BIOGRAPHY: REV. DAVID B. MORRILL - Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 10 December 2001 ***************************************************************** Texas Historical and Biographical Magazine Designed to give a Complete History of the Baptists of Texas from their First Entrance into the State, and other Historical Matters of Interest to the Denomination. Vol. II Copyright, 1895, by J. B. Link J. B. Link, Editor and Proprietor, Austin Copy from the Texas Baptist Collection, 4144 N. Central Expressway, Suite 110, Dallas, Texas 75204 Page 656 REV. DAVID B. MORRILL. - The name of D. B. Morrill should ever be cherished by Texas Baptists. He literally wore out his life and young manhood in laying the foundation of the glorious success of the Baptist cause in Texas. I knew him intimately from the very night he consecrated his life to the gospel ministry, in 1848, during a great revival. I never shall forget Bro. Morrill's tears and prayers and efforts to bring sinners to Jesus. Especially will I ever remember the last night, near the close of the meeting, we spent at Deacon Borden's. He unbosomed his whole soul to me, confessed he had long felt powerfully impressed to preach the gospel, but like Jonah, he had struggled against his convictions and ran away from the great duty of warning sinners "to flee the wrath to come." But after midnight, with many tears, he said, "Here Lord, I give my life to thee. I lay my all upon thy altar." He was descended from the illustrious New England family of Morrills, but he had come to Texas a poor boy, and engaged to drive a hack from Galveston to Matagorda for Mr. J. W. Winnie. He was so industrious, frugal and devoted to business, he had become part owner and was superintendent of that great stage line. He was investing also in Galveston city property, and was cautiously and surely laying the foundation of a fortune, but he surrendered all for the life of a pioneer Baptist preacher, "without money and without price." His partner in business said to me, "You have spoiled the finest business young man in Galveston." I replied, "It is the Lord's doing, and not mine." Bro. Morrill resolved at once to give up all his bright business prospects and enter Baylor University, at Independence and prepare thoroughly for his grand life work. Oh, how solemn and sweet to see a young man with such bright business prospects give up all for Jesus and his church. At Baylor University he met a true yoke-fellow, Jas. H. Stribling, who after a long life of usefulness has recently joined him "in that land that is fairer than day." They studied hard and prayed earnestly all the week, and preached on Sundays in all the surrounding neighborhoods. They conducted some of the most precious revivals ever known in Texas. At the revival on New Year's Creek, over seventy-five souls were converted. He was still a student in Baylor University when I became President, in 1851. He was then reading Horace and Homer and the Greek Testament with great zeal and fluency; but his beloved yoke-fellow, Bro. Stribling, had gone out into the great West to preach Jesus, and often wrote to him of the vast destitution. And from a hundred destitute towns and settlements the Macedonian cry was ringing in his ears by day and by night, "Come over and help us," till at last he said to me, "I can stay no longer." About this time a devout Baptist young lady woman I had received into the church in Huntsville in 1849, came to Independence to visit her old and beloved pastor, Geo. W. Baines and family. Miss Laura Hatch was descended from noble family of Hatcher and Whitfields, in Mississippi. The devout son of Massachusetts and the lovely daughter of Missippippi "met by chance," the usual way, according to Divine Providence. As two transparent dewdrops of the morning mutually attract and flow together, so these pure and noble young hearts attracted each other, and on the 17th of February, 1852, they met at the hymeneal altar and Rev. G. W. Baines made them one in name and one in Destiny, as they were already one in affection. Never were two hearts more devoted to each other, or more consecrated to the church of the Redeemer. Bro. Morrill immediately became pastor at Victoria, and Bro. Stribling at Gonzales, but they held meetings together in all the growing settlements and towns west of the Colorado, from the mountains to the Gulf. This arduous frontier labor was seriously impairing Bro. Morrill's health, and depriving him of the opportunity to study, which he so much desired. Hence he accepted the pastorship of the church at Crockett. That little church was composed of Brethren T. J. Heflin and family, Dr. A. S. Lipscomb and family, Bro. Goodson and family, and others, the very best material in Texas for building up a strong church. Soon God sent them a glorious revival, in which over seventy-five souls were converted. But alas, so sadly true is it that the hour of greatest prosperity is the hour of the greatest danger. And amidst the glorious prospects a sad difficulty arose, by "the de­vice of Satan," about a case of discipline. This difficulty alien­ated the pastor from some of his best friends and