Out with the old, in with the New: Sermons for a New Year

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As 2019 comes to a close, and a new year dawns, we at Log College Press want to thank all of our readers for all of your support in the past year. We are most grateful for your interest, appreciation, feedback and encouragement. It is a joy for us to dust off old Presbyterian works and make them accessible to a new generation, and we, along with our readers, are learning much along the journey as well. As we round out this year and prepare, with the mercy and blessing of God, to enter another, we wish to highlight some special sermons from the past which are worthy of consideration.

• Henry Augustus Boardman (1808-1880) - Mottoes For the New Year, as Given in Texts of Sermons (1882);

• George Barrell Cheever (1807-1890) - A New Year’s Sermon (1843);

• Samuel Davies (1723-1761) - On January 1, 1760, he preached "A New Year's Gift" (see Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 3, Serm. 59, pp. 309 ff), using Rom. 13:11 for his text: "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." On January 1, 1761 (his last year of life), Davies preached "A Sermon on the New Year" (see Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 2, Serm. 34, pp. 139 ff), from Jer. 28:16: "This year thou shalt die";

• Elias Harrison (1790-1863) - New Year’s Day Sermon (1817);

• Erskine Mason, Sr. (1805-1851) - The Approach of Death: A New Year’s Sermon (1845) and New Year’s Sermon for 1848: Dependence on the Future (1848);

• Benjamin Morgan Palmer (1818-1902) - Century Sermon (1901), preached on January 1, 1901; and

• Gardiner Spring (1785-1873) - Something Must Be Done: A New Year’s Sermon (1816).
  

Each of these sermons has a message that is good for 21st century readers to consider as we stand at the same point on the calendar between years that Christians have done before. New Year’s is always an appropriate time to review the past and consider our resolve to walk closer with the Lord in the future. We close with this meditation and resolution from Gardiner Spring’s “Reflections on the New Year” in Fragments from the Study of a Pastor (1838):

In entering on another year, I know not from what unexpected quarter, or at what an unguarded hour, difficulties and dangers may come. O that I could enjoy more of the favour of God, more of the presence of the Saviour, more of the sealing of the ever blessed Spirit! O for more of a calm, approving conscience, and more of the delightful influence of the peace-speaking blood of Jesus Christ!

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The Translated and the Untranslated at Log College Press

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In 1812, on the occasion of the inauguration of Archibald Alexander as Professor of Didactic and Polemic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, Samuel Miller preached a memorable sermon titled The Duty of the Church to Take Measures for Providing An Able and Faithful Ministry in which he made an observation about the benefit of ministerial acquaintance with other languages besides English:

And here I will take occasion to remark, the great importance of a familiar acquaintance with the Latin language, to the Theologian. Although no part of scripture is written in that language, yet it is almost essentially necessary to pass through this vestibule, in order to arrive at the knowledge of any other ancient language; most valuable grammars and dictionaries being written in Latin: and almost all Theological works, not designed for the immediate use of the people, were composed in this language, prior to the middle of the last century, a very small portion of which have been translated into English. The course of theological study would indeed be very much circumscribed, if we were destitute of this key to unlock its rich treasures.

Samuel Davies had made a similar point about the importance of knowledge of languages in the previous century:

[Candidates] have acquir’d the Latin and Greek languages; studied Philosophy, particularly, Logic, Ontology, Pneumatology; and read sundry approven Systems of Theology, besides various Writings on particular important subjects; as, on Natural and Revealed Religion in Opposition to Atheism, Deism, &c. Most of them have learn’d Hebrew, and some of them read Physics and Ethics, or Natural and Moral Philosophy; besides what progress they made in sundry branches of Mathematics [The Impartial Trial, Impartially Tried, and Convicted of Partiality: in Remarks on Mr. Caldwell’s, alias Thornton’s Sermon Intituled, An Impartial Trial of the Spirit, &c. and the Preface of the Publisher in Virginia (Williamsburg, VA: W. Parks, 1748), 17, quoted in Joseph C. Harrod, Theology and Spirituality in the Works of Samuel Davies, p. 37].

James W.C. Pennington (the fugitive blacksmith slave who became a Presbyterian minister), though denied admittance to Yale Divinity School and only permitted to silently audit courses, famously taught himself Greek and Latin, and was described by a contemporary as an able German scholar as well, showing how motivated he was to learn languages to aid his work for the kingdom of Christ.

An able (educated) and faithful Presbyterian ministry has proved to be a multilingual blessing to the Church. Here at Log College Press we have noticed some of the fruits of these language skills. Many of the writers here have translated works from other languages into English, while others have written in languages besides English, including dictionaries and grammars for students. Some of the work, particularly by missionaries, involved pioneering cross-cultural communication. In today’s post, we will attempt to survey some of these linguistic efforts.

Translations

• Archibald Alexander translated from Latin into English (and slightly abridged) the 1675 inaugural discourse of Herman Witsius on The Character of the Genuine Theologian;

• James Waddel Alexander translated The Annunciation of Messiah to Our First Parents by Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg and a portion of Jules Michelet’s memoirs of Martin Luther, both from German into English;

• Elias Boudinot translated the Gospel of Matthew into Cherokee;

• Abraham Rezeau Brown translated the Memoirs of Augustus Hermann Francke and an article On the Song of Solomon from German into English;

• Stephen Foreman translated the Gospel of Luke into Cherokee;

• Stephen Return Riggs translated much of the Bible into the Dakota language, and John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, as well as other works;

• Benjamin Breckrinridge Warfield translated Émile Doumergue’s 1909 discourse on Music in the Work of Calvin from French into English;

• John Leighton Wilson translated the Gospel of Matthew into Grebo (1838);

• Samuel Isett Woodbridge, Sr. translated The Golden-Horned Dragon King; or, The Emperor’s Visit to the Spirit World (1895), The Mystery of the White Snake: A Legend of Thunder Peak Tower (1896), and China’s Only Hope: An Appeal by Her Greatest Viceroy, Chang Chih-Tung, with the Sanction of the Present Emperor, Kwang Su (1900) from Chinese into English;

• Julia McNair Wright translated Romain Kalbris: His Adventures By Sea and Shore by Hector Malot from French to English.

