George Stevenson (1771-1841)
James Dodson
Biographical Sketch
George Stevenson was born in Mount Teviot, in the parish of Ancrum, Roxburghshire, Scotland, May 2, 1771. In his youth, he recalled hearing the first licentiate of the Secession Church, Mr. John Hunter, preach on occasion. In the village of Morebattle, his education was advanced and the family were members of the Secession Church, under the ministry of Mr. David Morrison. He entered the University of Edinburgh, in December, 1789, where he gained a liberal education studying under the renowned Dugald Stewart. In 1791, he entered the Divinity Hall of the General Associate Synod of the Secession Church where he studied under Archibald Bruce. In the spring of 1796, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Kelso and began to minister amongst the vacancies in the church. On September 13, 1796, he received a call from the congregation of Ayr which he accepted. On February 22, 1797, he was ordained and installed. He protested against the union with the Burgher Synod in 1820 and, after several years, united with the Constitutional Associate Presbytery in 1827. In 1834, he was honored with the degree of D.D. from New Jersey College (Princeton). In 1815, he published Dissertation on the Necessity of the Atonement; and, in 1820, he published his only sermon, The Grace of Christ Illustrated. These together with his Plea for the Covenanted Reformation comprise the bulk of his writings. He died on May 5, 1841, in the forty fourth year of his ministry.
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