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[A servant of the people, regardless of their creed, Bro. Moore made his way through winter storms and summer heat to be near those who needed his presence. Even such occasions as the “big snow of 1917" could not keep him from traveling miles into the country to comfort the distressed or conduct a funeral.] Bro. Moore’s ministry during the great influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 is undocumented, but must have been extensive. [Funerals in those days were frequently held in the homes–occasionally in the church–seldom at a funeral home. It is believed that Bro. Moore conducted as many as one thousand funeral services.
[His home became the Gretna Green of Anderson county as scores of couples anticipating matrimony sought out “the country preacher.” A much-used ceremony by Bro. Moore began with quoting Genesis 2:18, “And . . . God said, It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make him an help meet.” A list of 928 marriages has been prepared by the Anderson county Historical Society. The first known couple married by Bro. Moore was that of E. H. Highbarger and Mrs. Mary Pebly, July 6, 1886. The last ceremony performed by him was that of Robert Spalding and Margaret Roark, July 27, 1935. Copies of this list have been given to the Kentucky Historical Society and to Southern Baptist Seminary.
[Perhaps the number of persons baptized by Bro. Moore would equal or surpass that of his weddings. The first person he baptized was Harrison Cinnamon. The trend for country folks to seek a city baptistry is fairly modern. It is not known that “the country preacher” ever baptized more than once or twice in a baptistry. However, many a farm pond, creek, and river have been scenes of huge gatherings where, with stick in hand to lend support, the preacher has wadeds into baptismal waters. Inconveniences then experienced would generally be considered just cause for “indefinite postponement” today. The oft chilly, at times icy, water, the quick walk to some sheltered place to change clothing, and the slow journey homeward made a baptismal service quite different from that of today. Yet the sameness of the service–its purpose, its design, its meaning–was the challenge which kept Bro Moore ever anxious to keep the march into baptismal waters a continuous one.
[I have referred to Bro. Moore as a preacher and as a pastor. May I now remind you that he was an educator. The home of Bro. Moore was never without good books and magazines. The young preacher taught a number of “subscription” schools.] Families would “subscribe”, or pledge, so much money a session so that their children could receive the basics of education. This was long before the existence of public schools. [One of these was taught in the upstairs rooms of the large country home. Others were taught at Bind’s Mill and Salt river. Ambitious students from far out in the country attended these schools. Some even boarded in the neighborhood in order to receive instruction from so able a teacher. From 1891 until 1901 Bro. Moore served as Superintendent of Anderson County schools. The task then did not carry heavy responsibilities, and Bro. Moore found time to visit frequently in the many small one-room schools of the county. He always delighted to hear the children read and recite little things they had memorized, but best of all he enjoyed a good “spelling match.” He usually gave “a little talk,” as he called it, which carried a definite lesson in classroom behavior and Christian conduct. He succeeded in collecting a sizable number of books for an “office library.” These books were used to great advantage to supplement the meager facilities of the classrooms. His salary as Superintendent was $400 a year. Upon many occasions Bro. Moore was called upon to speak at “The Institute.” He responded cheerfully to every call when he could lend any help to the schools of Anderson County. One of his “Institute” lectures was recorded on a cylinder record. The playing of this record proved a novelty to admiring teachers and others. He was perhaps the first recorded voice of an Anderson County resident.] Wouldn’t it be great to still have this old cylinder record?
[And “the country preacher” was a prolific writer. In fact, he was for a brief period editor of The Anderson News. However, long before this time, and even for years later, he made interesting contributions to the News. These articles contained much of human interest and would be enjoyable to present day readers. His many contributions to the Western Recorder {the Kentucky Baptist weekly paper} reflect a wide range of interests and deep concern for the progress of denominational causes. Bro. Moore’s wide acquaintance among church leaders was a source of great happiness to him, and his contribution to their success can scarcely be exaggerated. He numbered among his friends many of the distinguished leaders–but to him every honest man was a distinguished man.
[Some of Bro. Moore’s messages are preserved in the Minutes of Baptist Association. They make plain his soundness of doctrine, his steadfastness in “contending earnestly for the faith,” and are valuable in their dealing with divisive issues facing our people during the post war [World War II}.
[Bro. Moore was a traveler. In 1904 he visited the battle field of Buena vista {Mexico], where his father fought in 1847.
[He was a frequent messenger to the Southern Baptist convention, and he was able to give informative and interesting accounts of both the “sights” and the proceedings. “Down in dixie” was the title given his newspaper account. Of the trip to Chattanooga when the Convention met there in 1896.
[In 1911 he spent three months on a tour which included several European cities and the Holy Land. His lectures concerning the trip were given hundreds of times. His weekly letters to The Anderson News kept scores of readers both entertained and informed while the traveler was abroad.