CHAPTER THIRD. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES (OLD SCHOOL BRANCH). BY THE REV. WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE, D.D., L.L.D. Prefatory Note.— Ashbel Green, D.D. LL.D. Archibald Alexander, D.D. James W. Alexander, D.D. Joseph Addison Alexander, D.D. Samuel Miller, D.D.—Eliphalet Nott, D.D., LL.D.-William Neill, D.D. John McDowell, D.D.- William McDowell, D.D.- George Junkin, D.D., LL.D. Joseph Smith, D.D. William W. Phillips, D.D. —Joseph H. Jones, D.D. William M. Engles, D.D. John N. Campbell, D.D. George Potts, D.D. - Nicholas Murray, D.D. - John M. Krebs, D.D. — Cortlandt Van Rensselaer, D.D. — Phineas D. Gurley, D.D. PREFATORY NOTE. I HAVE been requested to write sketches of Old School Presbyterian ministers, who have died during the period of the separation of the church, sufficient to occupy a very limited portion of this volume. In looking over the list of those who may be considered representative ministers, who have died within these thirty-three years, I am bound to say that there is double the number that I have selected, who are just as fairly entitled to a commemorative notice, as most of those whom I have made the subjects of it. As it was impossible, however, to include them all within the specified limits, while I have taken care to include none whom the voice of the whole Church would not pronounce worthy of being thus distinguished, I have made the selection not without some reference to the comparative facility with which the material for different sketches could be obtained. Those who do not find in the series, some honored and beloved names which they look for, may rest assured that the omission has been occasioned by the circumstances I have mentioned, and not by the want of due appreciation of the individuals concerned.-W. B. S. ASHBEL GREEN, D.D., LL.D. THE father of ASHBEL GREEN was the Rev. Jacob Green, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Hanover, N.J., and his mother was a daughter of the Rev. John Pierson, of Woodbridge, N.J., and granddaughter of the first President of Yale College. He (the son) was born at Hanover, on the 6th of July, 1762. At a very early age, under the influence of his father's loyalty, he enlisted in defence of his country's liberties; and in one instance at least, at the attack on Elizabethtown Point, his life was in imminent jeopardy. In consequence of the associations into which he was brought, during the period of the Revolution, he became doubtful in respect to the Divine authority of the Scriptures; but he determined not to surrender his faith without a diligent and impartial examination. The result of such an examination was a full conviction that the Bible is the word of God; and that conviction he followed out, shortly after, by entering, with great strength of purpose, upon the religious life. His aspirations for a collegiate education were early manifested, and his preparation for college was begun and completed under the instruction of his father. He entered the junior class in the College of New Jersey, in the spring of 1782, and graduated the next year, the Valedictory Orator of his class, General Washington being present at the Commencement. He was appointed to a tutorship in the college, immediately after his graduation; and, having held that office for two years, was advanced to the chair of Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, in which he continued till 1787. In connection with his collegiate duties, he prosecuted the study of Theology, under the direction of Dr. Witherspoon, then President of the college, and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, in February, 1786. Shortly after his licensure, he was invited to become the pastor of the Independent Church in Charleston, S.C., and at a little later period received a similar invitation from the Second Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. The latter invitation he accepted, and was installed in May, 1787, as colleague pastor with the Rev. Dr. Sproat. The same year he was elected a member of the Ameri can Philosophical Society. In 1791, Mr. Green, for the benefit of his health, journeyed into New England as far as Portsmouth, N. H., mingling in many interesting scenes, and forming many valuable acquaintances. In 1792, he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity, from the University of Pennsylvania, when he had been but six years a licensed preacher; and the same year he was elected Chaplain to Congress, an office which he held during eight successive years. In 1793, during the prevalence of the yellow fever in Philadelphia, he left the city, with a view to visit his son in Princeton, who, he had heard, was seriously ill; and, while he was absent, his venerable colleague fell a victim to the raging malady. In the course of the next winter, the Second and Third Presbyterian churches, of Philadelphia, united in securing the services of the Rev. (afterwards Dr.) John N. Abeel, with the understanding that the two churches should jointly share his labors. He was, accordingly, installed as colleague pastor with Dr. Green; but, though there was perfect harmony between the two pastors, the union did not result favorably, and was dissolved in 1795, when Dr. Abeel removed to New York. |