It is also especially worthy of note that one of the most significant translation works ever accomplished was George Musgrave Giger’s translation of Francis Turretin’s Institutes of Elenctic Theology. Although this particular work is not available at Log College Press, the author is represented here. Prior to Giger’s translation of these volumes, James Renwick Willson had translated Turretin on the Atonement of Christ (1817, 1859).

Also worthy of note are the discourses by Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné appended to Robert Baird’s memoir of the author. Included are translations by M.M. Backus and Thomas Smith Grimké (uncle of Francis James Grimké Fresh translations of most of these discourses from the French into English were later made by his son Charles Washington Baird.

Bilingual Dictionaries and Grammar Studies

• James Curtis Hepburn published A Japanese and English Dictionary (1867);

• Robert McGill Loughridge published an English and Muskokee Dictionary (1890);

• William McCutchan Morrison published Mukanda Wa Kuluida Muibidi (1904); Nsumuinu Yakambabo Kudi Jisus (1904); and a Grammar and Dictionary of the Buluba-Lulua Language as Spoken in the Upper Kasai and Congo Basin (1906);

• Charles Henry Parkhurst published Analysis of the Latin Verb: Illustrated by the Forms of the Sanskrit (1870);

• Stephen Return Riggs published The Dakota First Reading Book (1839) and a Grammar and Dictionary of the Dakota Language (1851)

• John Leighton Wilson published A Grammar of the Mpongwe Language, With Vocabularies (1847), A Grammar of the Bakěľe Language, With Vocabularies (1854), and Heads of Mpongwe Grammar; Containing Most of the Principles Needed by a Learner (1879);

• Samuel Brown Wylie published An Introduction to the Knowledge of Greek Grammar (1838).

The Untranslated

• John Henry Livingston’s 1785 inaugural oration on “The Truth of Christianity” was published in Latin.

If the earth belongs to the Lord, how good it is when he is exalted in every language and his kingdom on earth strengthened by the translation of edifying literature into each language. American Presbyterian ministers and missionaries recognized the value of linguistic knowledge and translation work early on, and we see its value in many of the works at Log College Press that we find and make accessible to readers. We rejoice when linguistic barriers to the spread of the gospel are overcome. May God be glorified in every language and by every tongue!

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Autograph Manuscripts at Log College Press

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Recently, Reformation Heritage Books has published a transcription of notes taken by Charles Hodge during lectures on Systematic Theology delivered by Archibald Alexander. Those handwritten notes can be found on their respective pages. The transcription collaboration by Travis Fentiman and James M. Garretson and others is titled God, Creation, and Human Rebellion: Lectures Notes of Archibald Alexander from the Hand of Charles Hodge and is available for purchase here.

It is worth noting that a growing segment of the content available at Log College Press consists of such handwritten autograph manuscripts. Recently, we have uploaded some additions which we wanted to let readers know about.

• Samuel Davies, annotations on portions of the New Testament;

• Minutes of Hanover Presbytery, Vol. 1 (1755-1769), Vol. 2 (1769-1785), Vol. 3 (1786-1795), Vol. 4 (1796-1804);

• Charles Hodge, Journal of European Travels (1827-1828);

• Charles Colcock Jones, Sr., Charge (n.d.) [this is a handwritten document of 35 pages intended as a guide for newly ordained Presbyterian officers]; and three volumes of handwritten sermons covering 1840-1842, 1843-1845 and 1844-1855;

• Brief Historical Sketches (1793/1858) of Bethel Presbyterian Church, White Hall, Maryland by George Luckey and George Morrison, Jr.;

• Jonathan Parsons, Notebook of Handwritten Sermons (1727-1772);

• 94 handwritten sermons by Ebenezer Pemberton, Jr. from the period from the 1740s to the 1770s;

• James W.C. Pennington, Letter to Amos Augustus Phelps dated Feb. 26, 1846 (sent from Jamaica) (1846);

• Minutes of the Synod of Virginia, Vol. 1 (1788-1797), and Vol. 2 (1798-1806);

• William Tennent, III: 1) Louisburgh Taken (1759) [poem on a major British victory in the French and Indian War]; 2) The Birth of Measures (1759) [poem]; 3) Strive to Enter In at the Straight Gate: A Sermon Preached at New York, January 20, 1765 (1765); 4) Speech on the Dissenting Petition, Delivered in the House of Assembly, Charleston, South Carolina, January 11, 1777 (1777); 5) Let Young Men Be Really Modest (n.d.); and 6) Some of the Blessings of Military Law, or, The Insolence of Governor Gage (n.d.); and

• Diary of Moses Waddel in three parts: 1823-24 [handwritten], 1824-1826 [typed transcript] and 1826-1827 [handwritten].

As our content continues to grow, please check back with us to see what else is new. There are challenges involved in working through handwritten manuscripts from the 18th and 19th centuries - but also great rewards!

