Amzi Clarence Dixon

AMZI CLARENCE DIXON
1854 - 1925

Born on a plantation near Shelby, North Carolina, on July 6, 1854, Amzi Clarence Dixon was a microcosm of an era of fundamentalism. His father, a Baptist preacher, was a godly man; so young Clarence consistently received the highest caliber of Christian example and training. Destined to become a great Bible expositor and elegant preacher, A.C. Dixon knew early in life that he must preach the Gospel. After graduating from Wake Forest, Dixon served two country churches in North Carolina. Leaving both congregations in a state of revival, he then went to study under John A. Broadus at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He enjoyed powerful and fruitful pastorates at many places, but particularly at Chicago's Moody Church and London's Metropolitan Tabernacle. During his 10-year ministry at Hanson Place Baptist Church, Brooklyn (1890-1900) Dixon often rented the Brooklyn Opera House for Sunday afternoon evangelistic meeting's. In 1901, he became pastor of Ruggles St. Baptist Church, Roxbury, Mass. Here Dixon taught at the Gordon Bible and Missionary Training School and wrote his famous "Evangelism Old and New", an attack on the Social Gospel movement. In 1906 he accepted the pulpit of the Chicago Avenue Church (Moody Memorial Church), and he spent the war years ministering at Spurgeon's Tabernacle in London. During these years he was conspicous at Fundamentalist gatherings; he spoke at great Bible conferences.

A.C. Dixon suffered a heart attack and died on June 14, 1925, just one month before the Scopes trial. Dixon, like many other Fundamentalists, fought the good fight almost to the midnight hour of his life.