Richard Furman
Encyclopedia
Richard Furman was an influential Baptist
leader from Charleston, South Carolina
, USA. He was elected in 1814 as the first president of the Triennial Convention
, the first nationwide Baptist association. Later he was the first president of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention.
.
He was raised in Charleston, South Carolina in a family of evangelistic Calvinists.
He had little formal education, but was taught mathematics and other sciences by his father and taught himself several languages including Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Through his self-directed studies he also gained extensive knowledge of history, theology and medicine as it was practiced in those days.
Furman accepted the Baptist faith in 1771 aged 16, and began to preach at that early age. He was ordained as pastor of High Hills church two years later.
During the American War of Independence (1775–1783) Furman volunteered to serve in the colonial army, but was persuaded that his talents could better be used as a speaker in gaining support for the cause.
On the fall of Charleston to British forces in 1780, General Charles Cornwallis announced a £1,000 bounty for his capture, and he was forced to flee the state.
In 1786 he became pastor of the Charleston Baptist Church, holding this post for the rest of his life.
He made a great impression on the young William Bullein Johnson
, who would later himself become a Baptist leader and first president of the Southern Baptist Convention
.
As moderator of the Charleston Baptist association, he arranged for funding for the education of young ministers and for funding of missionary activity in the state.
Furman was a founder of the Charleston Bible Society and the Religious Tract Society.
Rhode Island College (later Brown University
) awarded him an honorary Masters degree in 1792 and Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1800.
Furman helped arrange the first meeting of the Triennial Convention in Philadelphia in 1814, where he was elected President. He was re-elected President in 1817.
Furman ensured that the convention made education of aspiring ministers one of its basic missions, and encouraged Luther Rice
in the foundation of Columbian College, now George Washington University
, chartered by an Act of Congress on 9 February 1821.
In 1821, Furman was one of the organizers of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention and was elected its President, serving until his death in August 1825.
Furman University
, the South’s first Baptist college, was founded in 1826 and named in his honor.
Furman married Elizabeth Haynsworth in November 1772, and they had four children before her death in 1787.
In May 1789 Furman married Dorothea Burn, and this marriage produced thirteen children.
As a young man he opposed slavery, but later he became a slave owner and came to support the practice on both economic and moral grounds.
In 1822 he published an "Exposition of the Views of the Baptists Relative to the Coloured Population of the United States", which set out the arguments that southerners would use to defend slavery until the American Civil War
(1861-1865) finally put an end to the slavery.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
leader from Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, USA. He was elected in 1814 as the first president of the Triennial Convention
Triennial Convention
The Triennial Convention, founded in 1814, was the first national Baptist denomination in the United States of America. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it was formed to advance missionary work...
, the first nationwide Baptist association. Later he was the first president of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention.
Early years
Furman was born on 9 October 1755 in Esopus, New YorkEsopus, New York
Esopus is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 9,331 at the 2000 census. The name comes from the local Indian tribe and means "high banks."...
.
He was raised in Charleston, South Carolina in a family of evangelistic Calvinists.
He had little formal education, but was taught mathematics and other sciences by his father and taught himself several languages including Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Through his self-directed studies he also gained extensive knowledge of history, theology and medicine as it was practiced in those days.
Furman accepted the Baptist faith in 1771 aged 16, and began to preach at that early age. He was ordained as pastor of High Hills church two years later.
During the American War of Independence (1775–1783) Furman volunteered to serve in the colonial army, but was persuaded that his talents could better be used as a speaker in gaining support for the cause.
On the fall of Charleston to British forces in 1780, General Charles Cornwallis announced a £1,000 bounty for his capture, and he was forced to flee the state.
Baptist leader
After the war, Furman was a proponent of the constitutional clauses that ensured freedom of worship and removed all special privileges from the Episcopal church.In 1786 he became pastor of the Charleston Baptist Church, holding this post for the rest of his life.
He made a great impression on the young William Bullein Johnson
William Bullein Johnson
William Bullein Johnson was one of the founders of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention in 1821, and later was the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1845 to 1851.- Early years :...
, who would later himself become a Baptist leader and first president of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
.
As moderator of the Charleston Baptist association, he arranged for funding for the education of young ministers and for funding of missionary activity in the state.
Furman was a founder of the Charleston Bible Society and the Religious Tract Society.
Rhode Island College (later Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
) awarded him an honorary Masters degree in 1792 and Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1800.
Furman helped arrange the first meeting of the Triennial Convention in Philadelphia in 1814, where he was elected President. He was re-elected President in 1817.
Furman ensured that the convention made education of aspiring ministers one of its basic missions, and encouraged Luther Rice
Luther Rice
Luther Rice , was a Baptist minister and missionary to India, who helped form a missionary-sending body that became the modern Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention...
in the foundation of Columbian College, now George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, chartered by an Act of Congress on 9 February 1821.
In 1821, Furman was one of the organizers of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention and was elected its President, serving until his death in August 1825.
Furman University
Furman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
, the South’s first Baptist college, was founded in 1826 and named in his honor.
Furman married Elizabeth Haynsworth in November 1772, and they had four children before her death in 1787.
In May 1789 Furman married Dorothea Burn, and this marriage produced thirteen children.
As a young man he opposed slavery, but later he became a slave owner and came to support the practice on both economic and moral grounds.
In 1822 he published an "Exposition of the Views of the Baptists Relative to the Coloured Population of the United States", which set out the arguments that southerners would use to defend slavery until the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(1861-1865) finally put an end to the slavery.