Biblical Theology in America Before Vos

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Geerhardus Vos has often been referred to as “the father of Reformed Biblical theology.” Although his name is popularly associated in the minds of many with its origin, in fact, Biblical theology is a discipline of theological study that predates Vos, and his famous inaugural lecture as Professor of Biblical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, titled The Idea of Biblical Theology as a Science and as a Theological Discipline, which was delivered in 1894. To provide a simple definition for purposes of this article given by Vos himself, “Biblical Theology is that branch of Exegetical Theology which deals with the process of the self-revelation of God deposited in the Bible” (Biblical Theology [1948], p. 13). John Murray added later: “There is no better definition of Biblical Theology known to the present writer than that given by Dr. Vos” (Biblical Theology: A Book Review [1948]).

A September 2021 article by J.V. Fesko titled “Who Lurks Behind Geerhardus Vos? Sources and Predecessors” delves into the question of which sources Vos drew upon and who might be considered forerunners of Biblical Theology as Vos understood it. Fesko references two sources cited by Vos himself: “Anglican theologian Thomas D. Bernard (1815-1904) and German New Testament scholar, Karl Friedrich Nösgen (1835-1913).” Fesko also highlights an important comment made by Francis L. Patton in his 1903 lecture on Theological Encyclopedia: “I think I do not err in saying that, at least so far as we in America are concerned, Jonathan Edwards is the father of Biblical Theology.” The reference that Patton had in mind is to Edwards’ famous treatise on A History of the Work of Redemption (1774).

Most scholars identify the origin of Biblical Theology as a distinct discipline with J.P. Gabler’s (1753–1826) inaugural lecture delivered at the University of Altdorf, An Oration on the Proper Distinction between Biblical and Dogmatic Theology and the Specific Objectives of Each (1787), although some acknowledge even earlier attempts to demonstrate the progress of God’s revelation historically considered in Scripture, such as John Owen’s Latin treatise Theologoumena Pantodapa (1661), translated into English as Biblical Theology: The History of Theology from Adam to Christ (1994), which J.I. Packer described as a “proto-Biblical Theology.”

Other European forerunners of Biblical Theology could be highlighted, but to narrow the focus of our interest to American forerunners, we return to Jonathan Edwards and his History of Redemption, noting that it was published by one of our Log College Press authors, David Austin, in 1793 (the copy found here was owned by Samuel Miller). It goes beyond the close of canon to encompass “post-Biblical” history, but it takes the approach that God revealed himself more and more historically in the development of Scripture. This is consistent with Edwards’ historicist postmillennial eschatology, although we understand the eschatology of Vos to be amillennial. Fesko: “Edwards’s plan was to trace the line of revelation through history, which is the essence of Vos’s method. In fact, one historian has described Edwards’s procedure as showing how revelation is progressive, organic, and finds its eschatological realization in Christ; themes that resonate in Vos’s own method.”

Prior to his death in 1863, Charles Colcock Jones, Sr. wrote The History of the Church of God During the Period of Revelation, which his son published in 1867. It covered the Old Testament period along a plan which showed the progression of God’s dealings with his people. A companion volume covering the New Testament period does not seem to have been published. Jones argued that the “Word of God [was] one harmonious whole: one continuous revelation and development of the covenant of grace” (p. 141), which Jones labored in this volume to “unfold.”

It was close to this same time that Stuart Robinson published Discourses of Redemption: As Revealed at “Sundry Times and in Divers Manners,” Designed Both as Biblical Expositions For the People and Hints to Theological Students of a Popular Method of Exhibiting the “Divers” Revelations Through Patriarchs, Prophets, Jesus and His Apostles (1866). Here he attempted “to follow the development of the one great central thought of the Book through the successive eras of revelation” (p. iv).

Before the establishment of a chair in Biblical Theology at Princeton, such a post was founded at Union Theological Seminary in New York which was filled by Charles A. Briggs in 1891. Previously, he had published an important essay on Biblical Theology (1882), in which he goes over the history of this branch of theology, focusing on its German development, and worked “for some years past” in developing a department dedicated to this field, according to Briggs in The Edward Robinson Chair of Biblical Theology in the Union Theological Seminary, New York (1891). In that inaugural address he acknowledges the precedence of American scholars Edward Robinson and Moses Stuart in this field: “Edward Robinson was the pupil of Moses Stuart, the father of Biblical learning in America.” His definition of the discipline is similar to that of Vos: “Biblical Theology is that Theological Discipline which presents the Theology of the Bible in its historical formation within the Canonical Writings” (Biblical Theology [1882]). Briggs, however, supported Old Testament Higher Criticism; while Vos argued that “Biblical Theology is suited to furnish a most effective antidote to the destructive critical views now prevailing” (The Idea of Biblical Theology).

When Vos was inaugurated as Professor of Biblical Theology at Princeton in 1894, it was Abraham Gosman, who had studied under Archibald Alexander and Samuel Miller, who delivered the charge (James McCosh gave the benediction), and in his address he credited Joseph Addison Alexander and Caspar Wistar Hodge, Sr. as early precursors of this theological discipline. Gosman claimed that although Biblical Theology as a department was new, the path had been paved before by those men and others. And he spoke of the place of Biblical Theology within the scope of theological study as a whole:

Biblical Theology stands in close relations both to Exegetical and Systematic Theology, and yet has its own well-defined bounds. It presupposes Exegetical Theology; it furnishes the material for Systematic Theology. If Systematic Theology is, as we may conceive it to be, the finished building, harmonious in its proportions, symmetrical and beautiful; then Exegetical Theology may be regarded as the quarry from which the material is taken; and Biblical Theology, as putting the granite blocks into form, not polished and graven, but shaped and fitted for the place they are to fill, as the structure grows in its vastness and beauty. It seeks the saving facts and truths as they lie in the Word, and are embedded, and to some extent expressed, in the history of the people of God. God's methods are always historical and genetic, and it conforms to His methods. It views these words and facts in their historical relations and their progressive development. It aims not merely to arrive at the ideas and facts as they appear in particular authors and in the books justly ascribed to them, and as they may be modified in their form by time, culture, influences friendly or hostile; but to set forth these facts and truths thus ascertained in their relation to the other books in which they may appear in clearer light, — to trace their progress and unfolding from the germ to the ripened fruit. As the stream of sacred history runs parallel with that of revelation, it borders closely upon Historical Theology. But the two conceptions are distinct.

Gosman grasped the role of Biblical Theology within the various branches of theological study, and how it fits into the overall goal of making known and vindicating the truth, that is, through “the more complete and orderly unfolding of it, as it lies in the Word, and for the confirmation of the faith of God's people.”

In this brief look at earlier American forerunners of a discipline that is so closely associated in the minds of many today with Geerhardus Vos, we can see, as Fesko suggests, that there were currents of development both in Europe and America prior to his 1894 inauguration at Princeton. The idea of historical development in the field of Biblical Theology itself, of course, makes logical sense, but it is easy to overlook. The details of this historical development warrant much greater study and explanation — or unfolding — than is found here, but at the very least we can say that Biblical Theology did not spring fully formed from Vos’ mind like Athena from the mind of Zeus in Greek mythology. But — like B.B. Warfield, who said that “He was probably the best exegete Princeton ever had” [Letter, Louis Berkhof to Ned B. Stonehouse, December 21, 1954], and John Murray, who wrote that “Dr. Vos is, in my judgment, the most penetrating exegete it has been my privilege to know, and I believe, the most incisive exegete that has appeared in the English-speaking world in this century” [Eerdmans Quarterly Observer and inside jacket cover of original edition of Biblical Theology (1948)] — we do appreciate and recognize the influence of Vos on the method of Biblical Theology as he built on what preceded him and put his stamp on the discipline going forward.

Some Reflections by James W. Alexander on His Father

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Among the “Homiletical” and “Miscellaneous Paragraphs” found in James W. Alexander’s posthumously-published Thoughts on Preaching (1861), one may discern a number of interesting reflections on his father, Archibald Alexander. He had previously authored the standard biography of his father, The Life of Archibald Alexander, D.D. (1854). These reflections, however, were collected separately from James’ private journals by his brother, Samuel D. Alexander, in the preparation of Thoughts on Preaching, and they reveal the deep appreciation he had of father — his pastoral genius, his personal counsel and his spiritual gifts.

