Tennessee's Pioneer Baptist Preachers

Sketches Of

Tennessee's Pioneer Baptist Preachers

RICHARD MURRELL

(pages 393 - 394)

"Richard Murrell was pastor of the old Double Springs Church, for more than a third of a century. He was also pastor Fall Branch, Beech Creek, Clear Fork, and other churches, in the early history of the Holston Association. He was a man of great piety and humility; was not a doctrinal preacher, like his great-grandson, R. M. Murrell. He dealt in experimental religion; he knew what that was, and used it with very great effect. He was a most wonderful exhorter. When the Holston Association met at Roberson's Creek Church, Brother Murrell followed the preaching brother in exhortation, according to custom. He exhorted with such power that all the great throng of people on the grounds was deeply moved as one man; some cried aloud, others could be seen holding the saplings and bushes, weeping, greatly exercised and stirred with religious emotion." (Will. A. Keen.) He was moderator of the Holston Association in the year 1808. In a sketch of R.M.. Murrell in the East Tennessee Baptist (January 26, 1889) the author made this statement: "Brothel Murrell comes of preaching stock. His great-grandfather. Richard Murrell, for whom young Murrell was named, was a noted pioneer Baptist preacher in upper East Tennessee, and was pastor of Double Springs Church between thirty and forty years."

This fragment of a sketch is presented as a memorial to the name of one of our worthy pioneer preachers, pending further investigation of the records of a life which deserves more extended mention than is here given it.

Burnett, J .J. Sketches of Tennessee's Pioneer Baptist Preachers. Nashville, Tenn.: Press of Marshall & Bruce Company, 1919.

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