Absalom Pearce was born May 17, 1820, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. At the age of about 17 years he drifted into Warrick County, Indiana, was converted and joined Mt. Gilead Church, near Boonville, Indiana. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Liberty Association of Indiana. Returning to Kentucky he was ordained to the ministry in 1850. He has this to say of himself, which we think worthwhile placing in this history: "there was one point in the call to the ministry that I failed to comprehend; that is, if God calls a man to preach the Gospel, He calls him to prepare to preach. This is the point I failed to comprehend in the call. I went to reading the bible and praying for God's help, and God did help and blessed my humble efforts above expectations. I read the Old Testament through 15 times. I reach the New Testament through 60 times; read history by the thousands of pages, and many of the ablest comments in the world. I have read a good many of the ablest systems of theology, and God has blessed me with a wonderful memory. After all this, the strongest idea I have on the Bible are lost to my hearers for the want of language to express them. If I were educated so that I understood language, I could do a work that I never can do without it. So, then, an education is an essential to a complete minister of the gospel." He was moderator of the Union Association in 1867, 1880, and 1881. The General Baptists owe not a little to this unflinching devotion to their interests.