§ 7. On Composing Sermons. — Notes on Conversations with J.A.A. — My father says a man should not begin with making a plan. Should not wait until he is in the vein. Begin, however you feel; and write until you get into the vein — however long it be. 'Tis thus men do in mining. Yon may throw away all the beginnings. Men who write with ease think best pen in hand. This applies to sermons, and also to books. It might be well to write a sermon currente calamo, and then begin again and write afresh (not copying, or even looking at the other, but), using all the lights struck out in the former exercise [pp. 3-4].

More generally still, avoid all that brings the speaker's personality before the hearer. A better model than our honoured father, in this, there could not be [p. 25].

In delivery, learn to know when to dwell on a point; let the enlargement be, not where you determined in your closet it should be; but where you feel the spring flowing as you speak — let it gush. Let contemplation have place while you speak.

For this, pauses are all important. Thus Rob. Hall preached. Thus my beloved honoured father, above all men I ever heard; his eye kindled, his face was radiant; he forgot the people; and as he was rapt in contemplation, he thought aloud.

…The best written discourse of my father is no more to his best preaching, than a black candle is to a burning flame [pp. 28-29].

I perceive my father was right, when he advised me to write my first draught current calamo, without any plan, with absolute abandon; giving free scope in every direction whenever a vein was struck, and reserving the particulars for the copy [p. 30].

§ 66. My Father. — My dear and honoured father has some excellencies as a writer, which I did not value at a proper rate when I was younger. He goes always for the thought rather than the word; and is never led along by the bait of fine language or the course of figures. I am led to think that a man must early in life make his election between these two kinds of writing, and that I have fallen into the inferior one: though I am regarded among my friends as a simple writer.

Another remarkable quality of my father, is his going for truth and reason, rather than for authority. This is the more remarkable, as he has been one of the greatest and most miscellaneous readers I ever knew; has had the most extensive knowledge of books, and the most wonderful memory of their contents, so that I have often known him to give a clear account of works which he had not seen for forty years; and yet how seldom does he make citation! The train of his thoughts is all his own, with a thorough digestion in his own mind, and reference of all things to their principles. Hence he is original in the best sense; which superficial readers would not admit, because his style had no salient points, or overbold expressions.

I attribute this in some degree to the fact that almost every day of his life, known to me, it was his habit to sit alone, in silence, generally in the twilight, or musing over the fire, in deep and seemingly pleasurable thought. At such times he was doubtless maturing those trains of reasoning, which he brought out in his discourses; and this may account for his extraordinary readiness at almost any time, to rise in extemporaneous address [p. 55].

Dr. [John M.] Mason used to say that all his theology was from [John] Owen on the Hebrews, and my father often remarked, that with all Owen’s power, erudition, and originality, he never deviated in his theology into any thing eccentric or hazardous [p. 501].

My father used to say one should read “Owen’s Spiritual Mindedness” once a year. I add his “Forgiveness of Sin;” and his “Mortification of Sin” [p. 502]

My father used to say to me: Think long and deeply on your subject, and as if nobody had ever investigated it before. I did not then know what he meant. One of the chief uses of writing sermons is, that it keeps one a-thinking. Then pen seems to recall the thoughts. Some cannot think without it; which is bad — very bad. This is all a matter of habit. The greatest other use of writing is, that the matter is preserved. For I will not include correctness, and polish of style, &c., which can be fully obtained by the other method [p. 514].

One can picture the father and the son, the mentor and the pupil, at the fireside, sharing contemplative moments, or wisdom acquired from experience. It is mentioned more than once in James’ biography of his father how students would learn from the teacher at the fireside and in his study. These personal recollections and reflections speak volumes about both men, and of lessons learned by the son. We are grateful for the fact that these private journal entries were collected and published after the author’s passing. These fireside reflections from the pen of Archibald Alexander’s son shine brilliantly indeed.

Introducing the Century Club at Log College Press

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Among the nearly 2,000 authors found at Log College Press there are at least three centenarians (Arthur Judson Brown [1856-1963, 106]; William Rankin III [1810-1912, 102]; and George Summey [1853-1954, 101]), as well as at least three authors who were 99 years old when they entered into their eternal rest (Littleton Purnell Bowen, David Caldwell, and Maria Fearing). But the Log College Press Century Club which we are introducing today has to do with something a little different.

To be a member of this club, there must be at least 100 works by (and sometimes about) the author on their particular pages. At this point in time, there are 27 such individuals in the LCP Century Club, as follows:

There are some other prolific writers who we anticipate may join this club at some point in the future, such as Isabella Macdonald Alden, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Finley Milligan Foster, Robert Jefferson Breckinridge and Cleland Boyd McAfee, to name a few. As the Lord gives us strength and ability, we continue to add works by these and many other writers. We still have our work cut out for us, especially, for example, with respect to T.L. Cuyler, who penned over 4,000 separate published articles. Meanwhile, if viewed as a snapshot of our most prolific authors, the LCP Century Club invites readers to explore a representative cross-section of early American Presbyterianism. We hope you will take this opportunity to see what’s available among these prolific writers’ pages (as well as those not-so-prolific), and to enjoy a visit to the past, which we trust will be a blessing to you in the present.

R.L. Dabney: Poet

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When we think of Robert Lewis Dabney, most associate him with his systematic theology or the War Between the States. He was one of the most prominent American theologians of the 19th century, and notably served as chief of staff for Gen. Stonewall Jackson during the War. He wore many others hats as well as a farmer, an architect, a professor, a pastor, and a poet.

The last hat mentioned is one that — contrary to popular impressions of Presbyterian divines as disinclined to artistic interests — is shared by many authors on Log College Press: B.B. Warfield, Geerhardus Vos, J. Addison Alexander, Samuel Davies, Charles L. Thompson, Henry J. Van Dyke, Jr., and many more come to mind, who were all known for their poetry. Dabney is a name rarely included in such a list, but it should be.

In Dabney’s case, there are some remarkable and fascinating poetic compositions that are very much worth noting, which help us today to better understand the many facets of his character. Some of his poems were published — in periodicals and/or Thomas C. Johnson’s biography of Dabney — and some were instead shared privately. His biographer notes that his poetry was not of the highest quality, but often expressed his passion. Few would say that Dabney's poetry was his forte, but he certainly applied himself to verse in his "leisure hours."

If the art of poetry be the art of apprehending and interpreting ideas by the faculty of the imagination, the art of idealizing in thought and expression, then Dr. Dabney possessed the art. That he had the necessary constructive imagination, and the power of expressing himself in the concrete, simply and sensuously, there is no ground for doubt. He usually attempted poetical composition, too, only on subjects on which he felt very deeply. In consequence, most of his work of this sort had the ring of passion. (T.C. Johnson, The Life and Letters of Robert Lewis Dabney, p. 455)

Recently, we have made an effort to identify and compile many of his known, published poems to provide a glimpse into his powers of imagination. Today, we will look briefly at some of his poems as found on Log College Press.

  • Tried, But Comforted — First published in The Central Presbyterian in 1863, this poem is also found in Johnson’s biography. It was written after the death of his five-year-old son, Tom, who died in 1862 and was buried in the same cemetery in which his father would later be laid to rest. Dabney’s heart was “bursting,” but he had hope that he would follow little Tom “to Christ, our Head.”

  • The Christian Womans Drowning Hymn: A Monody — Written in 1886, this poem was published in his Discussions, Vol. 4 (1897). The story behind the poem is this: “(A Christian lady and organist, went July 1886, with, and at the request of her sister, for a few days" excursion to Indianola. They arrived the day before the great night storm and tidal wave, which submerged the town. Both the ladies and children, after hours of fearful suspense, were drowned, the house where they sought refuge being broken to pieces in the waves. A survivor stated that the organist spent much of the interval in most moving prayer. Their re- mains were recovered on the subsidence of the tempest, and interred at their homes., amidst universally solemn and tender sympathy. The following verses are imagined, as expressing the emotions of the Christian wife, sister and mother, during her long struggle with the waters.”

  • Dream of a Soldier — This poem was written in 1886, but only referenced, not included, in Johnson’s biography, apparently because it was so dark and bitter (reflecting Dabney’s feelings about the War) that Dabney’s biographer thought it best to not publish it.

  • General T.J. Jackson: An Elegy — Written in 1887 (over two decades after the death of his beloved general), this tribute appeared in Discussions, Vol. 4. (1897). It is a noble lament for his dear friend, highlighting the loss keenly felt by Robert E. Lee and the South.

  • The Texas Brigade at the Wilderness — Written in May 1890, this poem also appeared in Discussions, Vol. 4 (1897). It memorializes the valor of the Texas Brigade at the Battle of the Wilderness, which took place in central Virginia in May 1864.