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Samuel Davies: God's grace supplies our wants and nourishes us with his blessings

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Among the many treasures to be found at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (originally named the Virginia Historical Society, and founded in part by the efforts of John Holt Rice, Jonathan Peter Cushing and others, but renamed in 2018), is a portion of Samuel Davies’ New Testament - leaves containing the text of a portion of Galatians through 2 Timothy, along with handwritten annotations by him.

Joseph C. Harrod tells us that this New Testament was donated to the museum in 1963 (Theology and Spirituality in the Works of Samuel Davies (2019), p. 63). He also highlights a particular annotation on Ephesians 3:20:

Our Petitions can extend far; our tho’ts farther—But above—abundantly above— exceeding [abun]dantly above what we ask or think—exceeding [abun]dantly above all that we ask of think, —wt a [ . . . ]gious extent is this! And yet, thus far does [ . . . ] & Grace of God extend to supply our Wants & to [nou]rish us wth his Blessings. Amazing Tho’t! & how [ . . . ] exprest! Plain as Language can be; & yet as h[igh] as Tho’t can rise. The Repetition of ye Particle [ . . . ] in ye original renders it still more emphatical. [ . . . ] ναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπὲρ ἐκ πε[ρισ]σοῦ ᾧν ἀιτούμεθα ἤ νοῦμεν—which may perhaps [ . . . ] thus translated, ‘Who is able to do above,— exceed[ . . . ] abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Harrod adds:

Samuel Davies recorded these observations on Ephesians 3:20 in his New Testament on a blank page opposite the printed text. His style was meditative, focusing on key words in the verse, which he wanted to recall later for personal reflection or sermon preparation. This annotation is one of several that have survived and indicates that their author gave meticulous attention to the Bible as he analyzed syntactical constructions in the Greek. The importance of Scripture extended even to the particle. The mention of the biblical text being “Plain” recalls the Reformation emphasis on the perspicuity of Scripture. In fine, Davies’ notes link the significance of the biblical text to the life of its readers: the reader learns that God graciously sustains believers by his word. Samuel Davies believed that the Bible was the foundation for genuine Christian piety and this chapter explores the contours of his reflections on the nature and place of Scripture in the Christian life.

Recently, this writer was able to visit the museum and hold these pages himself. Below is a photograph of a photocopy of these particular notes. See for yourself the careful handwriting (in English and Greek) of a minister who wrote this private, unpublished notes in his Bible almost three centuries ago.

Photocopy of Samuel Davies’ handwritten annotations from his personal Bible on Ephesians 3:20 (courtesy of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

Praise God for his grace which supplies our wants and nourishes us with his blessings, as Samuel Davies testifies.

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Where the Hanover Presbytery Was Founded

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Just north of Richmond, Virginia, in the town of Mechanicsville, a most unusual structure resides. The Historic Polegreen Church — today often the site of weddings and other events — commemorates the church organized by Samuel Davies with an open frame. The original building was destroyed in the War Between the States in 1864. The present structure marks the site of the church, along with the Samuel Morris Reading Room which led to the revival of religion in central Virginia, a story which we have outlined before here.

Historic Polegreen Church (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers)

The historical significance of this place is well explained by markers at the site. Various signs tell the story of the birth of religious liberty here in the once-Anglican colony of Virginia, largely through the labors of Samuel Davies.

(Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers)

It was here that Hanover Presbytery was founded in 1755, the second presbytery in the American South, and the first to be connected to one of the main synods in the North.

(Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers)

Walking through the woods on a sunny day, despite the open-air nature of the structures, one can easily feel as though they were transported in time to a place where crowds assembled to hear the faithful preaching of God’s Word, or gathered simply to hear godly books read and discussed.

Samuel Morris Reading Room (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

The past is not dead, as we say, and here especially the history of colonial Presbyterianism is very much alive in the midst of the central Virginia woods. If you can visit, this historical site is well worth your time. Meanwhile, take time to read the works of Samuel Davies, to better understand the ministry of the Word that once resounded from the pulpit here. The legacy of an 18th century Presbyterian revival speaks to us today in the 21st century.

(Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers)

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The William Tennent House - Home of the Founder of the Original Log College

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Behind the man — William Tennent, Sr. — who founded the Log College in 1727, America’s first Presbyterian seminary, stood a woman: “Catharine Kennedy — the real founder of the Log College” (Thomas Murphy, The Presbytery of the Log College; or, The Cradle of the Presbyterian Church in America (1889), p. 118). Today, if one follows the William Tennent Trail of History Tour — which includes stops at the Neshaminy-Warwick Presbyterian Church and cemetery in Warminster, Pennsylvania, along with the William Tennent House and the Log College Monument — your tour guide is likely to be the woman who so ably portrays Catherine Kennedy Tennent. Her name is Wendy Wirsch, and she is the church historian at Neshaminy-Warwick and President of the William Tennent House Association.

Wendy Wirsch portrays Mrs. Catherine Tennent at the Log College Monument (courtesy of Wendy Wirsch).

She represents an effort to raise awareness, preserve and restore the William Tennent House, and indeed the legacy of the Log College and its founder. The WTHA’s mission is fueled by her passion and the passion of all those who support its aims to honor this legacy by teaching others about the history of the Tennents, the Log College and the far-reaching ministry of early American Presbyterians in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Neshaminy-Warwick Presbyterian Church (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

The church founded by William Tennent, Sr. still stands and has a very active congregation. The memory of its founder and succeeding ministers is cherished by its members. The nearby cemetery where some of those men were laid to rest remains a place of sober reflection and appreciation. The WHTA also tries to uphold their memory in the ways that it can, but it does need your support.

The William Tennent House Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to the mission of restoring and preserving the William Tennent House located at 880 York Road in Warminster, Pennsylvania.

