Barton Warren Stone (1772–1844) was a revivalist preacher, reformer, and co-founder of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Born in Maryland and raised in Virginia, Stone experienced conversion during his college years and felt called to ministry. Ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1798, he served congregations in Kentucky, but soon grew troubled by the rigid Calvinist doctrines required by the Westminster Confession—particularly the idea of limited atonement, which seemed to him incompatible with the gospel's universal invitation.
In August 1801, Stone helped organize the Cane Ridge Revival in Bourbon County, Kentucky, one of the largest and most famous camp meetings of the Second Great Awakening. Thousands gathered for days of preaching, prayer, singing, and exhortation, crossing denominational lines in shared fervor. The revival convinced Stone that Christians could unite around Christ without creeds, and that the Spirit moved freely among all who called on the Lord in faith.
By 1803, Stone and several fellow ministers withdrew from the Presbyterian Synod, forming the short-lived Springfield Presbytery. Within a year they dissolved it altogether, issuing the satirical yet earnest *Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery* (1804), in which they renounced all sectarian names and took only the name "Christian." Stone's followers became known simply as "Christians," emphasizing liberty of conscience, the openness of the Lord's table, and the authority of Scripture over creeds.
Stone traveled extensively as a revivalist and organizer, founding churches across Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee. Through his periodical, *The Christian Messenger* (1826–1845), he promoted unity, defended the freedom of the gospel, and engaged theological debates—sometimes disagreeing with Alexander Campbell on issues like the nature of the atonement and the work of the Spirit, yet always maintaining a spirit of charity and cooperation.
In 1832, Stone's "Christians" and Campbell's "Disciples" formally united at Lexington, Kentucky, in a historic handshake that embodied the movement's central plea: visible Christian unity grounded in Scripture, conscience, and love. Stone's theology emphasized God's gracious character, human freedom, and the church as a community of equals at Christ's open table. His legacy endures in the Stone-Campbell tradition's commitment to unity, simplicity, and freedom of conscience.
Relationships
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Welcomed by: John "Raccoon" Smith
At the 1832 Lexington meeting, John "Raccoon" Smith extended fellowship to Stone and his congregations, sealing the union with the Campbells. -
Drew inspiration from: James O'Kelly
Stone found in O'Kelly’s reforms a model for dropping creeds and embracing the simple name Christian. -
United movements with: John "Raccoon" Smith
Smith's handshake with Stone at Lexington in 1832 symbolized the merger of Christians and Disciples.
Selected Quotes
“Let Christian unity be our polar star.”
“We take the name Christian to the exclusion of all sectarian names.”