  • The Death of Moses — This poem was published in the Jan.-Feb. 1891 issue of The Union Seminary Magazine. It is largely an imagined speech delivered by Moses before his entrance into the Heavenly Canaan.

  • Annihilation — This eschatological defense of traditional views of heaven and hell as opposed to the idea of “soul sleep” (an idea refuted by John Calvin in his Psychopannychia, but which nevertheless lingers) appeared in the January 1893 issue of The Presbyterian Quarterly.

  • The San Marcos River — Dabney’s time spent in central Texas inspired this poetic composition, which is found in Discussions, Vol. 4 (1897).

  • A Sonnet to Lee — This tribute to General Robert E. Lee appeared in Discussions, Vol. 4 (1897).

  • Lines Written on the Illness of His Granddaughter — Dictated in 1897 (he was blind by then), these verses were composed when his beloved granddaughter Marguerite lived with him for a time at Asheville, North Carolina. She died in 1899, a year after Dabney, at the age of 17.

  • Conquest of the South — An extract from this poem is given in Johnson’s biography (1903) which expresses his his angst at “the present and impending degradation of his country.”

  • Christology of the Angels — This epic poem, reminiscent of Milton’s Paradise Lost, remained unpublished in manuscript form until it was included in Discussions, Vol. 5 (1999). It is a 115-page long celestial discourse between Gabriel, Michael and other angels on the second night after Jesus’ crucifixion.

The poetic side of Dabney is not well-known, but is worth exploring. Take time to peruse his poetry at Log College Press here, and to look at more Presbyterian poetry here.

New Resources at Log College Press - June 15, 2022

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If you are a member of the Dead Presbyterians Society at Log College Press, you may have noticed some interesting new material added to the site. If you are not yet a member, perhaps the list below will whet your appetite.

In the month of April 2022, we added 650+ new works as well as 23 new authors. In May 2022, we added 512 new works and 40 new authors. At present, on Log College Press, we have over 14,000 works by over 1,900 authors.

Often we list the most interesting material first at the Early Additions page to give our members a sneak preview. Some works there at present include:

  • Articles by John Murray on The Theology of the Westminster Standards and The Fourth Commandment According to the Westminster Standards;

  • Correspondence by Robert J. Breckinridge to President Abraham Lincoln;

  • William B. McGroarty’s 1940 study of the history of The Old Presbyterian Meeting House at Alexandria [Virginia], 1774-1874;

  • Louis Voss’ 1931 survey of Presbyterianism in New Orleans and Adjacent Points;

  • A fascinating 1860 article by William S. Plumer titled Mary Reynolds: A Case of Double Consciousness;

  • David Ramsay’s 1789 Dissertation on the Manners of Acquiring the Character and Privileges of a Citizen of the United States; and

  • In 1848, a London edition of Matthew Henry’s famous commentary of the Bible (which was completed by other hands after his death after Henry finished his comments on Romans) was published which includes notes from Charles Hodge on Romans and notes from John Forsyth on the exposition of James (written originally by Samuel Wright).

Also, of note among many titles at the Recent Additions page:

  • Charles Paschal Telesphore Chiniquy (1809-1899), Fifty Years in the Church of Rome (1886) — Chiniquy was a Canadian-born Roman Catholic priest-turned Presbyterian minister who wrote about the errors of his former ways and the dangers of Roman Catholicism;

  • Reviews by John Forsyth of various volumes of William B. Sprague’s Annals of the American Pulpit — Sprague’s Annals are widely considered to be his magnum opus and Forsyth’s reviews are a valuable introduction to this remarkable set of biographical sketches;

  • David Holmes Coyner (1807-1892), The Lost Trappers (1847, 1855) - Coyner, a Presbyterian minister, wrote this volume as a true narrative of the wanderings of trapper Ezekiel Williams, who, according to Coyner, led twenty trappers up the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains in 1807. One year later, seventeen of the twenty had died, and the three survivors decided to separate. Two started for Santa Fe, getting lost in the Rockies until they met a Spanish caravan bound for California, while Williams journeyed home by canoe on the Arkansas and Missouri rivers, though he was taken captive for a time by Indians in Kansas. Dismissed as fiction by some, modern scholarship has confirmed the factual basis for Coyner’s account;

  • David Joshua Beale, Sr. (1835-1900), Through the Johnstown Flood (1890) - This is a remarkable account of a major 19th century natural disaster by an eyewitness who lived through it;

  • Alexander McLeod, The Constitution, Character, and Duties, of the Gospel Ministry: A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of the Rev. Gilbert McMaster, in the First Presbyterian Church, Duanesburgh (1808) - This sermon by one noted Reformed Presbyterian minister at the ordination of another represents an important ecclesiological statement on the gospel ministry;

  • Eulogies on President George Washington by William Linn, David Ramsay and Samuel Stanhope Smith;

  • John Todd, An Humble Attempt Towards the Improvement of Psalmody: The Propriety, Necessity and Use, of Evangelical Psalms, in Christian Worship. Delivered at a Meeting of the Presbytery of Hanover in Virginia, October 6th, 1762 (1763) — This sermon on song in worship preached during the colonial era is a fascinating read;

  • William Edward Schenck, The Faith of Christ's Ministers: An Example For His People: A Discourse Commemorative of Benjamin Holt Rice, D.D., Preached in the First Presbyterian Church, Princeton, New Jersey, on Sabbath Morning, July 20, 1856 (1856);

  • Many works by Theodore L. Cuyler, J. Addison Alexander, James McCosh, Thomas De Witt Talmage, Henry Van Dyke, Jr., and numerous novels by Isabella Macdonald Alden, a prolific Presbyterian author, known best by her pen name, “Pansy,” written for young people primarily;

Also, take note of some works recently added to our Compilations page, such as:

  • The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America Containing the Confession of Faith, the Catechisms, the Government and Discipline, and the Directory For the Worship of God (1789);

  • A Narrative of the Revival of Religion, in the County of Oneida [New York], Particularly in the Bounds of the Presbytery of Oneida, in the Year 1826 (1826);

  • The Testimony of the United Presbyterian Church of North America (1858);

  • Overture on Reunion: The Reports of the Joint Committee of the Two General Assemblies of 1866-7, and of the Special Committee of the (N. S.) General Assembly of 1868 (1868)

  • The Confessional Statement of the United Presbyterian Church of North America (1926) — This document dramatically changed the worship and government of the UPCNA; and

  • Many psalters published by UPCNA and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA).

There is much more that is new to explore on these and other pages at Log College Press, and of course all that is new is old, so if you appreciate old treasures, please dive in and enjoy. We are always growing, and dusting off antique volumes for your reading pleasure.

Able and Faithful Presbyterian Ministers

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It was in trying to fulfill my responsibilities as pastor of a Presbyterian Church in the farming country of Pennsylvania that I first became interested in the question of what worship according to the Reformed tradition should be. As I tried to search out the meaning of Reformed worship, I became more and more convinced that I must travel to those lands in which the Reformation had taken place, learn the languages the Reformers spoke and search the documents they left behind. So it was that I found myself living as a foreigner in Europe for almost seven years. -- Hughes Oliphant Old, preface to "The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship”

Most of us do well to know our primary language sufficiently to communicate with those around us. Bilingual ability is a great blessing. In keeping with the Presbyterian tradition of promoting a learned and educated ministry, ministers do well to know their primary language, plus Hebrew and Greek. Latin was the language of scholars of the past, and knowledge of same has its significant benefits today. But there are some whose linguistic abilities are so special as to be regarded as extraordinary gifts.

Among our Log College Press authors, there are many who could be highlighted as noteworthy in this area. James Robert Boyd, for example, was fluent in six languages. There are many missionaries whose fluency in native tongues led them to write grammar-dictionaries that have since served as valuable reference works. B.B. Warfield knew — besides English, Hebrew and Greek — Latin, German, French, and certainly had some familiarity with Dutch, if not more. Isidor Loewenthal, the famous missionary and Bible translator, who was born in Poland, educated at Princeton and died in India, “could preach with facility in the Pushtu, Persian, Hindustani and Arabic languages.” According to one biography, he was “a master of the classical languages of Europe as well as of Hebrew and its cognate languages Arabic and Chaldee.” Robert Dick Wilson is said to have mastered 45 languages. Many more examples could be given, but there is one particular gifted linguist which we intend to highlight especially today.

We can thank Henry C. Alexander for the detailed list which follows concerning his uncle Joseph Addison Alexander’s knowledge of languages (Henry C. Alexander, The Life of Joseph Addison Alexander, Vol. 2, pp. 862-865).