Our goal is to eventually open the house to all ages and offer educational tours, presentations, special events and to establish a museum and library with relics, documents, books, collectibles and art for education and research about William Tennent and related historical persons and sites on a local, state and national level.  We would like to give the public the opportunity to participate in every phase of the restoration and preservation process. This includes inviting community members to assist in the ongoing maintenance of the house and surrounding 1+ acre of land.

Please join us in our efforts to offer this most historic and unique home to our local community. Learn more about the impact William Tennent had on that period of time in our history known as The Great Awakening, as well as the profound impact his Log College had on the beginning of higher education in the American middle colonies – the roots of which extend to the present day.  The William Tennent House will serve as a place of interest in history, preservation, and education, and will become a valuable resource for future generations.

For more information, email friendsofthetennenthouse@yahoo.com or go to:  www.facebook.com/william.tennenthouse

Front view of the William Tennent House (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

As is evident from pictures above and below, the house where the remarkable Tennent family lived is a special place in need of restoration. Such work is ongoing, and much more work is yet needed. If you support the goal of preserving and restoring this chapter of history, the home of William Tennent, Sr., and the associated heritage of the original Log College, you can contribute to or become of a member of the William Tennent House Association and help to realize this dream shared by Wendy Wirsch and others. Your contribution is tax deductible, and will go a long way towards helping future generations to be able to walk through this house and learn about the legacy of its famous residents, and their contribution to the kingdom of Christ in America.

Rear view of the William Tennent House (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

So many landmarks of American Presbyterian history have deteriorated or faded from memory. Recently, we highlighted the sad condition of the birthplace of Samuel Davies here. The work of the William Tennent House Association provides an opportunity to ensure that this bit of history will not be lost, but rather preserved and cherished. Pray for its success, and consider what you can do to support the work. Future generations will be blessed by these labors, as we cherish the labors of William and Catherine Tennent, and many others.

The grave of William Tennent, Sr. (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

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The Calder Statues: American Heroes of the Faith

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Note from the Publisher: Hopefully you noticed the lack of blog posts the past two weeks - we were hit with a Mailchimp hack that suspended our account and deleted most of our subscriber base. We are back online, and hope to regain subscribers in the weeks to come (please help by spreading the word that folks need to resubscribe here!). While we’ve been offline, Andrew has been preparing several new blog posts, and I’ve been working on upcoming publications. We’re excited about how Log College Press is growing (we’re up to 4200+ works by over 750 authors in our free PDF Library), and we look forward to collecting and reprinting even more 18th-19th century American Presbyterian literature in days to come! Thank you for following us, and for spreading the word about our work — Caleb Cangelosi

Photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

Six early American Presbyterian heroes of the faith were sculpted by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870-1945) over a century ago. These sculptures are now located at the garden entrance to the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They stand as a testimony not just to individual men, but to the ideals that they represent. They are described as follows.

Presbyterian Revolutionaries

James Caldwell

Known as the “Fighting Parson,” James Caldwell became a pivotal figure during the Revolutionary War —what some historians have dubbed “The Presbyterian Rebellion.” When Continental troops ran out of gun wadding at the Battle of Springfield, Caldwell passed out Watts Psalm books, exhorting the troops to “Put Watts into them, boys!” The killing of Caldwell’s wife by British forces swayed many in New Jersey to support the Patriot cause.

John Witherspoon

A native of Scotland, John Witherspoon sailed to America in 1768 to become president of the College of New Jersey — today’s Princeton University. A strong supporter of Enlightenment ideals, he viewed the growing centralization of British government in the American colonies as a threat to individual liberties. While a delegate to the Continental Congress, he was one of twelve Presbyterians to sign the Declaration of Independence, and the only active member of the clergy.

Champions of Religious Freedom

Francis Makemie

Francis Makemie served as the first moderator of the first presbytery in America, which met in Philadelphia in 1706. The native of Ireland is also remembered as an early crusader for religious freedom. When the British magistrate Lord Cornbury arrested him in New York for preaching without a license, Makemie invoked the British Tolerance Act of 1689 in his defense. After Makemie’s acquittal, the New York legislature enacted legislation preventing such persecution in the future.

Samuel Davies

Samuel Davies overcame tuberculosis and his outsider status as a Presbyterian minister in predominantly Anglican Virginia to promote religious tolerance and the separation of church and state. A leading figure during the first Great Awakening, Davies preached in favor of educating all of God’s children, insisting that persons of faith must be able to hear and read the word of God. Davies was one of the first ordained ministers to preach directly to slaves and the first American-born hymnist.

Frontier Missionaries

John McMillan

The “Father of Presbyterianism in Western Pennsylvania,” John McMillan was a circuit riding preacher who established mission churches along the frontier. In 1780 he founded The Log School in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, the first educational institution west of the Alleghenies. McMillan’s efforts on behalf of an educated citizenry saw him play key roles in the founding of other schools, including Washington-Jefferson College and Pittsburgh Academy — today’s University of Pittsburgh.

Marcus Whitman

A medical doctor, Marcus Whitman traveled with his wife Narcissa to Oregon Country in 1835 and there started a school that taught Cayuse Indians to read and write their native language. A later cross-continental trip saw Whitman lead one of the first wagon trains along the Oregon Trail. Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, is named for the Whitmans, who were killed in an Indian massacre after a measles epidemic decimated the local Cayuse population.

Pictured are Francis Makemie, John Witherspoon and John McMillan (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

Pictured are Samuel Davies, James Caldwell and Marcus Whitman (photo credit: R. Andrew Myers).

