Barton W. Stone
Encyclopedia
Barton Warren Stone was an important preacher
during the Second Great Awakening
of the early 19th century. He was first ordained a Presbyterian minister, then was expelled from the church after the Cane Ridge, Kentucky
revival for his stated beliefs in faith as the sole prerequisite for salvation
. He became allied with Alexander Campbell, and formed the Restoration Movement
in . His followers were first called "New Lights" and "Stoneites". Later he and Campbell tried to bring denominations together that relied solely on the Scriptures.
, then had Baptist
, Methodist and Episcopal church influences as well. Preachers representing Baptists and Methodists came to the area during the Second Great Awakening, and Baptist and Methodist chapels were founded in the county.
He enrolling in 1790 at Guilford Academy in North Carolina
, founded by David Caldwell, Stone heard James McGready
(a Presbyterian minister) speak. He studied and became a Presbyterian minister. But, as Stone looked more deeply into the beliefs of the Presbyterians, especially the Westminster Confession of Faith
, he doubted that some of the church beliefs were truly Bible-based. In particular, he found the Calvinistic insistence on man's total depravity
to be inconsistent with the Scriptures.
, and argued against it. "Revelation no where declares that there are three persons of the same substance in the one only God; and it is universally acknowledged to be above reason" (Address to the Christian Churches, 2nd Edition [1821]). At the Cane Ridge, Kentucky
revival of 1801, which attracted an estimated 20,000 people, Stone revealed his new-found conviction of faith as the only prerequisite for salvation
. This was not in keeping with the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, which accused Stone of Arminianism
.
In 1803 Stone and others with the same theology formed the Springfield Presbytery
. After re-examination, he and others in the presbytery felt compelled to dissolve the organization, believing that it was still too close to "Romanization
" and creating a human institution, rather than coming together in the way suggested by Scriptures. This led to the famous "Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery." From 1819-1834, he and his family lived in Georgetown, Kentucky
. He purchased land in Morgan County, Illinois and in 1834 moved there to Jacksonville
, in part because of his opposition to slavery
, which was prevalent in Kentucky.
In 1824 in Kentucky, Stone met with Alexander Campbell, a meeting that led to the partial unification of the "Christian" (Stone) movement
and the "Reformed Baptist" (Campbell) movement
into what is commonly called the Restoration Movement
. Campbell had been working in Pennsylvania
, Ohio
and Virginia
, mostly among Baptist
groups. Stone had been preaching to Presbyterians in Kentucky
and Ohio
, although trying to lead them from "denominational bondage". Campbell had been publishing the Christian Baptist and Stone the Christian Messenger, starting in 1826. Through these publications, they began to bring their followers closer together in uniting under Christ
. This movement was especially powerful among the churches in the backcountry and on the western frontier.
Congregations that were part of Stone's original movement but chose not to join with Campbell and his followers, merged with similar Christian Churches in other parts of the country. They formed the Christian Connection
.
Stone died on November 9, 1844 in Hannibal, Missouri
at the home of his daughter. His body was buried on his farm in Morgan County, Illinois. When the farm was sold, descendants had his remains reinterred at Antioch Christian Church east of Jacksonville. In 1847 his remains were moved again and reinterred at Cane Ridge, Kentucky
.
A marble obelisk there is inscribed:
. He denied being Unitarian
, Arian
or Socinian but he did have a subordinationist view of Christ. In addition to his issues with the Trinity
he also had trouble with the orthodox understanding of Christian Atonement. He did not believe that Jesus died in man's place as substitutionary sacrifice, his views are more in line with the "moral influence theory" like those of Charles Finney.
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
during the Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
of the early 19th century. He was first ordained a Presbyterian minister, then was expelled from the church after the Cane Ridge, Kentucky
Cane Ridge, Kentucky
Cane Ridge, Kentucky, USA was the site, in 1801, of a large camp meeting that drew thousands of people and had a lasting influence as one of the landmark events of the Second Great Awakening. Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians all participated, and many of the "spiritual exercises", such as...
revival for his stated beliefs in faith as the sole prerequisite for salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
. He became allied with Alexander Campbell, and formed the Restoration Movement
Restoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
in . His followers were first called "New Lights" and "Stoneites". Later he and Campbell tried to bring denominations together that relied solely on the Scriptures.
Early life and education
Stone was born to John and Mary Stone in Port Tobacco, Maryland. During his childhood, the boy grew up within the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, then had Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, Methodist and Episcopal church influences as well. Preachers representing Baptists and Methodists came to the area during the Second Great Awakening, and Baptist and Methodist chapels were founded in the county.
He enrolling in 1790 at Guilford Academy in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, founded by David Caldwell, Stone heard James McGready
James McGready
Rev. James McGready was a Presbyterian minister and a revivalist during the Second Great Awakening in the United States of America. He was one of the most important figures of the Second Great Awakening in the American frontier.- Early life :...
(a Presbyterian minister) speak. He studied and became a Presbyterian minister. But, as Stone looked more deeply into the beliefs of the Presbyterians, especially the Westminster Confession of Faith
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
, he doubted that some of the church beliefs were truly Bible-based. In particular, he found the Calvinistic insistence on man's total depravity
Total depravity
Total depravity is a theological doctrine that derives from the Augustinian concept of original sin...
to be inconsistent with the Scriptures.
