George M. StoneREV. GEORGE M. STONE, D.D., HARTFORD: Pastor of Asylum Avenue Baptist Church.
Dr. Stone is the son of Marvin E. and Hannah (West) Stone, and was born at Strongsville, Ohio, December 10, 1834. He commenced a business life at an early age in Cleveland, but shortly after united with the Second Baptist church in that city, and changed his plans for life, deciding to take a course of study preparatory to the Christian ministry. He spent some months at Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Mass., in 1854, and then entered Madison (now Colgate) University, at Hamilton, N.Y., and graduated in 1858. His theological course was also taken at the Hamilton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Stone’s first settlement was in Danbury, Conn., where he was ordained in September, 1860. The next year he married Miss Abbie B. Seeley, daughter of Deacon Nathan Seeley of the Danbury church.
During his residence here, a beautiful new stone church edifice was erected. Dr. Stone gave special attention during this pastorate to the public reading of the Bible, occasionally devoting a whole service to the simple reading of the Scripture without comment. In June, 1879, he accepted a call to the Asylum Avenue Baptist church in Hartford, Conn., which pastorate he still holds (1891), after a period of twelve years. Dr. Stone has made three tours to Europe the first in 1862, the second in 1882, and again in 1889, the latter including a visit to Turkey, Italy, Egypt, and Palestine. In 1884 a journey was made by Dr. Stone through the Yellowstone National Park, an account of which was given in a series of letters to the New York Examiner. He also went to Alaska in 1886. Dr. Stone has lectured extensively upon various subjects, notably his journeys, with stereopticon views on Alaska, Constantinople, and Palestine. He has rendered efficient service in Sunday-school institutes, the especial line in which he is particularly suggestive and fresh being in methods of Bible study. His studies in the public reading of the Bible, which had been continued for several years previously, were gathered together in 1890 in a volume entitled, "The Public Uses of the Bible; A Study in Biblical Elocution." This book, now issued by A. D. F. Randolph & Co., New York, has received the highest commendations from the press and from Christian ministers and teachers. Dr. Stone has been a prolific writer for the press, in which branch of activity he is still constantly engaged. He was elected chaplain of the house of representatives of the Connecticut general assembly in 1883, and re-elected in 1884. A recent notice in the New York Herald makes mention of Dr. Stone in these words: "A few weeks since, one of the most prominent churches in that centre of the great empire of the West, Minneapolis, invited him to their pastorate, but he has decided to remain in his present position, to the great satisfaction of his church and the entire state. His counsel is eagerly sought in all local and state moral and educational and religious work, and he is ever at the front in all movements for the good of men, holding positions in all the important boards of the denomination. In the pulpit he is an attractive, forceful preacher, and his utterances are always marked by sweetness of spirit, keenness of analysis, breadth of view, and the persuasiveness of one who loves his fellow-men."
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