THE

CONDUCTED BY

B. B. EDWARDS AND W. COGSWELL.

BOSTON:

PRINTED BY PERKINS & MARVIN.

1838.

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Reprint and digital file December 15, 2000.

This document was scanned from an original copy of the American Education Society’s Quarterly Register, which served as a digest of the diverse facets in American Education and its outflowing effects worldwide. The society was comprised of leading Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton Alumni, and served to promote the work both in the U.S. and abroad for educating the people in the Reformation’s worldview of the Bible serving as the only infallible rule of life, which, of course, was the purpose for which these schools were founded.

PREFACE TO VOLUME X.

THERE are various associations in this country which have for their principal object to promote the study of the antiquities of the United States; to collect, embody and diffuse information on a great variety of important subjects. Among the foremost of these are the Historical Societies which have been formed in a number of States, and some of which enjoy a Vigorous existence, and are producing the happiest results. The American Antiquarian Society at Worcester are enlarging their sphere of operations, and augmenting the precious relics of former times. The State of Massachusetts, under the auspices of the present enlightened governor, are doing much to rescue the records of the past from neglect and decay. The Rev. Joseph B. Felt, a learned antiquary, who has been compelled by infirmity to desist from his ministerial functions, has been for many months employed upon the time-worn documents in the State house. A large number of ponderous folios, with papers well classified and arranged, and substantially bound, attest his industry and good judgment. The labors of the Secretary of State, John P. Bigelow, Esq., are particularly valuable, both as it respects the direct results of his own investigations, and the urbane manner in which he assists other inquirers. In the mean time the government of the United States are not idle, though much less has been accomplished than is desirable. An elaborate memorial on the subject of statistics was presented to the Senate of the United States some months since, by professor Lieber of the College of South Carolina. We do not learn that there has yet been any action on the memorial. The Hon. Henry L. Ellsworth, commissioner of patents, has presented to Congress some valuable papers. Various committees of both houses have occasionally done themselves the honor of elucidating important subjects of general statistical interest. In the same field there are a few individuals scattered over the country, whose solitary and unaided toils are worthy of all praise and encouragement.

In our humble way, we propose, in the pages of the American Quarterly Register, to aid this great Cause. Something has been already accomplished; but more inviting fields lie before us, into which we have hardly entered.

Many things in relation to the United States yet remain unattempted or incomplete. We hope, in the next volume, to enrich our pages with an alphabetical catalogue of all the college graduates out of New England. Important medical and legal statistics are in a course of preparation. Greater and greater accuracy and fullness will be attained in our ecclesiastical researches. The investigation of one branch frequently throws unexpected light on another, or suggests new topics of inquiry. We have recently received from our correspondents in Great Britain important reports and documents concerning the various seminaries of the Dissenters—as well as the ancient universities. We shall make use of some of these papers in our next volume. Elaborate papers relating to most of the continental nations will be supplied by the Rev. Robert Baird. The religious and educational statistics of some of these nations are but little known even in Europe.

In the mean time we shall not forget one great object of this publication—the promotion of ministerial education—the raising up, with the blessing of Heaven, a numerous, learned and holy ministry, until all the waste places of the earth shall become like the garden of the Lord.

A BRIEF HISTORY

OF THE

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

IN THE UNITED STATES, AT PRINCETON.

[By Samuel Miller, D. D. one of the Professors.]

THE importance of the union of piety and learning in the holy ministry, is one of those radical principles of ecclesiastical wisdom, which the experience of ages has served lucre and more to confirm. If the priests’ lips were of old to keep knowledge; if the ministers of the gospel are bound to feed the people with knowledge and with understanding. then nothing can be plainer than that ignorance, or small and indigested knowledge is, next to the want of piety, one of the most serious defects in a candidate for the sacred office. It is equally plain, that if this great Concern be properly directed, especially if it be directed with order and Uniformity, it must be attended to by the church herself. That which

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 32

is left to individual enterprise and caprice, may sometimes be well managed, but will seldom be managed in any two cases alike. Besides, unless the church take this matter into her own hands, she cannot inspect and control the education which her candidates for the holy ministry receive. Her most precious fountains may be poisoned without her being able to apply an effectual remedy. No church, therefore, which neglects the proper education of her ministers, can be considered as faithful, either to her own most vital interests, or to the honor of her divine Head and Lord.

