Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Tidence Lane’s Testimony of Shubal Stearns – Tidence Lane wrote of Stearns:

Thomas E Kresal Admin · 2 hrs April 14, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Tidence Lane’s Testimony of Shubal Stearns – Tidence Lane wrote of Stearns:

“When the fame of Mr. Stearns’s preaching had reached the Yadkin, where I lived, I felt a curiosity to go and hear him. Upon my arrival, I saw a venerable old man sitting under a peach-tree, with a book in his hand, and the people gathering about him. He fixed his eyes upon me immediately, which made me feel in such a manner as I never had felt before. I turned to quit the place, but could not proceed far. I walked about, sometimes catching his eyes as I walked. My uneasiness increased, and became intolerable. I went up to him, thinking that a salutation and shaking hands would relieve me; but it happened otherwise. I began to think that he had an evil eye, and ought to be shunned; but shunning him I could no more effect than a bird can shun the rattlesnake when it fixes its eyes upon it. When he began to preach, my perturbations increased, so that nature could no longer support them, and I sunk to the ground [in repentance to the Lord].”

Rev. Tidence Lane. Son of Richard and Sarah Lane. Born 1724 in Baltimore County Maryland. Died near Bent Creek (now Whitesburg) community in what is now Hamblen County, Tennessee, January 30, 1806. Moved from Maryland, to Virginia, to North Carolina, and then on to the Watauga settlements of Tennessee. Close friend and neighbor of William Bean. Served as the first pastor of the first congregation of any denomination organized in Tennessee (Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church in Washington County). Also Organized and served as first pastor of the Bent Creek (now Whitesburg) Baptist Church in Hamblen County, Tennessee. Married Hester (or Esther) Bibber/Bibbin (Van Bibber/Van Bibbin) in 1743. from: findagrave.com

Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from – James B. Taylor, Virginia Baptist Ministers

From Tom: For the benefit of the many saints around the world who are not fully acquainted with Shubal Stearns (America’s Apostle to the Backwoods) I will begin a series tomorrow that will introduce you to the man God used to spread the gospel in early America. And how a small church Shubal planted in Sandy Creek, NC gave birth to 1000 churches in what is now called the American “Bible Belt.”