  1. Arabic: of which he was a consummate master, from a child, and wrote with some ease, but which he could scarcely be said to speak.

  2. Hebrew: ditto.

  3. Latin: which he knew profoundly, from a child, and wrote and spoke.

  4. Persian: which he knew intimately, from a child, and wrote, but did not speak.

  5. Syriac: which he knew intimately, from a child, and perhaps wrote, but did not speak.

  6. Chaldee: which he knew as well, or nearly as well, as he did Hebrew, and read with rapidity without a lexicon.

  7. Greek: which he knew profoundly, from a child, and wrote, but did not attempt to speak.

  8. Italian: which he read with the same facility he did English, and spoke.

  9. German: which he knew profoundly, from his youth, and wrote and spoke.

  10. Spanish: which he knew thoroughly, and probably wrote and spoke.

  11. French: which he read, wrote and spoke with ease.

  12. English: which he knew no less profoundly than familiarly.

  13. Ethiopic: which he knew philologically and profoundly, and could read without difficulty.

  14. Chinese: of which, in its innumerable details, he had but a smattering, but knew pretty well philologically.

  15. Romaic: which he read and wrote with ease.

  16. Portuguese: which he read with ease, but perhaps did not attempt to speak.

  17. Danish: which he says he soon “read fluently with a dictionary,” and probably in time, without one.

  18. Turkish; and

  19. Sanscrit: which (soon after he acquired them) he says were “becoming quite familiar,” and doubtless became more so.

  20. Polish: which he read with ease, though probably with the aid of the lexicon.

  21. Malay: which he began in connection with Chinese, and probably read with a dictionary.

  22. Coptic: which he knew philologically and, I think, profoundly, and read, though perhaps not with ease.

  23. Swedish: which he read with ease; at least with the dictionary.

  24. Dutch: which he read, perhaps with ease; at least with the dictionary.

He no doubt had an inkling of the nature, and a glimpse into the structure of many others, which he has not named, and knew part of the vocabulary of others.

Summary: He knew profoundly, not only philologically but linguistically, i.e., read, wrote, and spoke well —

  1. English.

  2. Latin.

  3. German.

  4. French.

  5. (Almost certainly) Italian.

  6. (Almost certainly) Spanish.

  7. (Probably) Portuguese.

It is quite possible that he knew several others in this way. He knew profoundly as a philologist, and read without helps, and wrote, but did not speak — i.e., not familiarly —

  1. Arabic.

  2. Hebrew.

  3. Persian.

  4. Greek (which, however, he may have spoken a little.)

  5. Romaic: ditto.

  6. Chaldee: which he knew as well, or nearly as well, as he did Hebrew, and read with rapidity without a lexicon.

  7. (Probably) Ethiopic, which he certainly read, though perhaps with difficulty.

  8. (Probably) Dutch, which he certainly read, though perhaps not with ease.

  9. (Possibly) Sanscrit, which he certainly read, though perhaps with some difficulty.

  10. (Possibly) Syraic, which he read with perfect ease, but probably did not write.

  11. (Possibly) Coptic, which he read, and I think easily, but probably did not write.

  12. (Possibly) Danish, which he read without a lexicon, but probably did not write.

  13. (Probably) Flemish.

  14. (Possibly) Norwegian.

He knew profoundly as a philologist, and read with ease with the help of lexicons —

  1. Polish: which it is barely possible he came to read without a dictionary, and even to write.

  2. Swedish: ditto.

He knew well philologically, and pretty well I suppose, but had but a smattering of its details:

  1. Chinese: and 2, I think he had some knowledge of Hindostanee.

He also had a masterly acquaintance with the Rabbinical Hebrew, and several dialects of languages which are mentioned in this catalogue.

He no doubt, too, had some slight acquaintance with several other proper languages, as distinguished from mere dialectical variations of one language. He may, indeed, have acquired a few languages of which there is no record.

He was thus a perfect master of probably eight or ten languages; though it is not possible to determine in every instance precisely what ones. Dr. Sears testifies, that when a student in Germany he spoke about as many as Tholuck, which was at least six. He knew profoundly, as a philologist, and wrote, certainly thirteen, probably fourteen or fifteen, possibly nineteen, or even by chance, over twenty. He knew profoundly as a philologist at least, and read with ease, with the help of the lexicons, almost certainly twenty-one, and well, probably twenty-four. He knew in all, at least slightly, and in one way or another, probably between twenty-five and thirty. He knew, at least well enough for him to claim to know something of them, twenty-five, including English, and excluding mere dialectical variations of any one language.

And herein is an insight to J. Addison Alexander’s extensive linguistic knowledge which is evident in his articles, Biblical commentaries, and other writings. What a gift to know languages, and what a blessing to readers even today who benefit from such knowledge. In the words of Roger Bacon (Opus Tertium), “Knowledge of languages is the first gateway to wisdom.”

Archibald Alexander's 250th Birthday

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Today marks the 250th anniversary of the birthday of Archibald Alexander, one of America’s most notable theologians, born near Lexington, Virginia, on Friday, April 17, 1772. His son and biographer, James W. Alexander, records the location of his entrance to this world in Archibald’s own words (written in 1839):

The house in which I was born was built of square logs, as were most of the houses at that time. The place is rough, and is near a little mountain stream, called the South River, which, after joining the North River, falls into the James River, just above its entrance into the mountains. Nearly opposite to the place, Irish Creek, a bold stream from a gorge of the mountain, falls into the South River. This my birthplace was at that time in Augusta County, which was unlimited to the west; it is now in Rockbridge County, and is about seven miles from Lexington, in an eastern direction.

Sherman Isbell adds this bit of information:

William's son Archibald was born on his grandfather's land on South River, nearly opposite the mouth of Irish Creek. Just north of Irish Creek, a private bridge on the left crosses to the west side of the South River. Dr. Archibald Alexander was born in a log house on the west side of the river, on April 17, 1772. An historical plaque to mark the area where Dr. Alexander was born was set up about 1958, but has been repeatedly washed out by local flooding, and until recently was stored in the basement of the Rockbridge Historical Society's Campbell House at 101 East Washington Street in Lexington. We have received a report that the plaque has now been mounted on a rock by Dr. Horace Douty at the intersection of Irish Creek and South River Road, not far from its previous location.

From a log cabin on the farm owned by his father, William Alexander, Archibald went on serve the kingdom of God as a missionary, a pastor, a college president, moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, and as the first theological professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, not to mention as a husband and a father. He was a man of eminent piety, diligent in his labors, and fruitful in his service.

Although we commemorate his earthly birth on this date, which we consider a tribute to this man of God, yet he would say that it is regeneration, that is, the new birth of the soul by the power of the Holy Spirit, that ought to be of the greatest concern to every individual in this world: “There is no more important event which occurs in our world than the new birth of an immortal soul” (A. Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience, p. 53).

For more biographical information concerning the life of Archibald Alexander, consider the following resources at Log College Press:

The semiquincentennial of Archibald Alexander’s birth falls on the Lord’s Day this year, and we give glory to God for the remembrance of his most excellent of divines, who called Alexander to the ministry and caused him to leave a lasting spiritual legacy that endures. May his life of faithful service to the King of kings inspire many even in our day and beyond to dedicate themselves to the work of the kingdom for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Remembering Theodore L. Cuyler on His 200th Birthday

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Theodore Ledyard Cuyler was born two hundred years ago today in Aurora, New York on January 10, 1822. He was a graduate of Princeton University (1841) and Princeton Theological Seminary (1846). He served as pastor of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York from 1860 to 1890.

In his ministerial career and lifetime he published many books, and around 4.000 articles in the press. It is has been said that he was the “Dean of the American Pulpit.” He was a world-traveler, and was friends with many notable leaders of the church and society, including Charles H. Spurgeon, William Adams, Eliakim Littell, Richard S. Storrs, Samuel H. Cox, Henry W. Beecher, Archibald Alexander, James W. Alexander, Joseph A. Alexander, Charles G. Finney, Benjamin M. Palmer, James McCosh, Horatius Bonar, Dwight L. Moody, President Benjamin Harrison, President Abraham Lincoln, William Gladstone, Thomas Guthrie, Thomas Binney, Albert Barnes, William B. Sprague, Stephen H. Tyng, and others, many of whom he wrote about in his autobiography, Recollections of a Long Life (1902).

He was noted for inviting the first woman to preach from an American Presbyterian pulpit — Sarah Smiley, a Quaker, in 1872 — while at the same time publicly opposing women's suffrage (see his 1894 pamphlet, “Shall Women Be Burdened With the Ballot?”). Cuyler was also a Unionist, an abolitionist, and a teetotaler.

