Preacher, philosopher and orator. He was the youngest of twenty-four children. He taught himself to read and write. He was baptzed in 1849 and delivered a sermon the same day that brought him immediate fame. He was a noted preacher well before the Civil War. He was known for his fiery orations. He delivered his sermons in the language distinguished by the southern slave. He baptized as many as 300 people in four hours. He organized the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Curch in 1867. It is regarded as one of the nation's pioneering churches in the field of historic preservation. The church opened its John Jasper Memorial Room and Museum in January 1926. Jasper was nationally recognized in 1878 when he preached his "Sun do Move" sermon. He delivered that same message more than 250 times. It was a powerful statement of faith that became famous all over the United States and abroad. People of all races traveled to Sixth Mount Zion Church to hear Reverend Jasper preach. He was renowned for his inspirational ability. Before the Civil War, slave marriages were not legally recognized. John Jasper became authorized by the United States to legalize those marriages. His last words were "I have finished my work and am down at the river waiting for further orders."

Another version. I submitted this to a small paper;



In John Jasper's eyes the sun did move. And he told thousands of people so. Jasper was a preacher. He was famous during the turbulent years around the Civil War. People would travel great distances to hear him give his sermon, "The Sun do Move." Jasper's point was not scientific, but one of faith. His sun moved because the Bible said so. Jasper lived by the Bible. His faith was in it's words. If the Bible said the sun moved, then it was settled. There was no need to prove it did not. The need was in the faith that it did. Faith was something John Jasper had plenty of. He was born in 1812, in Fluvanna county. He was born a slave. He was one of twenty-four children. Faith moved him to become a dynamic leader that founded the historic Sixth Mount Zion Church in Richmond. Eventually it served about 2500 members. John learned to read as a slave. It was illegal to teach a slave to read, but he had the help of another slave. What John read was the Bible. He was Baptized in 1849 and being prepared, he delivered his first sermon the same day. He preached for the next fifty years. He was a fiery orator and used the language of his people, the Southern slave. He was such a great inspiration that he had the opportunity to Baptize thousands. Once, as many as 300 in four hours. People of all races felt his power. Before the Civil War, slave marriages had no legal recognition. John Jasper was the first to be authorized by the United States to make those unions legal. His entire life was utilized in the aid of others. To his last moment this drove him. His last words were; "I have finished my work and am down at the river waiting for further orders."