John Waller was born December, 23rd, 1741, in Spottsylvania County, Virginia. He started to college, but family finances ended the pursuit. He turned to every species of wickedness and profanity, he quickly acquired for himself the infamous appellation of Swearing Jack Waller, by which he was distinguished from others of the same name. So far did he indulge his mischievous temper that he once had three warrants served on him at the same time on account of one uproar.
It was frequently remarked by the common people, “that there could be no deviltry among the people unless Swearing Jack was at the head of it.” He was sometimes called the Devil’s Adjutant to muster his troops. Swearing Jack came from a long established English family, held an esteemed position in the Anglican Church, the established church of Virginia, and was furious against the Baptist.
In 1766, Baptists were persecuted by the state of Virginia, and Elder Lewis Craig, a Baptist preacher, was indicted by a grand jury. He was indicted for preaching the Baptist gospel and holding worship services without permission of the Anglican Church. Swearing Jack was one of the grand jury who indicted Lewis Craig for preaching. During the proceeding, Elder Craig addressed the grand jury as follows:
“I thank you, gentlemen of the grand jury, for the honor you have done me. While I was wicked and injurious, you took no notice of me, but since I have altered my course of life and endeavored to reform my neighbors, you concern yourselves much about me. I shall take the spoiling of my goods joyfully.” Elder Craig was convicted and imprisoned.
When Mr. Waller heard him speak in that manner, and observed the meekness of his spirit, he was convinced that Craig was possessed of something that he had never seen in man before. He thought within himself that he should be happy if he could be of the same religion with Mr. Craig.
From this time he began to attend their meetings. The Holy Spirit came to him, and he saw and felt himself a sinner. He now for the first time, except in blaspheming, began to call upon the name of the Lord. His convictions were deep and pungent, lasting seven or eight months. He relates his experience of salvation in the following words:
“I had long felt the greatest abhorrence of myself, and began almost to despair of the mercy of God. However, I determined never to rest until it pleased God to show mercy or cut me off. Under these impressions I was at a certain place, sitting under preaching. On a sudden, a man exclaimed that he had found mercy and began to praise God. No mortal can describe the horror with which I was seized at that instant. I began to conclude my damnation was certain. Leaving the meeting, I hastened into a neighboring woods and dropped on my knees before God to beg for mercy. In an instant I felt my heart melt, and a sweet application of the Redeemer’s love to my poor soul. The calm was great but short.”
He was baptized in the year 1767, later answered his call to preach and began to preach the gospel. Two years after his experience of salvation in the woods, he and Elder Lewis Craig were in prison together for preaching the Baptist gospel.
Sources:
http://davidsfork.org/images/At_The_Meetinghouse.pdf
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