Impressed with these solemn convictions, a number of the, ministers and other members of the Presbyterian church, long before the establishment of their seminary, deeply lamented the want of such an institution, and saw with much pain the extreme disadvantages under which their candidates for the ministry labored, in pursuing their theological studies. They saw young men, with very small previous acquirements in literature and science, after devoting only twelve or eighteen months, and in some instances, much less, to the study of theology and even for that short time, almost wholly without suitable helps, taking on themselves the must weighty and responsible of all offices.

They saw, at the same time, the "Reformed Dutch Church," the "Associate Reformed Church," and the descendants of the venerable Puritans in New England, all going before them in an honorable and successful career of exertion, to remove these disadvantages and to establish seminaries for the instruction of their candidates for the ministry and they perceived, that, unless the Presbyterian church should imitate their example, while other denominations rose and flourished, and became the means of extensive blessings to their country, she must inevitably decline, and fall into a state of discouraging weakness, inferiority, and comparative uselessness.

Accordingly, after long waiting, and after much counsel and prayer, the proposal to establish a theological seminary for the Presbyterian church, was first introduced into the general assembly, during the sessions of that body in May, A. D. 1809. It was introduced in form of an overture or proposal from the presbytery of Philadelphia. This overture was so far countenanced by the assembly as to be referred to a select committee, who, after due deliberation on the subject, brought in the following report, which, being read, was adopted, and became the act of the assembly, in the following words, viz.

"The advantages attending the second of the proposed modes and the disadvantages, will readily suggest themselves, from a comparison of this with the other two.

"The advantages which would attend the third, to wit, the establishment of theological schools by the respective synods, would be the following. The local

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 33

situation of the respective schools would be peculiarly convenient for the several parts of a country so extensive, as that for the benefit of which they were designed. The inhabitants having the seminaries brought near to them would feel a peculiar interest in their prosperity, and may be rationally expected to contribute much more liberally than to any single school or even to two.—The synods, also, having the immediate care of them, and directing, either in person or by delegation, all their concerns, would feel a similar interest and would probably be better pleased with a system formed by themselves, and therefore peculiarly suited to the wishes and interests of the several parts of the church immediately under their direction. Greater efforts, therefore, may be expected from ministers and people, to promote the prosperity of these schools, than of any other. The disadvantages of this mode would be, the inferiority of the funds; a smaller number of professors; a smaller library, and a more limited system of education in each. The students, also, as now, would be strangers to each other.

"Should the last of these modes be adopted, your committee are of the opinion, that every thing pertaining to the erection and conduct of each school, should be left to the direction of the respective synods. If either of the first, the whole should be subject to the control of the general assembly.

Agreeably to this resolution, the three alternate plans which it contemplates, were sent down to all the presbyteries, to be considered and decided upon by them.

At the meeting of the next general assembly, in May, 1810, the presbyteries were called upon to state what they had respectively done with respect to the recommendation of the last assembly, relative to the establishment of a theological school. The reports from the several presbyteries on this subject, having been read, were referred to a select committee to consider and report on the same. This committee made a report which being read and amended, was adopted, as follows, viz.— "The committee, after maturely deliberating on the subject committed to

them, submit to the assembly the following results.

"1. It is evident, that not only a majority of the presbyteries which have reported on this subject, but also a majority of all the presbyteries under the care of this assembly, have expressed a decided opinion in favor of the establishment of a theological school or schools in our church.

"II. It appears to the committee, that although according to the statement already reported to the assembly, there is an equal number of presbyteries in favor of the first plan which contemplates a single school for the whole church; and in favor of the third plan, which contemplates the erection of’ a school in each synod; yet, as several of the objections made to the first plan, are founded entirely on misconception,* and will be completely obviated by developing the details of that plan ; it seems fairly to follow that there is a greater amount of presbyterial suffrage in favor of a single school, than of any other plan.

"III. Under these circumstances, the committee are of opinion, that, as much light has been obtained, from the reports of presbyteries, on this subject, as would be likely to result from a renewal of the reference ; that no advantage

[*Footnote: Some of the presbyteries objected to a single theological seminary, for the whole church, because they apprehended that, if this plan were adopted, every presbytery would become thereby bound to send all their candidates to study in it, however inconvenient or expensive it might be. Others were fearful, that the professors, in such a seminary, if they were not formally empowered to license candidates to preach the gospel, might be clothed with powers out of which, such an abuse would naturally grow, thereby endangering both the purity and peace of the church, and giving to a few men dangerous influence. It was for the purpose of obviating these, and other objections to a single seminary, that the sixth, seventh, and eighth resolutions, in a subsequent page, were adopted by the general assembly.]

