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Baer, John

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Rockingham County, Va., Oct. 9, 1794. He was of noble German origin. His neighborhood had very few religious privileges in his childhood, yet at the age of fifteen he embraced religion, after having spent five years in seeking it. He soon became greatly, exercised as to his duty to preach the Gospel, and instinctively shrank from such momentous responsibility,. pleading filial duty and limited education. But his father released him from all home obligations, and the Church, considering him worthy, thrust upon him a license to preach. He dared not resist; and having once entered the ministry, he gave himself to all its duties with that characteristic firmness, energy, and consecration which always win, and before his race was run became one of the most admirable in virtue, amiableness, and devotedness; the most honored and able of all his colleagues. In 1814 he entered the Baltimore Conference, and for nearly fifty years was a champion in her itinerant ranks-twenty-eight on circuits and stations, fifteen as presiding elder; and nearly seven as agent of the Maryland Bible Society. His last years were spent as agent of the Baltimore County Bible Society. He died March 11,1878. The human secret of Mr. Baer's great power in the ministry lay in his wonderful familiarity with the Bible, the logical tendency of his mind, and his singleness of heart toward God. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1879, p. 12.