This gentleman has quite an interesting history. He was born in England about fifty years ago, in the very region from which the Washington Family emigrated to Virginia,—Northampton County. At the age of sixteen he was in government employ, in connection with the Money Order system, which was in use in England long before it was heard of in America. Rev. Charles G. Finney, of Oberlin, the famous revivalist, was holding a series of meetings abroad. Young Adams attended and was converted, uniting with the Congregational, or Independent Church. There was some talk of his coming immediately to America with Dr. Finney, but his pastor, a cautious Scot, thought it better for "Boy Joseph" (as Mr. Finney called him) to wait awhile, and become better grounded in his convictions.
Two years later he did come over, under the auspices of a gentleman who had in his head some Western colonization scheme, and wished Joseph to be the missionary. The project did not suit the patron, who soon returned to England, but not before he had opened communication with Dr. Finney in Joseph's behalf. Finney replied that he had just written to have Joseph sent over, and was glad to find him already in America. The young man was therefore received into the Finney household and college, where he worked and studied till his health began to break down.
By this time he was about twenty years old. Returning to England, he began to work as an Evangelist. Though a Congregationalist, that body was too Calvinistic for his Oberlin training. His attention being called to the doctrines of the Wesleys, he finally united with the Wesleyan Methodist body, which is the most powerful and richest of the Dissenting sects in Great Britain, holding a place somewhat like that occupied by the Methodist Episcopal Church in this country. During this connection he preached in many places. He still proudly wears a silver watch presented him in 1859, by some poor friends in Leith, Scotland, who felt that, under God, they owed their salvation to Mr. Adams. He took also another important step in life, and married a London lady.
