Rev. Brock [sic: Brack] D. Porter, the Evangelical cyclone of Cumberland Presbytery, was born in Patric [sic] County, Virginia, in the year 1840. Little of his early history is available. Like most boys of pioneer days, his educational advantages were meager.

He sought his souls salvation, and found God precious in the pardon of his sins, in 1863, and united with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in November, and the spring following placed himself under the care of Cumberland Presbytery; was licensed to preach in 1865; and in 1866 was ordained to the whole work of the gospel ministry. So we find that he has been a full-fledged preacher for forty-eight years. During his ministry he has made a record of nearly six thousand conversions--four thousand of these have been within four miles of his home. He has attended eighty-five presbyteries, nine synods and eight general assemblies. He has performed over four hundred marriage ceremonies. Surely this is a great work for one man to have done, and while this is true, he no doubt would say; "It was not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord."

It is said of Brother Porter that in his palmy days, his appeals to the unconverted were well-nigh irresistible. He believed in a time and place religion; and had but little patience with modern evangelism. He emphasized the words of the Master: "Ye must be born again."

He says: "The church paid me very little for my labor, but it was partly my fault, for I never taught them along this line as I should." Not only was this true in Brother Porter's case, but with the majority of the preachers of his age. But again he says: "I have found that he that withholds nothing from God will by blessed experience realize that God withholds nothing from him. He realizes that he has made many mistakes and that much dross appears among the pure gold of his life work. We hear him humbly, regretfully, saying: "I feel that I am now stranded upon the rock of lost opportunities." If a man whose life has been so full of labor, and whose labors have been so signally blessed of God, thus finds cause for regret, as he retrospects the longer side of his earthly life. How shall it be with us who have done so little. It was Dean Farrar, who said: "To live well in the quiet routine of life; to fill a little space because God wills it; to go on cheerfully with the petty round of little duties, little avocations; to smile for the joy of others when the heart is aching--who does this, his works will follow him. He may not be a hero to the world, but he is one of God's heroes."

A few more days, a few more years, at farthest, will bring him to the end of his pilgrimage, and the voice to which he has been accustomed to give heed all these years, will pronounce: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord." And with the eye of faith he looks beyond death's dark and chilly tide, and in joyful contemplation sings:

"There shall I bathe my weary soul,
     In seas of heavenly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast."

Yes, when Christ comes to gather His jewels, and reward His servants, and I see a crown of unusual brightness and splendor, and ask: "Lord, is that for this man or that?" He will answer: "No, it is for Rev. Brock D. Porter, a poorly paid but valiant and faithful servant of mine, who comes up from Cumberland Presbytery." Ah! who would not value such a hope above earthly titles, fame or fortune? Who would not renounce the avaricious temptation of "Larger things" when truth and justice lay bleeding upon the altar of selfish ambition--for the excellency of the glory which shall be revealed in us.' See 1 Peter 5: 10.

[Source: Our Senior Soldiers: The Biographies and Autobiographies of Eighty Cumberland Presbyterian Preachers.Compiled by The Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication. The Assistance of Revs. J. L. Price and W. P. Kloster is Greatfully Acknowledged. Nashville, Tenn.: The Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1915, pages 174-176]

REV. BRAXTON D. PORTER, of Sulphur Well, was born November 25, 1839, in Patrick County, Va. He is the son of James Porter and Faney (Baker) Porter. His father died November 24, 1839, the day before the Rev. Mr. Porter was born. He was a millwright, and died at the age of forty years. In 1841 Mrs. Porter with her family immigrated to Kentucky and settled in the northeast portion of Barren (now Metcalfe) County, on Little Barren River. Rev. Braxton D. is the youngest of the family,
which besides himself consisted of William; Mary M., deceased wife of Thomas Hill; Columbus, who died while serving as one of the court officials of Monroe County; German and James, who died in the military service of the United States. Rev. Mr. Porter married Laura L. Mudd, a daughter of John and Susan Mudd, also of Green County, Ky., who besides Mrs. Porter have the following children: Marion, William, Anna (who married a Mr. Durrett, and after his death married a Mr. Milby), John,
Elizabeth (who married a Mr. Bennett), Fielding, Susan G . and Martha (who married a Mr. Rice). In 1870 Rev. Mr. Porter became a candidate for the ministry of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was admitted a licentiate of the Cumberland Presbytery that year. In 1871 he was ordained to complete work of the ministry, and has been pastor of the following churches, viz.: Hopewell, Bethel, Antioch, Edmonton, Shiloh, Cross Roads, Salem, Oceola, Cave Hill, Lick Branch, Hiseville, Mount Moriah, Pleasant Valley and Casey's Fork. Within the past ten years 1,200 members have attached themselves to the church through his ministrations. He is a voracious reader of books and a constant student of nature, and has considerable local celebrity as a revivalist. He has been a laboring man all his life, and cultivates a small tract of fertile land which he owns. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and in politics a Prohibitionist.

[Source: Kentucky: A History of the State. Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 1886. Metcalfe County.]

