The Reverand Henry Keeling
(1795-1870)
President of the Board of Trustees, Richmond College, 1841
Henry Keeling studied at Baptist Seminary in Philadelphia from 1818–1821. Later First Baptist Church, Richmond, asked Keeling to serve as associate pastor under “Father” John Courtney.
Mr. Keeling later operated a school for blacks and, with his wife, ran a “female seminary.” In 1826, he began a monthly magazine, the Evangelical Inquirer. After only 12 issues it ceased publication. However, Henry Keeling envisioned a weekly religious newspaper. It included religious views, inspirational articles, farm reports, obituaries and marriage notices and was for Baptists.
The purpose of the weekly paper, called the Religious Herald, was “to record the building up of the Redeemer’s kingdom ... Acknowledging no authority but the word of God and aiming at the promotion of truth and holiness.” The first issue was published in 1828. Mr. Keeling continued as editor of the Religious Herald until his resignation in 1831.
Henry Keeling was a founder, along with John Kerr and Jeremiah Jeter, of the Virginia Baptist Education Society and was its corresponding secretary. At a meeting held on March 31, 1832, the Education Society agreed to purchase a tract of land to house a seminary to be named “The Virginia Baptist Seminary.” Keeling was offered a salary of $360 to serve as agent for the Seminary.
When the Virginia Baptist Seminary was chartered as Richmond College in 1840, Henry Keeling served as president of its first Board of Trustees. He also organized a new church in Richmond, Third Baptist Church (now Grace Baptist). In 1842, Keeling began publication of the Baptist Preacher, which published sermons and articles for 16 years.