The men portrayed in these statues are heroes to us as well. Learn more about their lives and writings at the links above. We appreciate the work of the Presbyterian Historical Society in preserving these sculptures, and the legacy of early American Presbyterianism, as we also do here at Log College Press.

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Samuel Davies taught us to 'live not for yourselves'

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During his final illness, Samuel Davies selected the text upon which Samuel Finley would preach Davies’ funeral sermon: “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:7-8). This was done by Finley under the title The Dis-Interested and Devoted Christian [1761]. George Pilcher says that this Scripture text “expressed the belief that had governed [Davies’] life” (Samuel Davies: Apostle of Dissent in Colonial Virginia, p. 187).

Davies was a man who loved his family and his studies, and would have contented himself to serve his flock in rural central Virginia for the rest of his days. In 1751, he wrote to his brother-in-law, John Holt:

I can tell you that I am as happy as perhaps the Creation can make me: I enjoy all the Necessaries and most of the Conveniences of Life; I have a peaceful Study, as a Refuge from the Hurries and the Noise of the World around me; the venerable Dead are waiting in my Library to entertain me, and relieve me from the Nonsense of surviving Mortals; I am peculiarly happy in my Relations, and Providence does not affect me by afflicting them. In short, I have all a moderate Heart can wish; and I very much question if there be a more calm, placid and contented Mortal in Virginia.

But though Davies, with characteristic humility, thought himself unworthy to take up calls to serve the College of New Jersey (Princeton) by fundraising in Europe or in the capacity of President, and resisted those calls strenuously, he was not deaf to the call of duty when pressed upon him by others. He himself preached war sermons during the French and Indian War in which he told others: “FOLLOW THE PATH OF DUTY wherever it leads you” (Religion and Patriotism: The Constituents of a Good Soldier [1756]).

As President of Princeton — which he spoke of as “a Seminary of Loyalty, as well as Learning, and Piety: a Nursery for the State, as well as the Church” (A Sermon Delivered at Nassau-Hall, January 14, 1761, on the Death of His Late Majesty King George II [1761]) — Davies delivered a discourse on the importance of cultivating a public spirit which is reminiscent of wisdom from Thomas à Kempis, who said “Never be entirely idle; but either be reading, or writing, or praying, or meditating, or endeavoring something for the public good” (The Imitation of Christ). Let us give heed to Davies:

Whatever, I say, be your Place, permit me, my dear Youth, to inculcate upon you this important instruction, IMBIBE AND CHERISH A PUBLIC SPIRIT. Serve your Generation. Live not for yourselves, but the Publick. Be the Servants of the Church; the servants of your Country; the Servants of all. Extend the Arms of your Benevolence to embrace your Friends, your Neighbors, your Country, your Nation, the whole Race of mankind, even your Enemies. Let it be the vigorous unremitted Effort of your whole Life, to leave the World wiser and better than you found it at your Entrance (Religion and Public Spirit: A Valedictory Address to the Senior Class, Delivered in Nassau-Hall, September 21, 1760 [1762]).

Samuel Davies did much good in the span of 37 years on this earth. He left a legacy of godliness which continues to encourage and inspire. May his “important instruction” to the students of his beloved college ring in our ears today: “Leave the world wiser and better than you found it at your entrance.”

Lost Treasures of American Presbyterianism

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What light would be thrown upon the dim past if we had to-day the diaries of Francis Makemie, Jedediah Andrews, Francis Doughty, Richard Denton or Matthew Hill. Had we the catechism which Makemie published, but which has absolutely disappeared, we should understand fully his attitude toward the Quakers and why he came into conflict with George Keith. Had we all the discussions and the letters which must have been written about the famous Adopting Act of 1729, how many precious hours of time in later years would have saved, misunderstanding avoided and the Church spared much restlessness and bad feeling. Could we but have the lost minutes of the Presbytery of Philadelphia from 1717 to 1733, the action of that body and the opinion of its members on the Adopting Act and other similar matters, might have proved mouth and wisdom to some of the men of later generations. Would it be more than the mere gratifying of an idle curiosity if we knew the reasons why the Presbyterians did not have a conference with the Baptists after having requested it and with whom they had worshipped in the Barbadoes Store, Philadelphia, from 1695 to 1698? If we could but see the lost page or pages of the first minutes of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, it would settle for the Church the question of time and perhaps the question as to the declaration of doctrine and the attitude of the early fathers to the Confession of Faith. If we could but read 'the loving letters from Domine Frelinghuysen,' it might reveal to us the secret as to the change in the ministry of Gilbert Tennent to a more evangelistic style of preaching. -- William L. Ledwith, "The Record of Fifty Years, 1852-1902: Historical Sketch of the Presbyterian Historical Society" in Journal of Presbyterian History, Vol. 1, No. 6, p. 404

The Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia was built to preserve the records and artifacts of Presbyterian history, and provides climate-controlled record storage services, along with fire protection, and other document preservation resources.

At Log College Press, we delight in bringing old, dusty, classic American Presbyterian works into the light of day again for a new generation to appreciate. But there are some works that are simply lost to history, as painful for we bibliophiles to admit, and as William Ledwith has shown us already (the Presbyterian Historical Society was founded mainly to protect and preserve the treasures of Presbyterian church history). There are works known to exist at one time that have simply disappeared from the stage before the advent of digital imaging. These include diaries, Presbytery minutes, letters, and even entire books.A few examples which pertain to Log College Press authors:

The first two pages of the first Presbytery’s Minute Book, which describe the first meeting, are lost to history. Pictured above is page 3 of the Minute Book, which gives an account of the ordination of John Boyd.