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 34

will probably arise from further delay in this important concern ; but, on the contrary, much serious inconvenience and evil; that the present general assembly is bound to attempt to carry into execution some one of the plans proposed; and that the first plan, appearing to have, on the whole, tile greatest share of public sentiment in its favor, ought, of course, to be adopted.

"IV. Your committee, therefore, recommend, that the present general assembly declare its approbation and adoption of this plan, and immediately commence a course of measures for carrying it into execution, as promptly and extensively as possible ; and, for this purpose they recommend to the asse~nb1y the adoption of the following resolutions, viz.— "Resolved 1. That the state of our churches, the loud and affecting calls of destitute frontier settlements, and the laudable exertions of various Christian denominations around us, all demand, that the collected wisdom, piety and zeal of the Presbyterian church, be, without delay, called into action, for furnishing the church with a larger supply of able and faithful ministers.

"7. That as the Constitution of our church guarantees to every presbytery the right of judging of its own candidates for licensure and ordination ; so the assembly think it proper to state, most explicitly, that every presbytery and synod, will, of course, be at full liberty, to countenance the proposed plan or not, at pleasure ; and to send their students to the projected seminary, or keep them, as heretofore, within their own bounds, as they may think most conducive to the prosperity of the church.

"8. That the professors in the seminary shall not, in any case, be considered as having a right to license candidates to preach the gospel; but that all such candidates shall be remitted to their respective presbyteries to be licensed, as heretofore."

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAI, SEMINARY. 35

After adopting this plan of the seminary, the general assembly which met in 1811, did little more than take measures for collecting funds for the proposed institution, by appointing a number of agents in all the synods for that purpose; who were instructed to proceed with as little delay, and as much energy, as possible, and to report to the assembly of the next year. They also appointed a committee to confer with the trustees of the college of New Jersey, at Princeton, respecting any facilities and privileges which the said trustees might be disposed to give to a theological seminary, if located in Princeton.

At the meeting of the next assembly, in May, 1812, the location of the seminary was fixed at Princeton, in New Jersey; a board of directors was elected; and the Rev. Archibald Alexander, D. D., a native of Virginia, for some time president of Hampden Sidney college, and at that time pastor of the third Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, was appointed professor of didactic and polemic theology. On the last Tuesday of June, following, the board of directors held their first meeting, at Princeton. On the 12th day of August, of the same year, the board of directors met again, and Dr. Alexander, the professor elect, was solemnly inaugurated, and entered on the duties of his office. The number of students at the opening of the institution, on the day last mentioned, was three.

At the meeting of the assembly, in May, 1818, the number of students had increased to eight. By this assembly, the Rev. Samuel Miller, D. D., a native of the State of Delaware, anti, at the time of his election, pastor of the first Presbyterian church in the city of New York, was elected professor of ecclesiastical history and church government, and was inaugurated by the board of directors on the 29th of September following. By this assembly also, the location of the seminary in Princeton, which had been before temporary, was now made permanent.

The general assembly which met in May, 1815, taking into consideration the great inconveniences resulting to the institution from the want of suitable apartments for the recitations, and other exercises of time seminary and more especially the numerous privations, and even danger to their health, to which the students were subjected by the want of convenient places of lodging; determined to erect a public edifice in Princeton, which should contain all the public apartments indispensably necessary for the present, and also lodging-rooms for the comfortable accommodation of the pupils. Accordingly, the edifice was commenced in the autumn of that year; was first occupied by the professors and students in the autumn of 1817, when about one half of the apartments were prepared for their reception; and was soon afterwards completed. This building is of stone ; one hundred and fifty feet in length, fifty in breadth, and four stories high, including the basement story. It has been admired by all who have seen it, as a model of neat, and tasteful, and, at the same time, of plain, economical, and remarkably solid workmanship. Besides the apartments necessary for the library, the recitations, the refectory establishment, and the accommodation of the steward and his family, this edifice will furnish lodgings for about eighty pupils.

During the first year after the establishment of the seminary, the professor of didactic and polemic theology, besides his own appropriate duties, discharged, as far as practicable, those also pertaining to the professorship of oriental and biblical literature. And on the appointment of a second professor, in 1813, they divided the whole course of instruction, prescribed by the plan of the seminary, between them. But the assembly which met in May, 1820, finding that the health of the professor of didactic and polemic theology, as well as his other duties, did not admit of his longer continuing to conduct the instruction in the Original languages of Scripture, resolved to authorize the professors to appoint an assistant teacher of those languages. And to this office, Mr. Charles Hodge, then a licentiate, under the care of the presbytery of Philadelphia, but since ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, and a member of the presbytery of New Brunswick, was soon afterwards accordingly appointed. By the assembly Which met in 1822, he was elected professor of "oriental and biblical literature," and was solemnly inaugurated in the following September.

