William Cate was born in 1807 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. At the time, the religious condition of East Tennessee was said to be deplorable – overrun with lifeless paedobaptists. Nevertheless, here and there souls were saved by the grace of God, and among them was William Cate.
On this day (November 10) in 1837 he and his wife were immersed in water and joined the local Baptist Church. Two and half years later Bro. Cates was ordained to the gospel ministry. Instead of becoming a pastor, his first year was spent in itinerant preaching. After twelve months he reported that he had preached about 200 sermons in 23 protracted meetings, and approximately 500 people had been saved. Then he started working as a missionary.
By 1842 he organized churches in Jonesboro, Elizabethton and Blountsville. Later there were also new churches s in Rogersville, New Salem and Bristol. For 18 years he pastored in Jonesboro, and at the close of his life, the membership stood at 170. It is said that Bro. Cate was not a remarkable preacher – he lacked a solid education, but the Lord trained his mind and guided his heart.
In 1851 he was scheduled to preach at the Baptist church at Dumplin, east of Knoxville. Just prior to the meetings there was a notice posted on a tree close to the church-house which read, “Mr. William Cate. It is generally believed you had better not come to this camp-meeting at Dumplin, lest you cause sinners to be lost; for they have no confidence in you. They believe you are not seeking souls, but money. Now for the cause of God and your good, you had better stay away.” The Dumplin church branded the notice as a base falsehood and foul slander and the meeting went ahead with great success.
