Joseph Thomas (1791-1835)
Joseph Thomas was born on March 17, 1791 in Orange County, North Carolina. He was orphaned at age seven and was left with very cruel parents. Shortly thereafter he was claimed by a brother from Virginia. While there he was stricken by “the white plague,” which confined him to bed for a period of two years. In 1803 he was taken to the house of another brother. At age sixteen he was at a camp meeting and felt fully convicted and found the full evidence of his pardon, to use the words of those days. He did not know which denomination to join as he did not believe the doctrines of those around him. A few months later he heard about a group simply known as Christians and was determined to learn more about them. He met with an Elder Rainy and was so pleased with what he said that Thomas united with them a few months later. He was baptized by pouring at Raleigh, N.C. by Elder O’Kelly and received a license to preach from him. This was at age seventeen. In a short time, he found himself accompanying an Elder, J. Warren, and also a few hundred miles from home in the southern part of Virginia. Relations with Elder Warren were not to his satisfaction so he began preaching along with Thomas Reeves in the western part of Virginia where he found him to be a genial companion and faith guide in his labors. From this time, he was incessant in his labors and he received a mixture of persecution and popularity that was acceptable to him. He met up with other co-laborers such as O’Kelly, Haggard, Guiry, Reeves, Dooly and others. He had traveled through Virginia and North Carolina on both horseback and on foot in all types of weather. At times he would ford a small stream or swim across wider, more dangerous river because he had no money for a ferry. He also was in need of clothing and sufficient food. His travels were very hard but he carried on, knowing that his reward was ahead. He began to meet persecution and ridicule from both the ungodly and the sectarian, after enduring suffering that few are called on to endure, he arrived, May 24, 1811, in the city of Philadelphia, passing through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, to reach it. At this time, he was baptized by immersion, not being satisfied with the pouring that he had received at Raleigh, N. C, by Elder O’Kelly. On April 5, 1812, he was married to Miss Christiana Rittenour, of Frederick County, Va. , who was a faithful and devoted companion. With her he lived happily until his death, but his marriage made no change in his career; he labored and traveled as he always had done. Sometimes his wife accompanied him, but not often, and as the family increased, she was content to remain at home with a double care and responsibility, thus assisting him in the work to which he had devoted his life. Thomas’ handwritten biography ended in 1817 so it is hard to follow his activities after that. Soon after 1817, he removed with his family to Madison County, Ohio and soon organized a church, near his home, of which he assumed the pastorate, although he still continued his itinerant labors, chiefly in Ohio. He wrote frequently for the different periodicals of the denomination, on different subjects, of Theology and his travels. He also composed several pieces of poetry, which were published in his autobiography. In 1835, he took a long journey through the Eastern States, and during the whole journey, thousands of people were called together to hear the wonderful western preacher. While on his return home, at Johnsonburg, N. J., he was stricken with that fatal malady, the smallpox, and his eventful life was terminated April 9, 1835, in his forty-fourth year. Of the character and talents of Elder Thomas, we may say that he was a man of real ability. He had some eccentricities —the wearing his white garments at all times, to the exclusion of all others, may be counted one of them. His constant traveling, in all weathers, on foot, as well as on horseback, exposed to so many dangers and persecutions, with no pay, would be counted very odd in other places and times. In his case, it was perfectly natural. When he gave himself to the Lord as a minister, there was no half-way work. He vowed, and his vow was sacred, in his mind. When these oddities are considered, he appears as a person of shallow mind; but as we see the man in all his character, we see, under all, a mind and heart, calm, clear, and powerful, a sincere seeker after truth, and boldness enough to follow it without regarding the customs of society. His poetical productions were admired by many; but being composed in a hurry, with no deliberate revision, they show us only that the man had in him a poetical gift. Brother Thomas was a good man, and his death was a great loss to the church.