Source: The American Monthly Review of Reviews, Vol. 25 (Feb. 1902), p. 153.

Perhaps most significantly, Rev. Cuyler lost two infant children, as well as a 22 year-old daughter, and in the midst of his grief, he wrote God’s Light on Dark Clouds (1882), and other books and articles which spoke words of comfort to his readers. Many would say that the experiences he endured gave fruit to a spiritual comfort that only one who had walked through the valley of the shadow of death could comprehend and convey to others.

He died of bronchitis on February 26, 1909, in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of 88, and is buried at Green-Wood Cemetery.

Two centuries after his birth, we remember Rev. Cuyler with great appreciation, and invite our readers to explore his works which are available to read at Log College Press. A very prolific writer, we are still adding his works to the site, but there is much of great value to read even now. Though his name was often in the press of his day, he was a most humble minister of the gospel. A park in Brooklyn is named after him but he declined the erection of a statue in his honor. He once said, "A genuine revival means trimming of personal lamps." When remembering Cuyler, we give glory to the God who called him to the ministry, and we note that Cuyler’s legacy points us, even now, to Beulah-Land.

J.A. Alexander: Be Still and Know That I am God

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Joseph Addison Alexander, the remarkable Biblical scholar who was skilled in 25 languages, was also a prolific poet. In 1833, while on travel in Europe, he wrote what his biographer, H.C. Alexander, called “one of his noblest productions.”

Be Still and Know That I am God

I.

When fortune smiles and friends abound;
When all thy fondest hopes are crowned;
When earth with her exhaustless store,
Seems still intent to give thee more:
When every wind and every tide
Contribute to exalt thy pride;
When all the elements conspire
To feed thy covetous desire;
When foes submit and envy stands
Pale and abashed with folded hands;
While fame’s unnumbered tongues prolong
The swell of thy triumphal song;
When crowds admire and worlds applaud
”Be still and know that I am God.”

II.

When crowns are sported with and thrones
Are rocked to their foundation stones;
When nations tremble and the earth
Seems big with some portentous birth;
When all the ties of social life
Are severed by intestine strife;
When human blood begins to drip
From tyranny’s accursed whip;
When peace and order find their graves
In anarchy’s tempestuous waves;
When every individual hand
Is steeped in crime, and every land
Is full of violence and fraud;
”Be still and know that I am God.”

III.

When to the havoc man has made
The elements afford their aid;
When nature sickens, and disease
Rides on the wing of every breeze;
When the tornado in its flight
Blows the alarm and calls to fight;
When raging Fever leads the van,
In the fierce onset upon man;
When livid Plague and pale Decline
And bloated Dropsy, form the line;
While hideous Madness, shivering Fear
And grim Despair, bring up the rear;
When these thy judgments are abroad:
”Be still and know that I am God.”

IV.

When messages of grace are sent,
And mercy calls thee to repent;
When through a cloud of doubts and fears
The Sun of Righteousness appears;
When thy reluctant heart delays
To leave it’s old accustomed ways;
When pride excites a storm within,
And pleads and fights for every sin;
Be still, and and let this tumult cease;
Say to thy raging passions, “Peace!”
By love subdued, by judgment awed:
”Be still and know that I am God.”

Abraham Gosman on Biblical Theology

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In reviewing Abraham Gosman’s 1894 charge to the new professor of Biblical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, Geerhardus Vos, it is interesting to note that he credited Joseph Addison Alexander and Caspar Wistar Hodge, Sr. as early precursors of this theological discipline.

Here is a brief extract from that charge which summarizes the nature of Biblical Theology, as conceived by a Director of the Seminary, and its relation to other areas of study.

Biblical Theology stands in close relations both to Exegetical and Systematic Theology, and yet has its own well-defined bounds. It presupposes Exegetical Theology; it furnishes the material for Systematic Theology. If Systematic Theology is, as we may conceive it to be, the finished building, harmonious in its proportions, symmetrical and beautiful; then Exegetical Theology may be regarded as the quarry from which the material is taken; and Biblical Theology, as putting the granite blocks into form, not polished and graven, but shaped and fitted for the place they are to fill, as the structure grows in its vastness and beauty. It seeks the saving facts and truths as they lie in the Word, and are embedded, and to some extent expressed, in the history of the people of God. God's methods are always historical and genetic, and it conforms to His methods. It views these words and facts in their historical relations and their progressive development. It aims not merely to arrive at the ideas and facts as they appear in particular authors and in the books justly ascribed to them, and as they may be modified in their form by time, culture, influences friendly or hostile; but to set forth these facts and truths thus ascertained in their relation to the other books in which they may appear in clearer light, — to trace their progress and unfolding from the germ to the ripened fruit. As the stream of sacred history runs parallel with that of revelation, it borders closely upon Historical Theology. But the two conceptions are distinct.

Read more of Gosman’s charge as well as Vos’ inaugural address on The Idea of Biblical Theology as a Science and as a Theological Discipline, at their respective pages, as well as the Biblical Theology page.

The Princeton Magazine - An Alexander Family Project

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On March 5, 1850, James W. Alexander wrote to his old friend and long-time correspondent John Hall to tell him about a new publishing venture.

My brother William is about to set up “the Princeton Magazine;” pp. 48, monthly. Of course we shall all help. It will not exclude scientific, classical, crudite, sportive, or Jersey articles. Probably a number out three weeks hence. “Princeton in 1801,” will open it, a reminiscence of my father.

James was referring to William Cowper Alexander’s editorial work on a publication that lasted just one year, but led to a tremendous outpouring of fascinating literature by the Alexander family.

Henry C. Alexander, in his biography of Joseph Addison Alexander, Vol. 2, p. 682, speaks of the family venture thus:

The Magazine was written by members of the family (principally by J.W.A.) with occasional articles by an outsider. The volume contained one hundred and twelve articles. Eighty-three articles were written in the family. To these may be added sixty-one notices of new books. These notices were almost exclusively from the pen of the editor.

John Hall adds that this one volume was treasury of valuable literary output by the family.

Twelve numbers of this magazine appeared in 1850, after which it was discontinued. The brothers James and Addison made it the repository of many of their desultory effusions….In a letter to the editor of these Letters, from the late Mr. Walsh, (Paris, Nov. 12, 1850,) that eminent scholar wrote — “The promise of the youth of the brothers Alexander seems to have been fulfilled. The Magazine abounds with matter which I read with keen relish.” — Forty Years’ Familiar Letters of James W. Alexander, D.D., Vol. 2, p. 112.

Samuel D. Alexander notes the family contributors to The Princeton Magazine in his Catalogue of the Writings of the Alexander Family, but only as to their names, not their specific writings. The articles and book notices by the Alexanders (Archibald, James, Addison and William) are varied and include poetry by Addison, social commentary by James, reminiscences by Archibald and much more. Attribution of these writings largely comes from John Hall and Henry C. Alexander. Sometimes authorship can be ascertained from the nom-de-plumes chosen by the authors, such as “C.Q.” for “Charles Quill,” a favorite pseudonym of James. Many of these “essays, dialogues, satirical squibs, bits of Latin criticism, popular philosophy,” etc. (H.C.A.), showing the wit and humor, knowledge of the world and of Scripture, and the keen intellect of brilliant writers have been added to the respective author pages at Log College Press, including the full volume of the magazine at William C. Alexander’s page. The magazine represents a slice of Princetoniana well worth diving into, and though it only lasted for one year, constitutes a treasury of Alexander family literature that is remarkable in its diversity of topic and quality of writing.

1850 was a very productive year for the Alexanders, and now that these articles are being added to Log College Press, we hope you will see what a treasure The Princeton Magazine of that year was.

American Presbyterians in Europe

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St. Augustine, when he speaks of the great advantages of travelling, says, that the world is a great book, and none study this book so much as a traveller. They that never stir from home read only one page of this book. -- John Feltham, The English Enchiridion (1799)

Like many today who might be itching to travel again, American Presbyterians in the 19th century also sought the benefits of a long voyage, and Europe was one particular favorite destination. Among the life experiences of authors found at Log College Press, trips to Europe are a recurring theme, and our Travelogue page highlights this.

The letters, journals, books and poetry that resulted from such trips are a valuable historical record of life on one side of the pond as viewed through the eyes of residents from the other side. In today’s post, we take a closer look at these memorials of their experiences.