dearest breth­ren, and finally divided the church, which required long years, and the almost divine prudence of Elder Jesse G. Thomas to settle and heal. These difficulties were always a heart grief to Bro. Morrill, though he was ever conscious of struggling to enforce gospel discipline. The whole difficulty originated about a small money matter, which could have been easily settled at first. But after "busy bodies and their father, the devil," fanned the sparks into a flame, it blighted for years, the best interest of the church and destroyed the affection of noble brethren toward each other, though they were struggling for what they regarded the best interest of the church. While pastor at Crockett, Bro. Mor­rill gained a clear insight into the sad condition of the Baptist cause in Eastern Texas, or all Texas lying east of Trinity River. While there were scores of good brethren and able preachers in Eastern Texas, there was an utter want of general organization and co-operation on missions, education and colportage work. Besides, a large number of "broken down preachers" and "smart Alicks" from the older States, had drifted into Texas, and as Western Texas was thoroughly organized and had passed a strict quarantine" against all such preachers, most of them stopped in Eastern Texas, and were causing divisions in our blessed Redeemer's kingdom. Bro. Morrill's great soul longed to devote his life to thoroughly organizing Eastern Texas and firing the souls of the brethren on the glorious mission of win­ning all Texas for Jesus. But there seemed to be no opening to begin that grand work. The death of Rev. and Hon. Thomas Chilton, at Montgomery, Texas, in 1854, left a noble church and important town destitute. Bro. Morrill therefore accepted a call to the Montgomery church, and spent two years in earnest suc­cessful pastoral work, and profound study of God's Holy Word. But his soul pined for a wider and more laborious field of organ­izing the denomination in Eastern Texas. In 1859 an "open door" was given him. He was elected general agent and mis­sionary of the East Texas Baptist Convention, and correspond­ing editor of the Texas Baptist. Thus in the three-fold capacity of agent, editor and evangelist, he visited all Texas, from Red River to the Gulf of Mexico. He first located his family in Bos­ton, Bowie county, and then in the central, growing city of Tyler, and as a new apostle he everywhere pleaded with pathos, tears and burning eloquence for union, zeal, gospel discipline, and a grand advance move in missions, education, colportage and Sunday- schools. He found scores of noble Christians, male and female, and preachers, to hale his coming. Among these were Elders J. S. Bledsoe, A. E. Clemmons, Jeremiah Beau, William M. Pickett, William B. Featherstone, J. R Clark, Josbua F. Johnson, Samuel J. Wright, and Deacons S. D. Rainey, Ben Terry, Dr. Harrington, Gideon and Dr. Smith, George Yarbrough, W. S. Whaley, and many others. A wonderful revo­lution was soon effected, and the Baptist cause was moving up grandly in all Eastern Texas. When the Confederate war covered our Southland in smoke and bloody ruins, Bro. Morrill and a faithful few struggled hard to bear aloft the streaming banner of the cross. In 1865, he, like all true Southerners, went heroically to work to repair our ruined homes, churches, and the waste places of our Zion, and to make "the wilderness blossom again as the rose." He met a cordial response everywhere, but alas! our whole land was impoverished by war and the ruin of our system of labor. He therefore had to perform his arduous labor of love almost wholly at his own expense. His noble wife stayed at home, took boarders and supported the family, while he trav­ersed all Eastern Texas and aroused the brethren and churches to a renewal of their zeal for Jesus and our native land. In 1866, '67 and '68, Bro. Morrill bore a prominent and vital part, as corresponding editor for Eastern Texas, in establishing the Texas Baptist Herald. But In this grand work let it never be forgotten that Bro. Link deserves the highest niche in fame, and next to him Bro. D. B. Morrill. Bro. Morrill visited every Association, and every church and family, as far as possible, in Eastern Texas, everywhere preaching Jesus and cirulating the Texas Baptist Herald. But in 1867-68 he achieved his last crowning labor of love for the Redeemer's cause in Texas. At that time Bro. Morrill and other noble spirits in Eastern Texas, and brethren living in Central and Northwest Texas, saw that to meet great and growing wants, all these sec­tions should be organized into a General Association, to act in perfect harmony with the dear old Baptist State Convention, which for twenty years had done such glorious work in Texas. Bro. Link heartily endorsed the movement, and gave it the powerful support of his widely circulated Texas Baptist Herald. However, the great toil of getting all Eastern Texas into har­mony with the movement devolved on Bro. Morrill. He visited every Association, and nearly all the churches, and aroused the whole of the East Texas Baptist Convention to the importance of a wider, stronger and grander