Alton E. Loveless

Christian Baptism: the Duty, the Acts, the Subjects (History of Free Will Baptists) Alton E. Loveless

Ball, Rev. George H., D. D., was born Dec. 7, 1819, in Canada near Sherbrooke. In 1836 they removed to Ohio, where, while making a home in the wilderness for the family, he studied systematically under the guidance of his mother, and when twenty years of age commenced teaching. During that winter Rev. Ransom Dunn, holding meetings in the schoolhouse, The appeal to reason prevailed, where other appeals had failed. After about two years at Farmington Academy, he spent two years more at Grand River Institute, and preached occasionally in the vicinity, receiving license to preach from the Ashtabula Q. M. in 1843. The next year he went to Ontario, Can., to teach, but was kept constantly at preaching for more than a year, and enjoyed several revivals. He then attended the Biblical School at Whitestown, graduating in 1847. The following year he was married to Maria L. Bensly and entered upon a three years' pastorate at Chester, O. A part of this time he was principal of Geauga Seminary, and numbered James A. Garfield among his pupils. In 1851 he went to Buffalo, N. Y., to plant a church. After four years he settled with the Roger Williams church, Providence, R. 1., but soon returned to Buffalo to save the interest there. In 1870 he became New York editor of the Morning Star, and the next year editor of the Baptist Union. In 1877 he returned to Buffalo, where was pastor of a flourishing church planted by himself. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Bates College, Me. He has published several small books of merit, and written extensively for the religious and secular press. He has had a wide influence in the denomination, having served as Trustee of Storer College from its foundation, and of Hillsdale College and a member of the Foreign Mission and Conference Boards. In 1886 he visited the General Baptists of England, under appointment of the General Conference.