Career
Stone also took issue with the doctrine of the TrinityTrinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, and argued against it. "Revelation no where declares that there are three persons of the same substance in the one only God; and it is universally acknowledged to be above reason" (Address to the Christian Churches, 2nd Edition [1821]). At the Cane Ridge, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
revival of 1801, which attracted an estimated 20,000 people, Stone revealed his new-found conviction of faith as the only prerequisite for salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
. This was not in keeping with the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, which accused Stone of Arminianism
Arminianism
Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic followers, the Remonstrants...
.
Springfield Presbytery
The Springfield Presbytery was an independent presbytery that became one of the earliest expressions of the Stone-Campbell Movement. It was composed of Presbyterian ministers who withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky on September 10, 1803...
. After re-examination, he and others in the presbytery felt compelled to dissolve the organization, believing that it was still too close to "Romanization
Romanization
In linguistics, romanization or latinization is the representation of a written word or spoken speech with the Roman script, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system . Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written...
" and creating a human institution, rather than coming together in the way suggested by Scriptures. This led to the famous "Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery." From 1819-1834, he and his family lived in Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts...
. He purchased land in Morgan County, Illinois and in 1834 moved there to Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,940 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County....
, in part because of his opposition to slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, which was prevalent in Kentucky.
In 1824 in Kentucky, Stone met with Alexander Campbell, a meeting that led to the partial unification of the "Christian" (Stone) movement
Christians (Stone Movement)
The Christians were a group arising during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. The most prominent leader was Barton W. Stone. The group was committed to restoring primitive Christianity...
and the "Reformed Baptist" (Campbell) movement
Disciples of Christ (Campbell Movement)
The Disciples of Christ were a group arising during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. The most prominent leaders were Thomas and Alexander Campbell. The group was committed to restoring primitive Christianity...
into what is commonly called the Restoration Movement
Restoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. Campbell had been working in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, mostly among Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
groups. Stone had been preaching to Presbyterians in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, although trying to lead them from "denominational bondage". Campbell had been publishing the Christian Baptist and Stone the Christian Messenger, starting in 1826. Through these publications, they began to bring their followers closer together in uniting under Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. This movement was especially powerful among the churches in the backcountry and on the western frontier.
Congregations that were part of Stone's original movement but chose not to join with Campbell and his followers, merged with similar Christian Churches in other parts of the country. They formed the Christian Connection
Christian Connection
The Christian Connection or Christian Connexion was a Christian movement which began in several places during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and were secessions from three different religious denominations. The Christian Connection claimed to have no creed, instead professing to rely...
.
Stone died on November 9, 1844 in Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
at the home of his daughter. His body was buried on his farm in Morgan County, Illinois. When the farm was sold, descendants had his remains reinterred at Antioch Christian Church east of Jacksonville. In 1847 his remains were moved again and reinterred at Cane Ridge, Kentucky
Cane Ridge, Kentucky
Cane Ridge, Kentucky, USA was the site, in 1801, of a large camp meeting that drew thousands of people and had a lasting influence as one of the landmark events of the Second Great Awakening. Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians all participated, and many of the "spiritual exercises", such as...
.
A marble obelisk there is inscribed:
"The church of Christ at Cane Ridge and other generous friends in Kentucky have caused this monument to be erected as a tribute of affection and gratitude to Barton W. Stone, minister of the gospel of Christ and the distinguished reformer of the nineteenth century. Born December 24, 1772: died November 9, 1844. His remains lie here. This monument erected in 1847."
Theological Controversy
Stone was ordained Presbyterian but rejected many things from the Westminster Confession of Faith. In particular he had issues with the classical view of the TrinityTrinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
. He denied being Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, Arian
Arian
Arian may refer to:* Arius, a Christian presbyter in the 3rd and 4th century* a given name in different cultures: Aria, Aryan or Arian...
or Socinian but he did have a subordinationist view of Christ. In addition to his issues with the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
he also had trouble with the orthodox understanding of Christian Atonement. He did not believe that Jesus died in man's place as substitutionary sacrifice, his views are more in line with the "moral influence theory" like those of Charles Finney.
Legacy and honors
- 1847 - A monument was erected in Stone's honor at his gravesite in Cane Ridge, KentuckyCane Ridge, KentuckyCane Ridge, Kentucky, USA was the site, in 1801, of a large camp meeting that drew thousands of people and had a lasting influence as one of the landmark events of the Second Great Awakening. Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians all participated, and many of the "spiritual exercises", such as...
- Barton CollegeBarton CollegeBarton College is a private liberal arts college located in Wilson, North Carolina. Barton College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, The NC Association of Colleges and Universities; the NC Department of Public Instruction; the NC Board of Nursing; and the Committee...
(formerly Atlantic Christian College) in Wilson, North CarolinaWilson, North CarolinaWilson is a city and the county seat of Wilson County in the Coastal Plain region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 18th largest city in the state, Wilson had a population of 49,167 according to the 2010 census.- Geography :...
was named in his honor.
External links
- Barton Warren Stone's memorial at findagrave.com
- Writings of Barton W. Stone, Memorial University, Canada