Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives
He had no fear of excoriating politicians or religious leaders

December 30, 1835 – Zacharius N. Morrell (Z.N.) with a clear voice and a stronger body than he had known for years, preached his first sermon on Texas soil. He had just arrived with his physician and several other friends from Tennessee on a survey trip to see if his family could be safely taken to that Roman Catholic enclave. He determined that night, that he would bring his wife and four children to Texas and cast his lot with that turbulent empire.

According to B.F. Riley, Morrell had the distinction of being the most, “daring, uncompromising and aggressive of the pioneer Baptist preachers of Texas.” J.M. Carroll said that he was responsible for, “having laid the right foundations of organized Baptist work in Texas.”

Born in S.C. on Jan. 17, 1803, he received little formal education but was known for his courage and fiery temperament. He began preaching before he was 20 and served for 14 years in Tennessee. For a period of 9 years he averaged preaching a sermon per day even though he was hemorrhaging from his lung.

The anti-missionary forces had made inroads into Texas but Morrell formed the first “missionary” Baptist church in the state at Washington on the Brazos with 8 members in 1837. As a champion of missions, temperance, Sunday schools, and education, he stamped his impression upon the early labors in his adopted state. He organized churches and associations. He had no fear of excoriating politicians or religious leaders when he felt that they were to be censured. He felt that the Bible was to be wielded as a sharp two-edged sword.

He also countered the “Hard-Shells” and the “Campbellites” when they penetrated the state along with fighting the Indians.

Thomas E. Kresal – This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 547-49.