A History of Kentucky Baptists From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 
800 Biographical Sketches, J. H. Spencer, Manuscript Revised and 
Corrected by Mrs. Burilla B. Spencer, In Two Volumes.  Printed For the 
Author.  1886.  Republished By Church History Research & Archives 1976 
Lafayette, Tennessee. Vol. 2, pp 74-77 [Hardin County]

WILLIAM LaRUE MORRIS, a son of Judge John Morris, whose father was a 
native of Ireland, as born at Elizabethtown, Hardin county, Kentucky, 
January 10, 1821.  He received a good English education.  In his youth, 
he was very fond of vain amusements and especially of dancing.  But 
about the time he arrived at manhood, the Holy Spirit found way to his 
heart, and suddently cut short his career of giddy pleasure.
	Thomas J. Fisher was holding a protracted meeting at Elizabethtown, 
during Christmas week.  As this was usually a time of festivity, young 
Morris, with other lovers of frolic, averred that the meeting was an 
invasion of his social privileges, and resolved not to attend it.  There 
was to be a great frolic some miles in the country, and, despite the 
entreaties of a pious young cousin, Mr. Morris mounted his horse, and 
started to attend it.  He rode on gaily enough at first.  But soon 
strange thoughts began to crowd in his mind, and singular feelings crept 
over him.  He rode more slowly, and finally stopped.  The questions as 
to whether he should go on to the frolic, or turn back to the meeting, 
agitated him fearfully.  "I will turn my horse directly across the road," 
soliloquized he, "and let him go which every way he will."  Naturally 
enough the horse turned toward home.  He now pushed on eagerly until he 
reached the meeting house in time to hear the sermon.  After a few days, 
he professed hope in Christ and was baptized by T. J. Fisher, and united 
with Severns Valley church, of which his parents were members.  About 
this time he commenced the study of law.  There was, from the first, a 
perplexing contest in his mind.  He was strongly impressed with the duty 
of preaching the gospel.  But there appeared to him many obstacles, and 
he continued his studies.  He met with unexpected success, and fair 
prospects of a brilliant career opened up before him.
	On the first of May, 1845, he was married to Grace N. daughter of 
Thomas Brown, a merchant of Hodgenville.  In this town he established 
himself as a lawyer.  His honesty, candor, strict integrity and fine 
qualifications soon won the confidence of all, and a large share of 
public patronage.  But the struggle with his conscience grew constantly 
stronger, till his soul became darkened with harrowing doubts, and he 
resolved to quit the church, under the impression that he was destitute 
of divine grace.  He communicated his intentions to Samuel Haycraft, who 
was a member of the same church, and who succeeded in persuading him to 
abandon his rash design.  He now began to take a more active part in 
public worship.  He engaged frequently in public prayer and exhortation, 
and finally, in 1850, he accepted a license to preach.  In January, 
1851, he was ordained to the pastoral care of Hodgenville church, by 
John Duncan, Robert L. Thurman and others, and immediately gave himself 
wholly to the work of the ministry.  Soon after his ordination, he 
accepted the pastoral care of Gilead and Severns Valley churches, in 
Hardin county.
	There was at this time, a small congregation of Separate Baptists, 
now called Big Spring church, six miles west of Hodgenville.  This 
church had been constituted November 16, 1816, by the distinguished 
pioneer preachers, Thomas J. Chilton and William Summers.  It became a 
large and flourishing church under the care of Mr. Chilton, when its 
name was changed from Middle Creek to Republican.  In 1843, its name was 
again exchanged for that of Big Spring.  After the death of Mr. Chilton, 
the church dwindled away till it became small and feeble.  In this 
condition they invited Mr. Morris to preach among them.  He accepted the 
invitation, and, after a few months, induced them to accept the terms of 
general union, and take the name of the United Baptists.  The church was 
received into the Salem association, and Mr. Morris became its pastor.  
He preached for this church about fifteen years, during which it became 
one of the largest and most influential congregations in the 
Association.  Besides the churches named above, Mr. Morris was, at 
different times, pastor of Rolling Fork and Union Band, in Nelson 
county, Bethel, in Hardin, Campbellville, in Taylor, and Bewleyville in 
Breckinridge.  As a pastor he was generally successful, and was much 
beloved by his people.
	In the spring of 1866, he was appointed one of the General 
Evangelists for the State, by the executive Board of the General 
Association.  He resigned his pastoral charges to accept this position.  
But a few weeks afterwards he was attacked with disease of the heart, 
which rendered him unable to preach.  His health being slightly 
improved, he attended the General Association at Henderson in May 1867, 
and was elected clerk of that body.  From Henderson he went to the 
"Western District" of Kentucky, on a visit, and while there, was elected 
pastor of the church at Mayfield.  He accepted the call, and returned to 
Hodgenville to take his family to his new field of labor. But while 
preparing to move, he took a relapse of his disease, and was confined to 
his bed to rise no more in mortal flesh.  He talked freely of his 
approaching departure and was calm and resigned.  During his illness, he 
never appeared to be troubled with any doubts of his acceptance with 
God.  About three days before his departure, he spoke to Elder Robert 
Enlows, with great composure, in about the following words:
	"There is a great similarity between your case when you seemed so 
near the grave, as mine, now.  I have felt an indifference about myself 
several days.  I have felt much for my family, for the brethren and for 
poor sinners without hope.  But I know in which I hope.  I have made 
many slips and failures, and my work has been very imperfect; but I 
trust not in these.  I think the promises of God are sure words.  I have 
made many sacrifices, as we call them, and have had some success in the 
ministry.  I suppose I have baptized more than a thousand persons and 
have witnessed the baptism of many more, under my ministry.  But I 
expect nothing for all this. My hope is all in the grace of God, through 
Jesus Christ."  On the 13th of June, 1868, he answered the Master's call 
to come up higher.
	Mr. Morris was, in his time, what David Thurman had been in the 
preceding generation - indisputably the ablest preacher in the Salem 
Association.  His timidity was so great that his real ability was 
unknown to any except those who heard him among his acquaintances.  He 
invariably "made a failure" when he attempted to preach before strange 
ministers.  He was a close student possessed a large and varied fund of 
knowledge, and was a good consistent theologian.  When surrounded by no 
embarrassing circumstances, he was one of the most eloquent and and 
finished orators in the Kentucky pulpit.  But his crowning excellence 
was his deep-toned piety and eminent spirituality.  "He seemed to live 
nearer to God," says an acquaintance, "than any man I ever knew.  I have 
seen him, for three or four days at a time so overwhelmed with a sense 
of divine goodness, and filled so unutterably full of love and 
tenderness, that he could not preach or pray publicly, or sleep at 
night."

Morris Fisher Brown Haycraft Duncan Thurman Chilton Summers Enlows
=
Ireland Hodgenville-LaRue-KY Nelson-KY Taylor-KY Breckinridge-KY 
Henderson-Henderson-KY Mayfield-Graves-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/hardin/morris.wl.txt