  • James Waddel Alexander — J.W. Alexander traveled to England, France, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland on a six-month tour of Europe in 1851. He met Adolphe Monod in Paris. Later, in 1857, he returned to Europe and met Charles H. Spurgeon in England, and Thomas Guthrie in Scotland, while also visiting France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. His reports on these travel experiences are recorded in Forty Years' Familiar Letters, and also in James W. Garretson, Thoughts on Preaching & Pastoral Ministry: Lessons from the Life and Writings of James W. Alexander.

  • Joseph Addison Alexander — J.A. Alexander spent a year in Europe (1833-1834). Time was spent in England, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. From diary extracts given in H.C. Alexander’s The Life of Joseph Addison Alexander, we learn many fascinating details about the people he met, and the poems he wrote, inspired by his European travels.

  • Henry Martyn Baird — Baird spent much of his childhood in France and Switzerland, and then after graduating from the University of New York, lived in Greece and Italy during 1851-1853, and studied at the University of Athens. Besides his many written studies of the French Huguenots, he authored Modern Greece: A Narrative of a Residence and Travels in that Country (1856).

  • Robert Baird — Baird visited Europe many times as recorded in H.M. Baird’s biography The Life of the Rev. Robert Baird, D. D. (1866). Baird himself wrote about his travels in Visits to Northern Europe (1841) and Old Sights With New Eyes (1854). His travels also enabled him to write with personal knowledge about Protestantism in Italy.

  • John Henry Barrows — Barrows’ world travels, detailed in A World Pilgrimage (1897), included England, France, Germany, Greece and Italy.

  • Robert Jefferson Breckinridge — R.J. Breckinridge was appointed by the PCUSA General Assembly to serve as its representative in Europe, leading to a trip to England, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. His travels are detailed in Memoranda of Foreign Travel (1839 and, in 2 vols., 1845).

  • George Barrell Cheever — Cheever’s journey though the French-Swiss Alps is recorded in Wanderings of a Pilgrim in the Shadow of Mont Blanc and the Jungfrau Alp (1848).

  • Theodore Ledyard Cuyler — Cuyler’s travels through England, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Greece, and the Czech Republic, are recorded in From the Nile to Norway and Homeward (1881).

  • George Duffield IV — Duffield’s travels were published in the Magazine of Travel during 1857, and later republished in Travels in the Two Hemispheres; or, Gleanings of a European Tour (1858).

  • Henry Highland Garnet — Garnet traveled to Europe in 1851, including England, Ireland Scotland and Germany. His speeches from some of those locations are found here.

  • Stephen Henry Gloucester — Gloucester, pastor of the Lombard Street Central Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, visited England and Scotland in 1847-1848. The record of his trip, and letters which he wrote home, can be found in Robert Jones, Fifty years in the Lombard Street Central Presbyterian Church (1894).

  • Charles Hodge — From 1826 to 1828, Hodge traveled to Europe, studying in Paris and and wrote a handwritten journal of his experiences (primarily in Germany) available to read here. See also A.A. Hodge’s The Life of Charles Hodge for more on these travels, including letters written to home.

  • Alexander McLeod — McLeod visited England and Scotland in 1830. His experiences are recounted in Samuel Brown Wylie’s Memoir of Alexander McLeod (1855). Wylie’s own trip to Europe in 1802-1803 is also discussed in this volume.

  • James Clement Moffat — Moffat recounts his experiences in the summer of 1872 in Song and Scenery; or, A Summer Ramble in Scotland (1874).

  • Walter William Moore — Moore recounts his experiences in England, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands in A Year in Europe (1904, 1905).

  • James W.C. Pennington — The “Fugitive Blacksmith’s” s travels to England, Scotland and Germany are detailed in Christopher L. Webber, American to the Backbone: The Life of James W. C. Pennington, the Fugitive Slave Who Became One of the First Black Abolitionists. He was the first African-American in Europe to be awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity.

  • Samuel Irenaeus Prime — Prime’s travels were recorded in Travels in Europe and the East: A Year in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt, 2 vols. (1855, 1856).

  • Joel Edson Rockwell — Rockwell’s journey through France, Germany, Italy, England, Scotland and Ireland is chronicled in Scenes and Impressions Abroad (1860).

  • William Buell Sprague — Sprague writes in the preface to his Visits to European Celebrities (1855), “In 1828, and again in 1836, I had the privilege of passing a few months on the continent of Europe and in Great Britain. In both visits, especially the latter, I was more interested to see men than things; and I not only made the acquaintance, so far as I could, of distinguished individuals as they came in my way, but sometimes made circuitous routes in order to secure to myself this gratification.” See also his Letters From Europe, in 1828 (1828).

  • Thomas De Witt Talmage — A world traveller, Talmage wrote Great Britain Through American Spectacles (1885); From the Pyramids to the Acropolis: Sacred Places Seen Through Biblical Spectacles (1892); and The Earth Girdled: The World as Seen To-Day (1896).

These are some of the men at Log College Press who spent time in Europe, and their writings often tell us about life abroad, and often inspired them in various ways, just as travels inspire us. It is human nature to want to travel, and if we are limited in our ability to do so at present, we can at least turn to others who have done so and be inspired by them.

The Princeton Book

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When Charles Hodge entered into glory in 1878, it seemed that one chapter in the history of Princeton had closed, and a new one was beginning. The following year, a memorial in honor of Hodge, Samuel Miller and the Alexanders was dedicated at Miller Chapel, and a book was published to commemorate the occasion, The Alexander Memorial (1879), of which we have written before. Today’s post concerns another volume published in 1879, The Princeton Book, “by officers and graduates of the college,” which is a remarkable and comprehensive look at the history and scope of Princeton’s legacy.

The Princeton Book Title Page smaller.jpg

The Princeton Book has recently been added to our Compilations page. It is a volume filled with information about the founding of Princeton, both the college and the seminary, its relationship to church and state, the courses of study and activities conducted at Princeton, including science and athletics, the layout of the campus, the cemetery, the surrounding town, and much more. Each section is written by those with experience and knowledge of the topic, and a love of the institutions represented. It is a valuable snapshot in time (complete with many photographs and maps), as well as a look backward in time to inform readers of a rich heritage that belongs to Princeton and its people. The table of contents below will help today’s reader to better understand what this remarkable volume is all about.

I. Historical
History of the College of New Jersey by William Henry Hornblower
College Presidents by William A. Packard
Princeton and the Church by Henry J. Van Dyke
Princeton and the State by Henry J. Van Dyke
Princeton and Science by S.B. Dod
Princeton and Literature by William M. Baker

II. Organization
Course of Study in the Academical Department by James McCosh
The Faculty by Addison Atwater
The Treasurer by William Harris
The Librarian by Frederic Vinton
Commencement Day by Henry Alfred Todd
The American Whig Society by H.C. Cameron
Cliosophic Society by Melancthon W. Jacobus
The Philadelphian Society by John Thomas Duffield
The Nassau Hall Bible Society by George Sheldon
The St. Paul’s Society by Arthur B. Turnure
Class Meetings and Alumni Associations by George W. Sheldon

III. Buildings
Nassau Hall by John P. Campbell
Dickinson Hall by Edward D. Lindsey
The College Chapel by Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater
The College Library by Frederic Vinton
The Halsted Observatory by Stephen Alexander
The Working Observatory by C.A. Young
The Museum of Geology and Archaeology by Arnold Henry Guyot
The Gymnasium by Allan Marquand
Witherspoon Hall by William Harris
Reunion Hall by William Harris
East and West Colleges by William Harris

IV. The School of Science
The John C. Green School of Science by Henry B. Cornwall

V. The Theological Seminary
The Theological Seminary by George T. Purves
Library of the Theological Seminary by Wm. H. Roberts

VI. The Town
The Battle of Princeton by James C. Moffat
The First Church by Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater
The Princeton Graveyard by William Brenton Greene, Jr.
Tusculum by William Brenton Greene, Jr.
Morven by Bayard Stockton
Prospect by Bayard Stockton
Trinity Church by Bayard Stockton
Ivy Hall by Bayard Stockton
The University Hotel by William Harris

VII. Miscellaneous
On the Campus by Henry J. Van Dyke, Jr.
College Oratory by Simon J. McPherson
The Princeton Journals by Henry F. Osborn
Glee and Instrumental Clubs by Alfred L. Dennis, Jr.
History of Base Ball by Wilton Merle Smith
Foot-Ball by David Stewart
Athletic Notes by Allan Marquand

VIII. Statistics by William B. Scott
I. Statistics of Professions of Graduates
II. List of Presidents and Professors

Those interested in the history of “the legitimate successor of the celebrated ‘Log College’ at Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, and of several other schools of the prophets” (Henry Van Dyke), will find much in this volume to reward their study. The Princeton Book is a valuable resource indeed and can be read here.

