Matthew Moore of Burke County, Georgia, in 1773, and continued to worship in this white church for four years until Savannah was evacuated by forces loyal to Britain.
One of the converts was David George, who was one of the eight original members of Silver Bluff Baptist Church in Aiken, South Carolina.
During the Revolutionary War, Leile traveled to Savannah, where escaped slaves were given protection by the British Army who were occupying the city.
He preached at the racecourse at Kingston, the capital, where the novelty of a black itinerant ex-slave preacher attracted considerable attention.
Liele was soon able to gather a congregation and purchase a piece of land about a mile from Kingston, where he gradually built a chapel.
He made contact with the Baptist John Ryland, who became interested in securing funds from British donors to meet such demand for missionary work.
Later, in the early 19th century, a trio of Baptist missionaries from Britain, Thomas Burchell, James Phillippo and William Knibb, and slightly later still others such as Samuel Oughton, were more successful in supporting local African Baptist congregations and helping them develop their international links.
They met fierce resistance from the White Jamaican planter class and slave owners who had great influence in the House of Assembly of Jamaica and had provided adequately for their own spiritual needs with the Anglican Church.