John Marrant/Great Christian/Great American

Hello,
 
Though we all have suffered some rejection in our life, if your life experiences are similar to mine, you have never known what it is like to be totally rejected by your family and your close friends. 
 
John Marrant was a black American who was led to the Lord by George Whitefield.  He was 11 years old, and because of this new found joy, he shared his faith with his family.  They rejected him, and he fled to the wilderness.
 
There he spent ten weeks with a Cherokee warrior, hunting and developing a great friendship. When they returned to the Cherokee, and the chief discovered this black person in camp, he considered him an enemy and had him arrested.  When the chief threatened John with death, he addressed the Cherokees in their own language and shared with them the Gospel of Christ.  According to Marrant,  "The king (the chief) himself was awakened, and the others set at (spiritual) liberty.  A great change took place among the people; the King's house became God's house; the soldiers were ordered away; and the poor condemned prisoner (Marrant) had perfect liberty and was treated like a prince.  Now the Lord made all my enemies become my great friends."  The chief gave him permission to evangelize among the Cherokee.  This he did, and he also preached among the Muskogee. 
 
When he returned to his family, they rejected him again.  This time because he was considered to be too much of an Indian (Savage).
 
He agreed to work as a carpenter on a plantation, and began evangelizing among the slaves.  As he explained, "During this time, I saw my call to the ministry fuller and clearer - had a feeling of concern for the salvation of my countrymen."  But as these slaves were converted by Jesus and began to pray; the plantation owner discovering this, had the prayer meetings broken up and the people beaten.
 
This all happened before the American Revolution.  After the war he settled in England, where he became an ordained minister, with a church group Whitefield helped establish.  John Marrant continued his ministry efforts, preaching in England, then Canada, and then back to the United States.  He died at the very young age of thirty-six. 
 
Though he faced many rejections, and in spite of his short life, he accomplished much for the Lord, being one of the earliest African American evangelists.  This life was used greatly by Jesus because of John Marrant's great love for the Lord, and his love for men's souls. 
 
"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up."  Galatians 6:9
 
Likewise, let's all minister to our generation.  May the Lord Jesus bless you today, and remember that you are loved!!!
 
Henry