A chat with Charles Spurgeon about some Log College Press commentaries

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For today’s post, we have decided to consult with renowned English Reformed Baptist minister Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) to seek his opinions regarding some of the commentaries available to be read at Log College Press. He is the author of a book published in 1876 which is a most helpful evaluation of Bible expositions [from which his responses are given] covering a full spectrum of writers from different backgrounds. The scope and depth of his knowledge in this area is respected by all, and so we present his remarks for consideration to our readers.

Charles Spurgeon, Commenting and Commentaries Title Page.jpg

Log College Press: Thank you for joining us today. We have high regard for your love of God’s Word, and the faithful exposition of it. We know with what high esteem you hold such expositors as John Calvin, Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Trapp, John Gill and others. We too value standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us in regards to our understanding of what the Bible teaches. Our focus at Log College Press is on American Presbyterians who have labored to expound upon the Bible or portions thereof. We wanted to seek your opinion regarding particular authors. We begin with some Princeton expositors. How would you rate Joseph Addison Alexander on the Psalms?

Charles H. Spurgeon: Occupies a first place among expositions. It is a clear and judicious explanation of the text, and cannot be dispensed with.

LCP: That is high praise. It seems that Charles Hodge also thought highly of J.A. Alexander as a Biblical commentator. What did he have to say about Alexander on Isaiah?

CHS: Dr. Hodge says of the author: "I regard Dr. Joseph Addison Alexander as incomparably the greatest man I ever knew—as incomparably the greatest man our Church has ever produced." He wastes no space, but gives the essence of exposition.

LCP: And your thoughts on J.A. Alexander’s commentary on the Gospel of Matthew?

CHS: Dr. Alexander's last work. He died before it was quite finished. It is complete to Chapter XVI. Its value is great.

LCP: What about his commentary on the Book of Acts?

CHS: In all respects a work of the highest merit.

LCP: Turning to Dr. Charles Hodge himself, what are your thoughts on his commentary on Romans?

CHS: Hodge's method and matter make him doubly useful in commenting. He is singularly clear, and a great promoter of thought.

LCP: As we continue down the list of New Testament expositions by Hodge, what about First and Second Corinthians?

CHS: The more we use Hodge, the mare we value him. This applies to all his commentaries.

LCP: And Hodge on Ephesians?

CHS: Most valuable. With no writer do we more fully agree.

LCP: What is your opinion of another LCP author who served as pastor of the Presbyterian church in Princeton, New Jersey, James Madison MacDonald, who wrote on Ecclesiastes?

CHS: Thoroughly exegetical, with excellent "scopes of argument" following each division: to be purchased if it can be met with.

LCP: What are your thoughts on John Miller’s exposition of Proverbs?

CHS: This author's interpretations are new, and in our judgment very far removed from accuracy. Certainly the old interpretations are better in many ways. His theory that the' Proverbs are spiritual and not secular will not hold water. He needs reading with very great discrimination: if read at all "Too great innovation" is the author's own suspicion of his work, and we quite agree with him, only we go beyond mere suspicion.

LCP: Here is a controversial name. Albert Barnes. What do you think of him?

CHS: Albert Barnes, say you, "What, do you think of Albert Barnes?" Albert Barnes is a learned and able divine, but his productions are unequal in value, the gospels are of comparatively little worth, but his other comments are extremely useful for Sunday School teachers and persons with a narrow range of reading, endowed with enough good sense to discriminate between good and evil. If a controversial eye had been turned upon Barnes's Notes years ago, and his inaccuracies shown up by some unsparing hand, he would never have had the popularity which at one time set rival publishers advertising him in every direction. His Old Testament volumes are to be greatly commended as learned and laborious, and the epistles are useful as a valuable collection of the various opinions of learned men. Placed by the side of the great masters, Barnes is a lesser light, but taking his work for what it is and professes to be, no minister can afford to be without it, and this is no small praise for works which were only intended for Sunday School teachers.

LCP: Thank you for those thoughts. What would you say about Barnes on the Psalms, specifically?

CHS: Thoroughly good. Using these notes constantly, we are more and.more struck with their value. For the general run of preachers this is probably the best commentary extant.

LCP: And Barnes on Job?

CHS: Exceedingly good. One of the best of this author's generally valuable productions. The student should purchase this work at once. as it is absolutely necessary to his library.

LCP: There are also some Southern Presbyterian expositors to consider. What is your opinion of T.V. Moore on Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi?

CHS: A capital book. Most useful to ministers.

LCP: What about William Swan Plumer on Romans?

CHS: Plumer is a laborious compiler, and to most men his works will be of more use than those of a more learned writer.

LCP: And your thoughts on Plumer’s commentary on the Psalms?

CHS: A huge volume, compiled from such works as were accessible to the author in the United States. Full of instructive comment, but not very original, or remarkably learned.

LCP: What is your opinion of Francis Smith Sampson’s commentary on Hebrews?

CHS: A respectable production, but we know many which we value far more. As a set of lectures to a college class these comments would be of great value, but the author did well not to print them, although it was natural and fitting that his surviving colleague [Robert Lewis Dabney] should do so.

LCP: A. Moody Stuart has given an opinion of George Burrowes on the Song of Solomon. Can you remind us of what he had to say?

CHS: Mr. Moody Stuart says — “The excellent work of Dr. Burrowes is specially fitted to remove the prejudices of men of taste against the Song of Solomon, as the medium of spiritual communion between the soul and Christ. We welcome it as a valuable contribution to us from our transatlantic brethren.”

LCP: Thank you, sir, for your time and valued opinions. To our readers, we would add that we have a number of additional commentaries to consult here. The love of the God’s Word leads to an appreciation of faithful expositions thereof, and while not all commentaries are equal in value, we are pleased to continue building this page as one of many resources for students of the Scriptures here at Log College Press.

A Virtual Tour of Princeton Cemetery

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William H. Foote once wrote of Moses Hoge (Sketches of Virginia, Second Series, p. 373):

He also visited Princeton College, which, in 1810, had conferred on him, in company with his friend, Mr. [Archibald] Alexander, the degree of S.T.D.; and passed a few days with Dr. Alexander. A cold easterly rain was falling the whole time of his visit. He examined thoroughly the condition of the two institutions, the College and the Seminary, with reference to the two in Prince Edward. He rejoiced in the extended influence of his friend Alexander, and [Samuel] Miller the co-laborer. He could not refrain from a visit to the grave-yard to meditate by the tombs of [Aaron] Burr, [Sr. and Jr.]; [Jonathan] Edwards, [Samuel] Davies, [John] Witherspoon, and [Samuel Stanhope] Smith. As he tarried in that hallowed spot, the bleak wind pierced his diseased frame, and hastened his descent into the valley of death. His heart was elevated as he went from grave to grave, and read the epitaphs of these Presidents of College and teachers of Theology; and his body under the cold rain was chilled in preparation for his own resting in the silent tomb. The conversations of Hoge and Alexander those few days, had there been a hand to record them, laying open the hearts, as by a daguerrotype, of men of such exalted pure principle, so unselfish and so unlike the mass of men - what simplicity of thought, benevolence in feeling, and elevation of piety! -- but there was no man to pen what all men would have been glad to read. Mr. Hoge took his seat in the Assembly - but his fever returned upon him, of a typhus case, and by means of the cold caught in Princeton, became too deeply seated for medicine to remove. He bowed his head meekly to the will of the Head of the Church, and fell asleep in Jesus, on the [5th] of July."

Of the Alexander family, A.A. Hodge once said (Henry Carrington Alexander, The Life of Joseph Addison Alexander, Vol. 2, p. 583):

Of this one great family, A. A. Hodge once said, “I never go to Princeton without visiting the graves of the Alexanders – father and sons – and I never think of them without having my poor staggering faith in God and in regenerated humanity strengthened. Let us uncover our heads and thank God for them.”

Princeton Cemetery is comparable to Westminster Abbey or Bunhill Fields, where so many godly saints are buried - John F. Hageman described it as "the Westminster Abbey of the United States." The number of Log College Press authors who have been laid to rest here is numerous; included are Archibald Alexander, James W. Alexander, Joseph A. Alexander, Aaron Burr, Sr., Samuel Davies, A.A. Hodge, Charles Hodge, Samuel Miller, B.B. Warfield, John Witherspoon, and so many more.

