New Light in the Old Dominion

The Rev. Samuel Davies was ordained as an evangelist to congregations without pastors in Colonial Virginia. Just twenty three years old {in 1747}, Davies presented himself to the Colonial Court in Williamsburg to obtain a license to preach the gospel. He represented himself before the court and gained a favorable ruling. Davies was the first non-Anglican {Dissenter} to be officially licensed in the colony in its one hundred and forty year history. During his ministry in Virginia {until 1759 when he succeeded Jonathan Edwards as president at the College of New Jersey} Davies would appear many times to secure licensing for new preaching sites and to secure religious freedoms for the Dissenters in the colony.

Samuel Davies’ preaching was evangelistic Calvinism at its best. He was a New Light Presbyterian and the congregations he initially ministered to were fledgling groups of believers who had experienced spiritual renewal as the First Great Awakening moved throughout the colony. He almost immediately drew large gatherings of people, who wanted to hear this young man proclaim the gospel with an energy and vitality lacking in most of the local Anglican clergy of his day.

My intention with this blog is to re-introduce Samuel Davies preaching and thought into our current culture. His style is dated by its eighteenth century language and imagery, but his zeal for God and His Kingdom is abundantly evident and hopefully contagious. He fanned the flames of the Great Awakening and stirred the hearts of people. He struggled against a hard lifestyle, religious and political persecution and his own poor physical health. He endured these hardships and left an indelible mark upon the spiritual landscape of the United States.

Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones made a comment during a lecture in reference to Samuel Davies, “You Americans do not even know one of your most eloquent preachers!” Volumes of Davies’ sermons have been published, most recently by Banner of Truth Trust, unfortunately they are now out of print. I am certain Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ comment is still true today. My prayer is that this lack of knowledge will be rectified and many will come to appreciate and learn from a man who deserves to be remembered.

Soli Deo Gloria!