George Shidler (1776-1828) – sometimes spelled “Shideler” – was converted to Christ in 1808 through the preaching of David Purviance. Two years later he was engaged in the work of preaching the gospel, doing most of his work in Ohio. He preached for eighteen years before he passed away at the age of fifty-two.
One of the aspects of Restoration History that I enjoy is learning about the lesser-known men who contributed to the work of preaching the gospel. I first learned about George Shidler when I read The Biography of Elder David Purviance. He was a “minor” figure in this book about one of the often forgotten men of the movement. In the anecdote quoted below, Shidler talked about his feeling of inadequacy for the work of preaching when he compared himself to one he considered to be great example of a preacher – a man named Brother Kincade.Continue Reading