Professor Hodge, soon after his appointment to the office of professor of oriental and biblical literature, with the consent of the board of directors, visited

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 36

Europe; and, after spending some time in Great Britain and France, devoted himself more particularly to biblical studies in the universities of Berlin and Halle. He was absent about two years.

The general assembly which met at Pittsburgh, in the year 1835, appointed two new professors, viz.: the Rev. John Breckinridge, D. D., a native of Kentucky, and for several preceding years corresponding secretary of the general assembly’s board of education, to be "professor of pastoral theology"; and Mr. Joseph Addison Alexander, A. M., of Princeton, to be "associate professor of oriental and biblical literature." Dr. Breckinridge accepted his appointment, and was inaugurated on the 26th of September following. Mr. Alexander declined accepting his appointment to a professorship, for the present, and preferred occupying the place of instructor in that department, at least for a time. It is hoped that he will, ultimately consent, formally and officially, to occupy, as he does now, virtually, the place to which he was chosen. Mr. Alexander enjoyed, prior to his entering on the duties of instructor in the institution, very gratifying opportunities of extensive travel in Great Britain, and on the continent of Europe; and of study in the universities of Halle and Berlin.

The following rules for regulating elections of directors and professors of the seminary, were adopted by the general assembly, in 1812.

"1. When the assembly shall proceed to the election of directors of the theological seminary, the clerk shall call on the members severally, to nominate any number of persons, not exceeding the number to be elected, if he shall think it expedient to make any nomination.

"2. When the members have been severally called upon in the order of the roll, to make a nomination, agreeably to the above rule, the names of the persons nominated shall be immediately read by the clerk for the information of the members, and on the day following time assembly shall proceed to elect, by ballot, the whole number of directors to be chosen.

"3. Two members shall be appointed to take an account of the votes given for the candidates nominated for directors, amid to report to the assembly the number of votes for each of the said candidates, who have a plurality of Votes, who shall be declared duly elected :—but if the whole number to be elected, should not be elected, and two or more of the candidates should have an equal number of votes, then, in that case, the house shall proceed to elect from the nomination a sufficient number to complete the board ; and shall continue to vote in this manner, until the full number specified by the constitution of the seminary be completed.

"4. When the votes shall have been counted, and the requisite number of directors shall have been elected, in the manner above specified, the moderator shall announce to the assembly the names of those persons who shall appear to have the highest number of Votes, and are thus elected.

"5. Whenever a professor, or professors are to be elected, the assembly, by a vote, shall determine the day when said election shall be held; which day shall be at least two days after the above determination has been made. Immediately after the vote fixing the day has passed, the assembly shall have a season for special prayer, for direction in the choice. The election, in all cases, shall be made by ballot. The ballots having been counted by two members previously appointed, they shall report a statement of said votes to the moderator; and in case there shall appear to be an equal number of votes for any two or more candidates, the assembly shall proceed, either immediately, or at some subsequent period of their sessions, to a new election. The choice being made, it shall be announced to the assembly by the moderator."

The theological seminary, though located in Princeton, is altogether independent of the college located in the same town, and separate from it. No officer of the one is, as such, an officer of the other. There is, in fact, no connections whatever between the two institutions, excepting what arises out of Certain articles of agreement between the trustees of the college, and the general assembly, formed in 1812; in virtue of which the theological students, for a short time, boarded at the refectory, and lodged in some of the spare rooms of the college; and in consequence of which also, for about four years, the lectures and recitations of the seminary were conducted in the public rooms of

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the college. Every thing of this kind, of course, terminated, when the public edifice of the seminary was opened for the reception of its students. And of these articles, the only one of which the theological seminary has availed itself, for several years past, or is likely ever again to avail itself, is that which gives to the students of the seminary the use of the college library, which consists of about 7,000 volumes. This article is in the following words:

"The trustees grant to the professors and pupils of the theological seminary, the free use of the college library; subject to such rules as may be adopted fur the preservation of the bunks, and the good order of the same."

