The name of this man of God is interwoven in the early history of Middle Tennessee Baptists. He was born in Northhampton County, N. C., in December, 1762. He was married to Sarah Perry in September, 1779. This union was blessed with ten children, from which have descended many of the best citizens of Middle Tennessee, while many have moved to the great West. He, in company with the ancestor of the Rutland family, emigrated to this section of country in 1790, before Tennessee was a State, and settled in Sumner County. They soon afterward moved to Wilson County, and were among the first white settlers of the county. Elder Stevenson settled on Cedar Creek, near where Little Cedar Lick Baptist Church now stands, and became its founder.Henry Abbot, son of Rev. John Abbot Canon of St. Paul's, London, England, came to the United States while young and settled In Camden County, N. C. He was baptized in that county by a Freewill Baptist, but becoming convinced that his church relations were wrong, he severed his connection with them and was baptized by a minister of the Regular Baptists. He became pastor of the Camden Baptist Church, N. C., which was a constituent member of the old Kehukee Association. In July, 1701, Lemuel Burkitt was immersed in the Pasquatank River by Elder Henry Abbot and became a member of the Yoppim branch of the Camden church. Burkitt afterwards became an eminent minister and historian of the old Kehukee Association. It was he who baptized Elder Moore Stevenson, who came to this section a Baptist. On coming to Tennessee he most probably attached himself to Station Camp Baptist Church, as it was the only church in his section at that time.
Soon after arriving in Tennessee it was discovered by Eider James Whitsitt that he had impressions to preach, and under tbe tutorage of Elders Jas. Whitsitt, Patrick Mooney and John Dillahunty, he entered the ministry in 1800. To his ability as a preacher Elder James Whitsitt pays this tribute:
"Elder Stevenson was a sure preacher; he seldom failed to rise high; he had perfect control of himself in the management of his voice. The doctrinal part of his discourses were well studied and cool and deliberately delivered, without much fatigue, and by the time he would be through with his doctrine his feelings were generally up, and he would launch into exhortations, which were most admirable. He seldom sat down when his congregation was not in tears on their seats. Repentance, faith and baptism was his fort[e]. On baptism he excelled. He drew in a number of Pedobaptists by his skillful management of that point. He did not ascend into the more sublime or strong points of divinity, and yet he was a strong believer. He did not hold with systematic preaching, and yet he had a system. He showed divine sovereignty in the new birth, for he was very experimental. To play the man, 'and the Lord do that which seemeth him good,' was his motto... . I need not say that in his sentiments he was Calvinistlc, for all were so in that day as far as it was known."The following churches were established by him - that is, he did the pioneer work in those sections, viz., Big Cedar Lick (Mt. Olivet at Leeville), Little Cedar Lick, Spencer's Creek, Barton's Creek, Bradley's Creek (then known as Philadelphia) and Bethesda. He was also father In the ministry of Elder Jacob Browning, Joshua Woolen, John Impson, Edward Willis, James T. Tompkins, Elijah Maddox, Wm. White and Micajah Estes.He, in connection with Elder Cantrel, Bethel, composed the presbytery that constituted Round Lick Baptist Church at Watertown, Tenn., July 2, 1803.
He had considerable means, and his faithful consort ran the business at home and ha gave himself entirely to the ministry till the Lord called him home. He died at his home near Little Cedar Lick Church in the prime of life, March 18, 1818. He died of that dread disease influenza, or more modernly known as la grippe. The following is taken from the minutes of Concord Association for 1818:
"Remembering with emotions of gratitude the blessings of God bestowed on the churches through the ministry of Elder Moore Stevenson, who is numbered with the dead in Christ, we hope that his usefulness will not be forgotten by the churches, and that the brethren In the ministry will imitate his piety and seal in the cause of Christ, and pray God that, as one of the great and good men has fallen in Israel, the Shepherd may supply his place in the field below."I might state that he was in the formation of Cumberland and Concord Associations.His faithful wife survived him many years, living to the ripe old age of 84 years. Their bodies sleep together in the old Rutland grave-yard, one mile from Rutland Church, Wilson County, Tenn. Peace to their ashes and love to their memory.
By a LOVER OF HISTORY. ========== [From Baptist and Reflector, January 12, 1899, p. 7. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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