according
to their literal meaning. It was a good weapon for Mr. Byne, and it was said he
used it to such effect that Mr. Jones declared he "never would give another
Baptist preacher a cudgel with which to beat his own head."

  When advanced in life, his infirmities were such as to render it necessary
that he should resign all pastoral charges. He had been a most laborious and
self-denying preacher. No state of weather, however inclement, could stop him
from his appointments. When the rain poured in torrents, he would put on his
great-coat, wrap a blanket about his shoulders, and post off to his meetings.
Though confined mostly to his house for several months preceding his death, yet
a short time before his departure he insisted on being propped up with pillows
in his carriage and conveyed to the regular meeting of the church of which he
was a member. He was helped into the meetinghouse, and, being bolstered up in
front of the pulpit, he addressed the congregation for the last time. He spoke
as a dying man indeed! It was a solemn and affecting season. Several afterwards
joined the church who dated their awakening from these last words of God's aged
servant. He returned to his home to die, which solemn event took place in
February, 1814.


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.



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/unknown/bios/gbs693byne.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 9.2 Kb