Genquest

Royse McCoy

Royse McCoy, later spelling his name Rice McCoy, youngest son of Elder Wm. and Elizabeth McCoy, was born June 19, 1789 on a flat boat at Cincinnati, Ohio, reputed to be the first white child born there, while his parents were on their way from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. He was married to Mahala Pound, January 2, 1812 at or near Charlestown, Indiana. He was one of the charter members of the Old Silver Creek Baptist Church, and its clerk for many years. He was a first class wheel by trade and a Baptist minister by profession. He preached for nothing and made his living at his trade. He served as a Captain in the battle of Tippacanoe. He moved to Washington County, Indiana in 1818, and died at the Village of Lavonia September 4, 1834. He was a great advocate of Sunday school, missions and temperance societies. He left surviving him his widow and eleven children, vis: Elizabeth, Priscella, Isaac, Sarah, Adoniram Judson, Wm. Carey, Rice, John Bunyon, Ann Haseltine, Malinda and Christiana. A short time before his death on September 4, 1834 he wrote the following advise to his children:

My children, I am now more than 44 years old. I have watched over your infant years and riper days with solicitude for your temporal welfare, and have tried to provide for you as well as I could, but with much more anxiety have I thought of your soul's affairs. And although I acknowledge I have been too remiss in giving you religious instruction, and pressing on your minds the importance of religion; yet I have tried often to present your case before my Heavenly Father, and to entreat him to bless you, and lead you in the path of virtue and religion. You have souls my dear children which must soon appear in the world of spirits to give an account for all you do, say or think. The Lord has been and is kind to you, in causing you to live where you have his word to read, can hear his gospel reached, and hear of Jesus the friend of sinners; your temporal enjoyments require you should be thankful to the Lord and not murmer in an wise... Remember dear children your duty to your mother and be kind, obedient and affectionate in every circumstance that you or she may be in. Remember you are near related to each other, and whatever may have been your childish peevishness "in (?) be children, but in understanding be men"; always treat each other with brotherly affection and tenderness; if any of them are in affliction and want, endeavor to administer to their need, not hesitatingly inquiring the cause of their distress; but above all remember your duty to your Creator and Preserver. He has been your best friend, has preserved you and provided a rich gospel full of salvation, life and immortality for your souls. He has given you his holy word to read, as a light to your feet and a lamp to your path, to guide you in the way of peace, and point you the road to Heaven. He calls and even entreats you to believe him, confide in him, pray to him and follow him and assure you that in him, "The fatherless find mercy." O don't neglect, for how shall you escape if you neglect his great salvation", wherefore, "remember your Creator in the days of your youth. Let his word be esteemed by you, as the best of books, the man of your counsel and above the value of silver and gold. Lets his blessed religion be more esteemed than your life; be willing to part with every thing worldly for Jesus; never countenance in any wise sin and contempt of the DIVINE Savior; but regard his enemies as yours, none are worse; Regard the Sabbath day, not only as a day of rest for you and your beasts; but a day sacredly devoted to the service of the Lord, in obedience to his commands, in memory of the creation, in memory of the resurrection of Jesus and in memory of the hope of Heaven, the everlasting rest that remains for the people of God. Always pay a serious regard to the preaching of the gospel, let not your ordinary business prevent you from attending to it. And be sure to treat with respect, and kindness those who preach the gospel. You know a little of their difficulties by what you have seen of your father; having often to labor hard through the week, leave home under great inconveniences, and perhaps little or no rest on Sunday; sometimes the most fatiguing day of the whole wek, and "if inthis life only they have hope in Christ, they are all men most miserable." But God's grace will sustain them, and always let your hearts and hands be open to assist them, and sympathize with them at all times, and share their burdens what you can. Be slow to credit evil reports against them; the enemies know that should the preachers of the gospel come into disrepute, the gospel will suffer. But especially regard the missionaries that are, or may be trying to preach Jesus to the heathen that dying risen Savior, who said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature", is with them, is their refuse and friends and has all power in Heaven and in earth, and his face is against their enemies, hears their revilings and will remember them in the day of retribution.Never have any dealings in nor make any use of ardent spirits of any kind, unless it be really necessary as a medicine; though it has long been fashionable, and considered polite to use it, and enemies, yes, even friends may frown upon you and separate you from their company. Yet the immense evil produced by it should make your firmly and determinatley and in the face that many, very many well disposed sober youths have been gradually drawn along not suspecting any danger until they have been overwhelmed in disgrace and ruin. Many families are ruined, many children sunk into poverty and crime, and the church, yes the church of Jesus, dishonored and her member distressed, and many never dying souls by these intoxicating instruments of the wicked one. O I beseech you remember that "no drunkard can inherit the kingdom of God". Many you know are ruined by using it. To use it therefor, to say the least, is very dangerous, not to use it, is safe. Wisdom always takes the sagest side.Never my dear children strain your hands with the blood of the poor oppressed Negro's, that is take no part in oppressing them, in having selling or hiring them, and let not one cent, or one cents worth come into your possession by the traffic of them. It will prove a curse to you. Let it therefore be the case, that when the just Judge of all nations, before whom all things are naked and open shall search every heart as with a candle, and make inquisition for blood, that, none of your garments be stained with abominable crime. Beware of hardness of heart of any occasion, and murmuring disposition, against the hand of Providence. Never doubt his goodness, and resolve whatever be your condition to "trust in the Lord as long as you live." Try to obtain what profitable learning you can devote much of your spare time to reading, and always make the Bible the standard book, and not neglect reading and studying its scared pages for any book in the world. Let these words be pasted over your mantle or bureau. "Be dutiful to your parents, be affectionate to each other, be find to everybody, and love and serve God, all your life. "Strive more to be good than great, to be righteous than rich, and strive exceedingly more to have treasure in the world to come than in this. Blessed are they that do the commandment of the Lord, and put their trust in Him"