In the State of Virginia, eighty-one years ago, the 25th day of last November, a tiny feather was dropped from the wing of love into the fond lap of motherhood, who in early childhood was removed to Sulphur Well, in Metcalfe County, Ky., where he was reared to manhood and spent the remainder of his life. I have often heard him say that when he was a barefooted boy he rode behind his sister to the old Antioch church; it was communion day, the meeting being held out of doors, and that as he sat on the rail fence near by he saw a table covered with white linen and in his childish heart he wondered what it meant. After the communion, they had a song; the Christians gathered about the altar, clasped each others hands, thereby renewing their covenant with God and promising to pray for each other. His sister, with many others, felt the presence and power of the Spirit of God and was made to rejoice in the hope of heaven and immortal glory. Amid this scene he had his first impression to be religious. Time rolled on; and, like many others, he drifted into sin, but ever had respect for God and the Church; even when a sinful boy he voluntarily collected money for Brother Marshall Gooden, pastor of the Baptist Church near his home.

In young manhood he professed religion and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Six months later (if I mistake not) he presented himself to Cumberland Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry, was received and spent his life as a member of said body. He was pastor of many churches; his main work was evangelistic; he held meetings with all denominations (that believed in salvation by grace) far and near, in churches, schoolhouses and groves and often had from 100 to 150 professions. So great was his success that when he consented to go to Indiana to hold a meeting for Rev. Jo Cook, a Baptist preacher, who went from here out there, the local papers, when advertising his coming, headed it with the words: "Coming, the Great Soul-Winner of Kentucky."

The doctors once told him that unless he quit preaching he could not live over two years. He dropped his head for a moment, looked up, smiled and replied: "I will just put that two years in for the Lord." He went right on holding meetings, even though he had to sit down sometimes to preach. He lived for years and saw thousands more give God their hearts. We visited in his home in April, 1919. He told us then, as we had often heard him say, that he had had over ten thousand professions under his ministry.

When the merger move came he stood true to the church of his choice and was one of the 106 who signed the protest at Decatur, Ill., in May, 1906.

Brother Porter claimed all the young preachers of his Presbytery as boys, and I think well he might, for it was under his ministry that most of us were converted, and he has ever been our counselor. We shall ever regret not being at home when the news of his death came, so we could have attended his burial, for he was to me what no other man had ever been.

He leaves a wife, a few nephews and nieces, with thousands of friends, to mourn their loss, which we are sure is his eternal gain.

An appropriate inscription for the marble slab that marks his resting place, near his home, would be: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labors, but their works do follow them."

He departed this life March 19, 1920.--D. B. Dilley.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, April 29, 1920, page 15]

A memorial service for the late Rev. B. D. (Brack) Porter, well-known Cumberland Presbyterian minister, will be held at Seven Springs Church, between Sulphur Well and Node, Sunday.

The program will begin at 10:30 a. m. and will continue throughout the day.

Rev. Porter was born in 1838 near Center and preached throughout this section of the country. Many of the older couples were married by him.

A monument will be dedicated to his memory at services Sunday. His body and that of his second wife were taken from the Morris cemetery, near Center, by Butler Funeral Home, Monday, and interred in Seven Springs cemetery. Rev. Porter died at the age of 83 in 1920. He had been a minister since youth.

It was his desire to have the body of his first wife, who was a Miss Wallace, to be buried with him also but there seem to be no close relatives living and it is not sure where she was buried, as she died about 80 years ago, living only a short time after their marriage. Her name will appear on the monument to be dedicated. His second wife was Miss Laura Mudd who died 15 years ago, and her name will also appear on the monument. Rev. Porter died about 28 years ago.

The Seven Springs Church has recently erected a new building and it will also be dedicated Sunday.

Everyone is invited to attend and bring lunch.

The program follows: Prelude; Song, "O Master Let Me Walk With Thee;" Invocation, by pastor, Rev. Luther Turner; Song, "When They Ring The Golden Bells;" Special music, King C. Crenshaw; Introduction of speaker, Rev. A. B. Hiser; Memorial message, Rev. J. W. Weldon, D. D.; Noon recess.

Prelude at 1:30 p. m., Song, "How Firm A Foundation;" Prayer, Rev. E. L. Freeman; Song, "Faith Of Our Fathers;" Address, "The Rev. Porter as organizer and Pastor of the Seven Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church," Rev. A. B. Hiser; Address, "The Rev. Porter as an Evangelist," Rev. J. W. Furkin; Music (as congregation passes quietly into cemetery; Dedication of monument, Dr. W. A. Weldon; Prayer of dedication, Rev. E. L. Jewell; Unveiling of monument; Benediction, Rev. B. L. DeSpain.

[Source: Greensburg (KY) Record-Herald, 23 September 1949, page 1]

Cemetery: SANDIDGE-MORRIS: From Center, go ESE on 1196 for 2.4 miles, turn right and go 0.3 mile to the Paul York farm (1977). About 0.3 mile S of the house:

Names in Cemetery: Baker, Conyers, Hodges, Morris, Porter, Sandidge, Young, Franklin