As David Ramsay’s mentor, Rush transmitted his ideas of Christian Enlightenment to him. In 1770, Ramsay was just 21 years old and entered the new medical school associated with the College of Philadelphia, in which he was pursuing his degree of Bachelor of Physic. In Revolutionary era, Rush was a famous physician in Philadelphia. With the help of him, Ramsay started his medical career at Charles Town, South Carolina and became a famous physician too.
As an enlightened Christian, Rush disliked slavery, which directly shaped Ramsay’s view on slavery. In 1773, Rush informed a friend that he had refused a thousand guineas a year to move to Charles Town because of his antipathy to slavery. On February 3rd, 1779, in a letter to Rush regarding to slavery, he wrote, “to speak as a Christian, I really fear some heavy judgment awaits us on that very score. Culpam sana prenuit comes (an appropriate cause produces the sin).” He also mentioned that although he hadn’t read Grenville Sharpe’s book, he was informed that “he proves by instances that slavery has always proved the bane of countries that gave into that illicit practice,” and he wished that he could have an opportunity to read it. Moreover, when Ramsay announced that he was contemplating marriage to a young Charleston heiress, he promised to Rush that "her fortune does not consist in negroes, but is reducible to an annuity from the rent of houses and interest of money.”
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