Career
Stone also took issue with the doctrine of the Trinity, and argued against it. "Revelation no where declares that there are three persons of the same substance in the one only God; and it is universally acknowledged to be above reason" (Address to the Christian Churches, 2nd Edition ). At the Cane Ridge, Kentucky revival of 1801, which attracted an estimated 20,000 people,
In 1803 Stone and others with the same theology formed the Springfield Presbytery. After re-examination, he and others in the presbytery felt compelled to dissolve the organization, believing that it was still too close to "Romanization" and creating a human institution, rather than coming together in the way suggested by Scriptures. This led to the famous "Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery." From 1819-1834, he and his family lived in Georgetown, Kentucky. He purchased land in Morgan County, Illinois and in 1834 moved there to Jacksonville, in part because of his opposition to slavery, which was prevalent in Kentucky.
In 1832 in Kentucky, Stone met with Alexander Campbell, a meeting that led to the partial unification of the "Christian" (Stone) movement and the "Reformed Baptist" (Campbell) movement into what is commonly called the Restoration Movement. Campbell had been working in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia, mostly among Baptist groups. Stone had been preaching to Presbyterians in Kentucky and Ohio, although trying to lead them from "denominational bondage". Campbell had been publishing the Christian Baptist and Stone the Christian Messenger, starting in 1826. Through these publications, they began to bring their followers closer together in uniting under Christ. This movement was especially powerful among the churches in the backcountry and on the western frontier.
Congregations that were part of Stone's original movement but chose not to join with Campbell and his followers, merged with similar Christian Churches in other parts of the country. They formed the Christian Connection.
Stone died on November 9, 1844 in Hannibal, Missouri at the home of his daughter. His body was buried on his farm in Morgan County, Illinois. When the farm was sold, descendants had his remains reinterred at Antioch Christian Church east of Jacksonville. In 1847 his remains were moved again and reinterred at Cane Ridge, Kentucky.
A marble obelisk there is inscribed:
"The church of Christ at Cane Ridge and other generous friends in Kentucky have caused this monument to be erected as a tribute of affection and gratitude to Barton W. Stone, minister of the gospel of Christ and the distinguished reformer of the nineteenth century. Born December 24, 1772: died November 9, 1844. His remains lie here. This monument erected in 1847."
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