Benjamin Randall

Who was Benjamin Randall?

Benjamin Randall was the main organizer of the Freewill Baptists in the northeastern United States.

He was born at New Castle, New Hampshire into a New England sea captain's family. Randall experienced a conversion to Christianity in 1770 through the influence of George Whitefield. Randall served in the New Hampshire militia during the American Revolutionary War. Randall first united with the Congregationalists, but later was baptized in 1776 and united with the Baptists. He became a layman preacher in the Particular or Calvinistic Baptists in 1777. In 1779 he split with the Calvinist Baptists over their belief in predestination. On April 5, 1780 Randall was ordained in New Durham, New Hampshire. In the summer of 1780, a church was formed at New Durham, and the articles of faith and covenant were drawn up by Randall. By the end of the year the church numbered seven men and thirteen women. From the time of his lay preaching until his death of tuberculosis on October 22, 1808, Randall was instrumental in planting many Freewill Baptist churches throughout New England. He was the founder of the Free Will Baptist movement in America.