• Francis Makemie - Besides the aforementioned Catechism, and his personal Diary, which are both gone, Makemie was accused by Lord Cornbury (who had previously tried him for preaching without a dissenters’ license and lost) with authorship of a 1707 New Jersey publication titled Forget and Forgive — of which Makemie denied authorship — for apparently slanderous remarks directed at him contained within. That book, which would certainly shine light on the ongoing dispute between Makemie (even if he was not the author) and Lord Cornbury, is simply nowhere to be found today.

• Alexander Craighead - The first American Covenanter minister has left us some remarkable writings, but there are some gaps in his bibliography as well. His 1742 Discourse Concerning the Covenant is, strangely, missing eight pages. Moreover, no copy of an anonymous 1743 pamphlet thought to be published by him has survived after it was condemned by the Synod of Philadelphia for seditious principles. Considering his known published views on resistance to British tyranny, and the influence he had posthumously on the 1775 Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, this missing pamphlet constitutes a rather large gap in our understanding of a fascinating colonial Presbyterian.

• Titus Basfield - Basfield was a former slave who studied at what is now known as Franklin College, where he was mentored by the college president and Associate Presbyterian pastor John Franklin. John Bingham (later the architect of the 14th Amendment) was a fellow student and close friend of Basfield with whom he carried on a correspondence of 40 years. Bingham's letters to Basfield were destroyed in the 1990s, after John Campbell, a private collector who owned them, died, and his widow threw them away (source: Gerard N. Magliocca, American Founding Son: John Bingham and the Invention of the Fourteenth Amendment, p. 197).

• Samuel Davies - At one point during the ministry of Davies in Virginia, a writer who took the pen name “Artemas” attempted to “lampoon” Davies by association with alleged excesses related to the Great Awakening, including “a copious flow of tears” and “fainting and trembling” by some under his ministry. Davies responded with a pamphlet titled A Pill For Artemas, which according to a 19th century anonymous writer (“ A Recovered Tract of President Davies,” The Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review (1837), Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 363-364), “evinced the power of his sarcasm.” Davies sought a middle ground between extremes of lukewarmness and frenzied ecstasy in his hearers as the received the word of truth and responded appropriately. In any case, although the anonymous writer above said he had seen Davies’ pamphlet, George H. Bost wrote in 1942 that “Both pamphlets seem to have been lost” (Ph.D. dissertation titled Samuel Davies: Colonial Revivalist and Champion of Religious Toleration, p. 53).

So while we will continue to hunt for the interesting, rare and special works pertaining to American Presbyterianism to make them available at Log College Press, sadly, there are some things that are apparently lost to history. Would it be wonderful though, to find something thought to be lost in a drawer or attic somewhere? A church historian can dream, can’t they?

A Visit to the Birthplace of Samuel Davies

(If the author links in this post are broken, please visit our Free PDF Library and click on the author’s page directly.)

When Samuel Davies — the “Apostle to Virginia” — and Gilbert Tennent were chosen as emissaries to raise funds in Europe for the College of New Jersey, Davies left his Hanover, Virginia base in September 1753 to return home to Delaware and parts surrounding, including Philadelphia and New Jersey. An entry from his journal in November 1753, records his sentiments as he traveled through the Delaware Welsh Tract of his boyhood once again:

[W]hen I past by the Places where I had formerly lived, or walked, it gave a solemn Turn to my Mind. Ah! How much I have sinned, wherever I have been! And what solemn Transactions have been between God and my Soul in these my old Walks! Visited two Grave-Yards in my Way, to Solemnize my Mind among the Mansions of the Dead. O how solemn Eternity appeared! How frail and dying the Race of Mortals! And how near my own Dissolution!

Davies was born on November 23, 1723, at what is today known as the Lum’s Mill House in Bear, Delaware. It still stands but is in great disrepair and not open to the public. It is adjacent to the Lums Pond State Park, but beyond the grass being mowed, there is little evidence that it is remembered for its mark on history.

This writer recently toured some of the old stomping grounds that Davies may have visited on that 1753 trip, including his family home. Dewey Roberts — author of Samuel Davies: Apostle to Virginia, a most valuable resource for studying the life of this great saint, particularly, his earlier years — was kind enough to make suggestions for the itinerary.

Samuel Davies’ birthplace - photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

His family was originally associated with the Welsh Tract Baptist Church in New Castle County. I was not able to visit that church on this trip. But I did visit the church that the Davies family joined after departing from the Baptist church: Pencader Presbyterian Church (originally called the Welsh Tract Presbyterian Church). It is now known as Olivet Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), but the name Pencader is still found on the church building itself as well as the at the adjacent cemetery.

Pencader (Olivet) Presbyterian Church (originally founded 1707-1710; present building established in 1852) - photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

The pastor who embraced the Davies family and counseled them through a challenging transition was likely Thomas Evans, who is buried at this location.

Historical marker - photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

I also visited other Presbyterian churches in the vicinity, including Head of Christiana — pastored by George Gillespie, who is buried at the cemetery there, as is James Laird Vallandigham, who authored a history of Pencader Presbyterian Church and a history of the New Castle Presbytery.

Head of Christiana Presbyterian Church (founded in 1706-1708; present building established in 1859) - photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

Finally, I stopped at St. Georges — pastored by WIlliam Robinson (who played such an important role in the life of Samuel Davies and may be the subject of a future post) and Davies’ “close friend” John Rodgers (Samuel Finley preached the ordination sermon for Rodgers here in 1749 and later preached Samuel Davies’ funeral sermon elsewhere in 1761).

