John Jasper

2 Corinthians 5:19-21 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

JOHN JASPER(1812-1901), the negro preacher of Richmond, Virginia, stands preeminent among the preachers of the negro race in the South. He was for fifty years a slave, and a preacher during twenty-five years of his slavery, and distinctly of the old plantation type. Freedom came full-handed to him, but it did not in any notable degree change him in his style, language, or manner of preaching. He was the ante-bellum preacher until eighty-nine years of age, when he preached his last sermon on "Regeneration," and with quiet dignity laid off his mortal coil and entered the world invisible. He was the last of his type, and we shall not look upon his like again. It has been my cherished purpose for some time to embalm the memory of this extraordinary genius in some form that would preserve it from oblivion. I would give to the American people a picture of the God-made preacher who was great in his bondage and became immortal in his freedom.

Early life:         Jasper was born a slave. He grew up on a plantation and was a toiler in the fields up to his manhood. When he came to Richmond, now grown to a man, he was untutored, full of dangerous energies, almost gigantic in his muscle, set on pleasure, and without the fear of God before his eyes. From his own account of himself, he was fond of display, a gay coxcomb among the women of his race, a fun-maker by nature

-   Let us bear in mind that at the time of his conversion John Jasper was a slave, illiterate and working in a tobacco factory in Richmond. It need hardly be said that he shared the superstitions and indulged in the extravagances common among his people

- (1839)Of his testimony it is said: His thoughts went to the Cross. His hope was founded on the sacrificial blood, and his noisy and rhapsodic demonstrations sounded a distinct note in honour of his Redeemer.

- Jasper says this:   "I was seeking God six long weeks--jes' 'cause I was such a fool I couldn't see de way De Lord struck me first on Capital Square', an' I left there badly crippled and pricked. One July mornin' somethin’ happen'd. I was a tobacco-stemmer--dat is, I took de tobacco leaf, an' tor'd de stem out, an' dey won't no one in dat factory could beat me at dat work. But dat mornin' de stems wouldn't come out to save me, an' I tor'd up tobacco by de pound an' flung it under de table. Fact is, brethren, the darkness of death was over my soul dat mornin'. My sins was piled on me like mountains my feet was sinking down to de reigns of despair, an' I felt dat of all sinners I was de wust. I tho't dat I would die right den, an' with what I supposed was my lars breath I flung up to heaven a cry for mercy. 'Fore I knew it, de light broke; I was light as a feather; my feet was on de mount'n; salvation rolled like a flood thru my soul, an' I felt as if I could 'nock off de factory roof with my shouts. But I said to myself, I gone to hold still till dinner, an' so I cried, and laughed, an' tore up de tobacco. Presently I looked up the table, and there was an old man--he loved me, an' tried hard to lead me out de darkness, an' I slip round to where he was, an' I says in his ear as low as I could: 'Hallelujah; my soul is redeemed!' Den I jump back quick to my work, but after I once open my mouth it was hard to keep it shut any more. ’ Wasn’t; long before I looked up de line agin, an' dar was a good ol' woman there dat knew all my sorrows, an' had been praying for me all de time. Der was no use er talking; I had to tell her, an' so I skip along up quiet as a breeze, an' start'd to whisper in her ear, but just den de holin-back straps of Jasper's breaching broke, and what I tho't would be a whisper was loud enough to be heard clean 'cross Jeems River to Manchester. One man said he tho't de factory was falling down; all I know'd I had raise my first shout to de glory of my Redeemer.”

- After the ruckus his shout causes he is made to face his master. He referred to as Mr. Sam

- He retells his testimony to his master

- His master asks if he’s told others and he replied: “  “After awhile he say: John, did you tell any of them in there 'bout your conversion?' And I say: 'Yes, Mars Sam”

- “ I can’t help but tell everyone”

- With tears his master tells him he no longer needs to work and gives him the next day off. He is told to run through the house, fields, and factory to tell every slave about his experience. He is told go anywhere you want and share this good news!

- At his master funeral he says the following: Farewell, my ol' marster, when I lan' in de heav'nly city, I'll call at your mansion dat de Lord had ready for you when you got dar, an' I shall say: 'Mars Sam, I did what you tol' me, an' many of 'em is comin' up here wid da robes wash'd in de blood of de Lam' dat was led into de way by my preachin', an' as you started me I want you to shar' in de glory of da salvation. 'An' I tell you what I reek'n, dat when Mars Sam sees me, he'll say: 'John, call me marster no mo'; we're bruthers now, an' we'll live forever roun' de throne of God.' "

After his conversion he became a passionate student. He acknowledges one who sought to teach him to read, and after he became a preacher he spelled out the Bible for himself. He was eager to hear other men preach and to talk with those who were wiser than he.

His call: It is worth while to bear in mind that he began to preach in 1839 and that was twenty-five years before the coming of freedom. For a quarter of a century, therefore, he was a preacher while yet a slave. His time, of course, under the law belonged to his master, and under the laws of the period, he could preach only under very serious limitations.

- He cut his teeth preaching funerals and became quite famous and well known.

Freedom: Freedom had come and to him brought nothing except opportunity.

-   His ambition was to build a church. Down on the James River, where the big furnaces were run, there was a little island, and on the island a little house, and scattered along the canal and river were many of the newly liberated and uncared for people of his race. He began to hold religious services on the island,--said by some to have been held in a private house, and by others in a deserted stable, which was fitted up to accommodate the increasing crowds. Things went well with him. The joy of building flamed his soul, and beneath the tide of the river he baptized many converts. Happy days they were! The people were wild with enthusiasm, and the shouts of his congregation mingled with the noise of the James River Falls. It was to Jasper as the gate of heaven, and he walked as the King's ambassador among his admiring flock.

- Paid cash for a building from the Presbyterians.

- Founded Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church

Preached his most famous message- The sun do move!

- God made a way for Joshua to fight. God provided him a way and as long as he allows us to fight for him we will!”

He delivered his last sermon in 1901 and died a few days later.