For those who are unable to visit Princeton Cemetery in person, or who wish to revisit the cemetery virtually, take a tour of this special place online here. See where the past Presidents of Princeton (including Jonathan Edwards, Sr.) are buried, along with a President and Vice-President of the United States, and many other luminaries with Princeton connections. This writer has spent many hours touring the grounds, including a visit to the grave of Charles Hodge on the 140th anniversary of his entering into glory. We can all be thankful for the technology to be able to revisit Princeton Cemetery, especially in a time of isolation.

The Alexander Memorial

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On April 29, 1879, a dedication ceremony took place at the Miller Chapel at Princeton University, New Jersey. Memorial tablets were installed to honor the legacy of six men, leaders of Princeton Theological Seminary, who served the Church of Christ with distinction. It was a solemn dedication but also a celebration.

Source: Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, May 17, 1879, p. 177.

Source: Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, May 17, 1879, p. 177.

The six men honored were: 1) Archibald Alexander (1772-1851); 2) James Waddel Alexander (1804-1859); 3) Joseph Addison Alexander (1809-1860); 4) Samuel Miller (1769-1850); 5) John Breckinridge (1797-1841); and 6) Charles Hodge (1797-1878).

Source: Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, May 17, 1879, p. 177.

Source: Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, May 17, 1879, p. 177.

A book was subsequently published which is known as The Alexander Memorial (1879), which included addresses delivered on this special occasion by William Maxwell Patton on Archibald Alexander; Theodore Ledyard Cuyler on James W. Alexander; and William Cassady Cattell on Joseph Addison Alexander. This work is not currently available on Log College Press, but it is a treasure that highlights the legacy of these luminaries from the Alexander family.

Paxton speaks of Archibald thus:

These tablets, as I understand them, put honor not only upon the names which they bear, but also upon the Alumni of Princeton Seminary.

They tell to the world how much we loved these men, and simply to love such men is our highest praise.

Archibald Alexander needs no tablet to perpetuate his name. There is his monument. Princeton Seminary is the record of his fame. He projected it, cradled it, nurtured it. He chose and gathered around him the honored associates who helped him make it what it is. He watched over it for forty years. He commenced with three students, and lived to see the Seminary in its full grown maturity, its class-rooms crowded with one hundred and sixty candidates for the ministry. As long as the fame of Princeton Seminary endures, the name of Archibald Alexander will not be forgotten.

Cuyler spoke of James Waddel:

James W. Alexander lived on earth fifty-five years — every one of them busy to the brim. To condense them into ten minutes is like an attempt to cut Westminster Abbey on a cameo….Dr. Alexander was not only an accomplished Professor, and a most affluent preacher of the Word; he was also a voluminous author. He put more thoughts into type than any man who has ever lived in Princeton.

Cattell spoke of Addison:

“Taking him all in all,” said his life-long colleague — that great master upon whose memorial tablet, in our recent sorrow, we look with moistened eyes to-day, and who knew what greatness was — “taking him all in all,” said Dr. Charles Hodge, “he was certainly the most gifted man with whom I have ever been personally acquainted.”

Each of these men have bequeathed a legacy to the modern Church by not only the example of their personal piety, but also through their many edifying writings. We continue to build our own memorial tablets, as it were, to the Alexanders and others by adding their works to their respective pages. In the last week alone, 15 writings by James have been added. Be sure to explore these pages and benefit from the spiritual legacy of these honorable men.

Archibald Alexander
James Waddel Alexander
Joseph Addison Alexander
Samuel Miller
John Breckinridge
Charles Hodge

The Death of J.W. Alexander

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In the spring of 1859, at the age of 55, the health of James Waddel Alexander began to decline. He made the decision to leave New York City, where he labored as pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church and head south to Virginia. It was thought that the curative effects of the western mountain springs could help to alleviate the chills he was experiencing. His long-time correspondent, John Hall, encouraged him to think about a trip out West, but Alexander determined to return to his home state (Alexander’s letter to Hall from Charlottesville, dated June 7, 1859).

Red Sweet Springs, as it appeared in 1867. Source: http://exhibits.hsl.virginia.edu/springs/redsweet/

Red Sweet Springs, as it appeared in 1867. Source: http://exhibits.hsl.virginia.edu/springs/redsweet/

In the mid-19th century, places such as Warm Springs in Bath County and Red Sweet Springs (also known Sweet Chalybeate Springs) in Allegheny County drew many visitors and patients seeking a return to good health. Alexander visited the Warm Springs Hotel first, arriving on July 13. His delight in seeing the mountains was evident during the days following. Dr. James L. Cabell, Professor of Comparative Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, who accompanied him to the springs, reported that:

In his daily drives, his enjoyments of our mountain scenery, which is unsurpassed for its varied beauty and grandeur, was almost rapturous. It had never before, he said, been half so great. He would repeatedly say that he had no language of his own adequate to the expression of his feelings, and could only exclaim with the Psalmist: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.’

Dr. Cabell also reported that Alexander experienced an immediate boost in his health, but that he was also anxious to move on to Red Sweet Springs. On July 20, Alexander commenced the next leg of his trip, but had to stop for the night due to the onset of extreme physical pain while traveling on a hot Virginia road. Dysentery began to afflict him that night. The next day he made it to the Red Sweet Springs. But over the course of the following week, he battled a fever, and the dysentery took its toll on his body too. Although the proprietor of the cottage he stayed at, the doctor, and others, made every effort to provide comfort and aid, Alexander realized that he was coming to the end of his mortal journey. Before the end came, according to Cabell, Alexander said:

I have not been in the habit of talking much on the subject of my own spiritual states of feeling. With respect to my subjective religion, I have often disappointed people who look for manifestations of a certain kind. But I have frequently made known to Elizabeth [his wife] the grounds of my hope…Let me say one word more with respect to the solemn event to which you have called my attention. If the curtain were to drop now, and I were this moment ushered into the presence of my Maker, what would be my feelings? They would be these: first, I would prostrate myself in an unutterable sense of my nothingness and guilt; but, secondly, I would look upon my Redeemer with an inexpressible assurance of faith and love. A passage of Scripture which expresses my present feeling is this: “I KNOW WHOM” (with great emphasis) “I have believed, and am assured that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.

These words were uttered by Alexander about 20 hours before he breathed his last at around 5:00 am on the Lord’s Day, July 31, 1859. Thus did he, who had brought such consolation and comfort to many during his ministry, enter into the presence of the Lord whom he loved.

J.W. Alexander’s grave at Princeton Cemetery (photo by R. Andrew Myers).

J.W. Alexander’s grave at Princeton Cemetery (photo by R. Andrew Myers).

Alexander’s body was transported from Red Sweet Springs, Virginia and buried some days later at Princeton Cemetery, where his father Archibald Alexander, and later his brother Joseph A. Alexander, were also laid to rest. Last year, this writer paid a visit to his grave. Today, we remember a prince in Israel who died exactly 160 years ago.

Don't Miss These Faithful Studies of God's Word

The 19th century published its share of commentaries, and Presbyterians were at the forefront of that effort. Joseph Addison Alexander, the son of Archibald Alexander, was one of those men of whom the word "prolific" does not even begin to describe the amount of writing they are able to produce and publish in a normal life span. He wrote commentaries on Isaiah, Acts, Mark, Matthew, the Psalms - and he had time to preach. (This doesn't even include everything he wrote that's available in digital form! It may take you a lifetime to read what he wrote in his 51 years of life. But here it is, available to you when you need it.) Another 19th century American Presbyterian, Thomas Verner Moore, wrote on the post-exilic prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. You can find more commentaries on our site by visiting our Commentaries page.

Did Joseph Addison Alexander Ever Sleep?

There are a few people in history, even in our own day, of whom the word "prolific" does not even begin to describe the amount of writing they have been able to produce and publish in a normal life span. Joseph Addison Alexander, the son of Archibald Alexander, was one of those men. He wrote commentaries on Isaiah, Acts, Mark, Matthew, the Psalms - and he had time to preach. But this doesn't even include everything he wrote that's available in digital form! It may take you a lifetime to read what he wrote in his 51 years of life. But here it is, available to you when you need it. Enjoy!

If You're Looking for Commentaries on the OT Prophets, Don't Miss These

The 19th century published its share of commentaries, and Presbyterians were at the forefront of that effort. Thomas Verner Moore wrote on the post-exilic prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, while Joseph Addison Alexander wrote on Isaiah (in two parts - the second part will be posted soon!). There are more commentaries that we need to find and make available, but hopefully soon all 19th-century Presbyterian commentaries will be accessible from this site.