St. Georges Presbyterian Church (present building established in 1844)- photo credit: R. Andrew Myers

One additional place visited on this trip was the site of the Duck Creek Presbyterian Church. It was a place of significance to Thomas Evans, who conducted the first worship services there in 1733. This was just a year after Martha Davies (Samuel’s mother) was forced out of the Welsh Tract Baptist Church and received spiritual counsel from Rev. Evans (see Dewey Roberts, Samuel Davies: Apostle to Virginia, pp. 31-33).

Smyrna, Delaware

Walking around the old historic buildings and graveyards, like Old Mortality (Sir Walter Scott), reminds one that Memento Mori (“Remember, you must die”) is a saying worthy to be impressed upon our thoughts, and pondered from time to time. The historical landmarks are too often in a sad state of decay, and it is greatly to be desired that they be not lost to future generations. But regardless, as Davies would say, it is eternity upon which our eyes of faith must be fixed, and while the footsteps of time have their necessary place, our chief care as we move through this world must be to ensure, by the grace of God, that these “mouldering tabernacles are become everlasting habitations.”

Pattillo's Geographical Catechism

(If the author links in this post are broken, please visit our Free PDF Library and click on the author’s page directly.)

When John Chavis — the first African-American Presbyterian ordained as a minister in the United States (licensed on November 19, 1800) — engaged in his secondary schooling in preparation for the ministry, he studied first under the Rev. Henry Pattillo (1726-1801), and then at Princeton under the Rev. John Witherspoon (1723-1794), both Scottish-born American patriot Presbyterian ministers and educators. It is to Henry Pattillo that we look today — who himself studied under the Rev. Samuel Davies — to take note of a memorable work which he produced, which is thought to have made a deep impression upon Chavis, who also was a patriot who served in the American War of Independence (as did Pattillo; Witherspoon signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation).

That notable work was titled A Geographical Catechism (1796), the first textbook ever published in North Carolina. It constitutes an attempt to educate farmers and young people about the world around them, including the celestial world. Further, it introduced its readers to world history and culture, taking particular note of the newly-formed United States of America, and the other major nations of the earth. This overview, given in question-and-answer format, was produced with an explicitly Christian worldview, aiming to inculcate in its readers a desire to glorify the God of creation, providence and redemption.

The scientific descriptions given by Pattillo for the world of nature reflect the current understanding of his day. Four continents are described, as well as seven planets in the solar system (the furthest away from the sun being known to Pattillo as “the Georgian Planet” — or, as we know it, Uranus).

His praise of the United States is high indeed. Answering Q. 104, he describes the United States as a “terrestrial paradise,” sketching its history from the arrival of Christopher Columbus, but focusing chiefly on the late conflict with England, summing his thoughts thus:

A general treaty took place, in which Britain acknowledged the independence of the American States, which the other nations of Europe did soon after. A constitution was formed by the united wisdom of our country, which after some time was adopted by all the states. Under its happy influence they have flourished ever since in peace, prosperity and reputation and the population of our western territory has never been equaled since the first ages of the world.

O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint Americanos! Virgil

Pattillo’s description of comets in space proceeds — encouraging his readers to follow this example — from the scientific to the doxological.

No part of God's works that have come to my knowledge, astonish me more than the infinite wisdom, foreknowledge and divine art of the Deity, in throwing from his creating hand more than 40 enormous globes, whose paths oppose and cross each other for thousands of years, in every direction, without the rapid fiery comet once touching or interrupting a single planet? which must have frequently happened had the planet been in that part of its orbit in which it was before the cornet passed, or would be soon after. Adore ye sons of men, and in humble gratitude acknowledge the power, wisdom and goodness of GOD! If he is thus tremendous in one of his works, who can stand when HE ariseth? Make peace with him whilst thou art in the way; for he is as gracious to returning penitents, as he will be terrible to the sinner in his crimes (A. 72).

Descending from the heavenly realm to the terrestrial, Pattillo still focuses the attention of the reader on the God who made all:

Q. 90. Having surveyed wonders sufficient to bring an infidel to his knees, and to animate the devotion of the most devout; may we now return to Geography, if any thing on our globe be worthy of notice, after the more illustrious scenes we have passed through?

A. It is true our world is but a speck in the creation, and yet it has wonders of power and wisdom belonging to it, sufficient to employ the deepest researches of the wisest of men, and fresh wonders discovered every day; and it has one thing to glory in, above all the creation of GOD.

Q. 91. What is that pray?

A. It is that great gospel truth, GOD so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. A world thus redeemed, is well worthy of our notice. We return then to Geography, or that description of countries, cities, and seaports, without the knowledge of which, no person can read a news-paper, nor follow a traveller by sea or land.

Chavis’ biographer states that it was “the Presbyterian view” indeed “that all knowledge is a part of God’s providence” (Helen Chavis Othow, John Chavis: African American Patriot, Preacher, Teacher, and Mentor (1763-1838), p. 39). By summarizing the basic knowledge of the world of creation and providence for his students, including John Chavis, Pattillo made an enormous contribution to the godly education of students in North Carolina and Virginia. Chavis is an important part of that legacy, because it reflects a desire on the part of the teacher to have all of his students, of whatever skin color, in the words of the great astronomer Johannes Kepler, “think God’s thoughts after Him.”

A Children's Sermon by Samuel Davies

Samuel Davies once preached a sermon to youth in 1758 (260 years ago) titled Little Children Invited to Jesus Christ (reprinted by the American Tract Society in 1826). It was an argument not to delay but to come to Jesus, and to embrace him by faith.

