Martha Stearns Marshall
Encyclopedia
Martha Stearns Marshall (1726-1754) was a Separate Baptist preacher in the southern United States. She spread the gospel alongside her husband, Daniel Marshall (1706-84), who is generally regarded as the first great Baptist leader in the state of Georgia. She was once jailed in Virginia for refusing to stop preaching the gospel, although she was three months pregnant at the time. Her preaching was powerful enough to convince a young man named Cartledge to become a preacher; she also converted her arresting constable and magistrate. She often stood alongside her brother Shubal Stearns
and spoke at Baptist meetings. Martha also assisted her husband Daniel in his churches and preached to his congregations. She gave birth to six sons and two daughters.
wrote of Marshall’s contributions to Baptist work:
Baptist historian George Paschal, in his History of North Carolina Baptists, wrote of Daniel and Martha:
. There Martha served alongside her husband and “was noted for her zeal and eloquence,” and her preaching “added greatly to the interest of meetings conducted by her husband.” The first difficulty the new church encountered was that no minister would cooperate with Stearns in ordaining Daniel. A pastor in South Carolina refused to participate in an ordination service because Daniel and the Separate Baptists “allowed women to pray in public and illiterate men to preach, and encouraged noise and confusion in their meetings.” The ordination service finally took place when Elder Ledbetter, Daniel’s brother-in-law, agreed to participate in the ordination.
In 1771, the Marshalls moved to Columbia County, Georgia
, where they founded the first Baptist church in Georgia, located at Kiokee. A. H. Newman wrote of their efforts in founding this work:
Shubal Stearns
Shubal Stearns , was an evangelist and preacher who, though his name is seldom mentioned today, was to have a profound impact in planting the seeds for the spiritual direction of much of the population of the United States...
and spoke at Baptist meetings. Martha also assisted her husband Daniel in his churches and preached to his congregations. She gave birth to six sons and two daughters.
Contributions
In 1810, Virginia Baptist historian Robert SempleRobert Semple
Robert Semple is the name of:* Robert Semple , governor of the Red River Colony in Canada* Robert Semple , Medal of Honor recipient...
wrote of Marshall’s contributions to Baptist work:
'Mr. Marshall had a rare felicity of finding in this lady, a Priscilla, a helper in the gospel. In fact, it should not be concealed that his extraordinary success in the ministry, is ascribable in no small degree, to Mrs. Marshall’s unwearied, and zealous co-operation. Without the shadow of a usurped authority over the other sex, Mrs. Marshall, being a lady of good sense, singular piety, and surprising elocution, has, in countless instances melted a whole concourse into tears by her prayers and exhortations!'
Baptist historian George Paschal, in his History of North Carolina Baptists, wrote of Daniel and Martha:
“As a result of the labors of this earnest and fervent evangelist, in which he doubtless had the assistance of his saintly and gifted wife, Mrs. Martha Stearns Marshall, great numbers turned to the Lord.”
Biography
In the late 1750s, the Marshalls founded a Separate Baptist church at Abbott’s Creek in North CarolinaNorth 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...
. There Martha served alongside her husband and “was noted for her zeal and eloquence,” and her preaching “added greatly to the interest of meetings conducted by her husband.” The first difficulty the new church encountered was that no minister would cooperate with Stearns in ordaining Daniel. A pastor in South Carolina refused to participate in an ordination service because Daniel and the Separate Baptists “allowed women to pray in public and illiterate men to preach, and encouraged noise and confusion in their meetings.” The ordination service finally took place when Elder Ledbetter, Daniel’s brother-in-law, agreed to participate in the ordination.
In 1771, the Marshalls moved to Columbia County, Georgia
Columbia County, Georgia
Columbia County is a county located in the US state of Georgia along the Savannah River. As of 2010 the population was 124,054 a growth of 39% from the 2000 census figure of 89,288. The de jure county seat is Appling. Appling is an unincorporated area, making Columbia one of only three counties...
, where they founded the first Baptist church in Georgia, located at Kiokee. A. H. Newman wrote of their efforts in founding this work:
“Marshall was now sixty-four years old and had behind him a truly apostolic record. Almost equally useful was his wife, a sister of Shubal Stearns.”