organization. While engaged in this noble work of love and unification, God greatly blessed his preaching, many glorious revivals followed, and hundreds of souls were converted to God. At Ladonia alone, seventy-five were converted and baptized. The Convention and the District Associations cordially approved a new organization, and appoint­ed delegates to meet for general consultation in Tyler, during the regular session of the Cherokee Association, October, 1867. After a full, free and brotherly consultation, it was unanimously resolved to meet at Chatfield, Navarro county, in August, 1868, for a permanent organization. Bro. D. B. Morrill was appointed to preach the introductory sermon, and to continue his general agency for Eastern Texas. The spirit of prayer and brotherly love was so earnest in this Tyler meeting, a glorious revival came down from heaven, and over one hundred aud twenty-five souls were converted. But alas! with a sad and almost bleeding heart I saw Bro. Morrill had entirely overworked himself, and had, like our Spurgeon, and many of our noblest workers, neg­lected to hear that command of our all-wise and merciful Savior, "Come ye apart and rest awhile." But oh, how hard it is for such workers to obey this great and loving command, while "the fields are white to the harvest" and the cry "come over and help us" is ringing in their ears. I saw his whole nervous sys­tem was prostrate, though he did a glorious work in the precious revival at Tyler. I shuddered and wept when I saw that power­ful constitution he had, when we toiled together in the revival at Galveston, twenty years before, so utterly broken down. He removed to Ladonia, to supply that church as pastor, and be nearer his great work on Red River, and Northwest Texas. Though so prostrated from overwork, work was essential to his happiness. Great revivals and a new spirit for missions, abound­ed wherever he went. In February, 1868, he went to the beauti­ful, growing town of Honey Grove, to preach an important doc­trinal sermon repelling some assaults on Baptist doctrine. Though so feeble, he preached with wonderful power for two hours, utterly annihilating all the false charges against the Bap­tists. He rode home that evening amid ice, snow, and a pierc­mg norther. On reaching home, shivering with cold, he said to his devoted wife, "I have preached my last sermon; I am going home where chilling winds are felt and feared no more." She endeavored to rally his hopefulness by saying, "Our Heavenly Father is too merciful to take you away from me and these eight helpless children." He replied with a smile of assurance, "God will be a better father to my children and a greater protector to my precious wife than I can be; God will ever guide and protect my precious ones." He suffered greatly, but was so happy that he was scarcely conscious of pain. The whole town was aroused for his recovery. Unceasing prayers were offered for him by day and by night, but he cheerfully said, "I am going home; tell my brethren every where I am dying in the army of Jesus and in the path of duty, and to meet me in heaven." Scores of anx­ious friends, and even infidels, gathered around his death bed, to see with what triumphant joy the Christian can die. Many of these were converted in the great revival that immediately fol­lowed, ascribing their conversion to the triumphant death of Bro. Morrill. When the noble bands of Eastern, Central and North­west Texas assembled at Chatfield in August, 1868, Bro. Morrill was not there. His body was sleeping with Jesus at Ladonia, and his spirit was rejoicing in heaven. Amid the general rejoic­mg there was a sad vacancy in every heart. On Sunday at 11 o'clock, by request of his devoted wife and the universal desire of all, I preached his memorial sermon. That vast and weeping audience will never forget that occasion. Thus lived and thus died Elder David B. Morrill, in the vigor of manhood and in the full tide of usefulness. No man ever gave twenty years of greater consecration than he did to the Baptist cause in Texas. He died happy, rejoicing in Jesus. He died commending in con­fident prayer his devoted wife and eight children to God. And "though dead, he yet speaketh," and his example, his sermons and influence will live in Texas till the stars grow dim. God has heard his prayer in guiding and blessing his wife and eight children. Mrs. Kate Pickett, Mrs. E. J. Johnson, Mrs, Mollie Johnson, Mr. D. B. Morrill, Mr. Lem Morrill, Mr. Prentiss Mor­rill, Mrs. Willie Fitzhugh, and Mrs. Laura Wilkins, are all do­ing well, and useful members of the church. All hearts will es­pecially rejoice that his oldest son, D. B. Morrill, has just been licensed to preach at Colorado City, and gives promise of great usefulness. A thousand prayers will go up to heaven that the mantle of the father may fall on his son, and like his illustrious father, may he be wise to win souls, and shine forth as a re­plendent star in our Texas Zion. His devoted wife lives to see that her noble husband's prayers were fully answered, and she is joyfully waiting to hear the precious Redeemer say, come up and join all your loved ones at Jesus' feet. - R. C. B.