There has been a slow, but steady increase of the number of students in the seminary, from the opening of the first session until the present time. It began, as we have seen, with three. It has since risen gradually to one hundred and thirty, which may be regarded as the present average number. The whole number of students who have belonged to the institution, from its commencement, is nearly one thousand. Of these forty have engaged in the work of foreign missions. A number more have in view, and are preparing for, the same field of labor. Considerably above one hundred and fifty have been engaged in domestic missions. The remainder who survive, are, or have been pastors of churches; and a large portion of those who employed the first years of their ministry in missionary labor, have since been settled in pastoral charges.

This institution, it will be seen, is a creature of the general assembly of the Presbyterian church, and governed, in all respects, by the constitution framed for it by that body. The following regulations it is of importance should be known by all who may contemplate entering the seminary.

"Every student, applying for admission, shall produce satisfactory testimonials, that he possesses good natural talents, and is of a prudent and discreet deportment; that he is in full communion with some regular church ; that he has passed through a regular course of academical study ; or, wanting this, he shall submit himself to an examination in regard to the branches of literature taught in such a course.

" Every student, before he takes his standing in the seminary, shall subscribe the following declaration, viz. ‘Deeply impressed with a sense of the importance of improving in knowledge, prudence and piety, in my preparation for the gospel ministry, I solemnly promise, in a reliance on divine grace, that I will faithfully and diligently attend on all the instructions of this seminary; and that I will conscientiously and vigilantly observe all the rules and regulations specified in the plan for its instruction and government, so far as the same relate to the students; and that I will obey all the lawful requisitions, and readily yield to all the wholesome admonitions of the professors and directors of the seminary, while I shall remain a member of it."

"There shall be three vacations in the seminary every year. The spring vacation to continue six weeks; the fall vacation six weeks; and the winter vacation two weeks. The vacations to commence at such times as the board of directors shall deem most expedient."

The board have accordingly ordered the following arrangement :—.the spring vacation to commence the first week in May; the fall vacation the Monday evening preceding the last Wednesday in September; and the winter vacation on the Monday preceding the first Tuesday in February.

"The period of continuance in the seminary, shall, in no case, be less than three years, previously to an examination for a certificate of approbation. But Students may enter the seminary, and enjoy the course of instruction for a shorter time than three years, provided they, in all other respects, submit to the laws of the seminary, of which facts they may receive a written declaration from the professors.

"There shall be an examination of all the pupils of the seminary, at every Stated meeting of the board of directors. Those pupils who shall have regularly and diligently studied for three years, shall be admitted to an examination on the whole course of instruction in the institution. All examinations shall be conducted by the professors, in the presence of the directors, or a committee of them. Every director present shall be at liberty, during the progress of any examination, or after the same shall have been closed by the professors, to put

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 38

to any pupil such questions as he shall deem proper. Every pupil that shall have passed his final examination to the satisfaction of the directors present, shall receive a certificate of the same, signed by the professors, with which he shall be remitted to the presbytery under whose care he is placed, to be disposed of as such presbytery shall direct. Those who do not pass a satisfactory examination, shall remain a longer space in the seminary."

The following is the course of study in the seminary.

The Library of the seminary was commenced soon after the commencement of the institution. One of the earliest and most liberal contributors to its formation, was the Rev. Dr. Ashbel Green, the first president of the board of directors, and one of the most prominent and active of the original founders of the seminary. As a memorial of his zealous and eminent services, it was called the Green Library. This collection of books may now be estimated at about six thousand volumes, and is annually increasing. When the synod of the Associate Reformed Church, a few years ago, voted to become united with the Presbyterian church, it also voted to deposit its library in the theological seminary at Princeton, for the use of that institution forever. That library having been chiefly collected in Great Britain, by the Rev. Dr. John M. Mason, one of the most distinguished ornaments of the Associate Reformed Church, and, for many years, the principal professor in her theological seminary;—it was thought proper to give this collection of books his name. Accordingly, soon after it was deposited in Princeton, it received, and has since been known by the name of the Mason Library. The number of volumes in this library may be estimated at near four thousand.

These two libraries are kept perfectly distinct. This is proper in itself; and is the rather necessary, because that portion of the Associate Reformed Church which refused to acquiesce in the union with the Presbyterian church, has commenced a suit at law for the recovery of the Mason Library, which is still pending.

The funds of the theological seminary at Princeton are not large. They have never been adequate to the support of the institution. It has been necessary to have recourse, from time to time, to annual collections. Measures have been taken for the endowment of three professorships, and considerable progress made in the enterprise. But no one of them has been completely filled. There is a prospect that, before long, these endowments will be completed. The number of scholarships endowed by different liberal individuals, for the support of as many students in the institution, is twenty-six.