In this sermon, Davies clarifies what he means by “coming to Christ” (based on this text: “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not: For of such is the Kingdom of God,” Mark 10:14). The truths he lays out in this sermon are timeless and applicable to all, young or old.

You have a right, and that it is your duty, to Come to Jesus. Therefore, oh! come to him: come to him this very day, without delay.

But here, I hope, you start a very proper question, "What is it to come to Christ? or in what sense are we to understand this phrase, as it may be applied to us now, since he is removed from our world?"

Coming to Christ, in my text, did indeed mean a bodily motion to him: and this was practicable, while he tabernacled in flesh among men. But even then, it signified much more. It signified coming to him as a divine teacher, to receive instruction; as a Saviour, to obtain eternal life; and as the only Mediator, through whom guilty sinners might have access to God. It signified a motion of soul towards him, Correspondent to the bodily motion of coming: a motion of the desires, a flight of tender affections towards him. In this view it is still practicable to come to Christ; and it is our duty in these latter days, as much as it was theirs who were his contemporaries upon earth. It is in this view, I now urge it upon you: and in this view, it includes: the following particulars.

1. A clear conviction of sin; of sin in heart, in word, and in practice; of sin against knowledge; against alluring mercies and fatherly corrections; of sin against all the strongest incitements to duty. Without such a conviction of sin, it is impossible that you should fly to him as a Saviour: for he "came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

2. An affecting sense of danger, upon the account of sin. You cannot fly to him as a Saviour, till you see your extreme need of salvation; and you cannot see your need of salvation, till you are sensible of your danger; sensible that you are every moment liable to everlasting condemnation, and have no title at all to the divine favour.

3. A humbling sense of your own inability to save yourselves by the merit of your own best endeavours. I do not mean, that you should neglect your best endeavours; or that you should not exert your utmost strength in every good work, and in the earnest use of all the means of grace: for you never will come to Christ, till you are brought to this. But I mean, that while you are doing your utmost, you must be sensible, that you do not deserve any favour at all from God on that account, and that you neither can, nor do make any atonement for your sins by all your good works; but that God may justly condemn you notwithstanding. Till you are sensible of this, you will weary yourselves in vain, in idle self righteous efforts to perform the work which Jesus came into the world to perform, and which he alone was able to do; I mean, to make atonement for your sin, and to work out a righteousness to recommend you to God. It is an eternal truth, that you will never come to Christ as a Saviour, till you are deeply sensible there is no salvation in any other; and particularly that you are not able to save yourselves.

4. An affecting conviction, that Jesus Christ is a glorious, all sufficient and willing Saviour: that his righteousness is perfect, equal to all the demands of the divine law, and sufficient to make satisfaction for all our sins, and procure for us all the blessings of the divine favour; that he is able and willing to "save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him;" and that he is freely offered in the Gospel to all that will accept him, however unworthy, and however great their sins. Indeed it is an eternal truth, that though multitudes perish, it is not for want of a Saviour. There is a Saviour all sufficient, and perfectly willing; and this you must be convinced of before you can come to him.

5. An entire dependence upon his merits alone for acceptance with God. Sensible that you have no merit of your own; on which to depend; and sensible also that Jesus is a sure foundation, on which you may safely venture your eternal all, you must cast all your dependence and fix your entire trust on him. You will as it were hang about him, as the only support for your sinking soul, and plead his righteousness as the only ground of your acceptance with God. This is so unnatural to a proud self-confident sinner, that you must be brought very low indeed, thoroughly mortified and self-emptied, before you will submit to it.

6. A cheerful subjection to him as your ruler; and a voluntary surrender of yourselves to his service. If you come to him at all, it will be as poor penitent rebels, returning to duty with, shame and sorrow, and fully determined never to depart from it more. To embrace Christ as a Saviour, and yet not submit to him as our ruler; to trust in his righteousness, and in the mean time disobey his authority; this is the greatest absurdity, and utterly inconsistent with the wise constitution of the Gospel.

And now, my dear young friends, I hope even your tender minds have some idea what it is to come to Christ. And therefore, when I exhort you to it, you know what I mean. Come then, come to Jesus.

Happy Birthday to Samuel Davies!

The “Apostle of Virginia” — Samuel Davies — was born at Summit Ridge in New Castle County, Delaware, on November 3, 1723. His parents were Thomas and Martha Davies, at the time Baptists of Welsh heritage. As the time of Samuel’s birth drew near, “his mother…had special occasion for the exercise of her faith, in waiting for the answer to her petition” (Appendix, Sermons on Important Subjects, Vol. 1, p. xxxi).

Samuel later told his friend Thomas Gibbons (as reported in Gibbons’ “Divine Conduct Vindicated,” ibid, p. 22): “That he was blessed with a mother whom he might account, without filial vanity or partiality, one of the most eminent saints he knew upon earth. And here, says he, I cannot but mention to my friend an anecdote known but to few; that is, that I am a son of prayer, like my name-sake Samuel the prophet; and my mother called me Samuel because, she said, I have asked him of the Lord, 1 Sam. i.20. This early dedication to God has always been a strong inducement to me to devote myself by my own personal act; and the most important blessing of my life I have looked upon as immediate as immediate answers to the prayer of a pious mother. But, alas! What a degenerate plant am I! How unworthy am I of such a parent and such a birth!”

Samuel Davies would go on to be noted as “the first Presbyterian minister east of the Shenandoah and Appalachian mountains to be lawfully licensed in Virginia…active in promoting the flames of revival throughout Virginia for over a decade…one of the first American ministers to actively labor among the African slaves…he started a mission to the Overhill Cherokees along the western borders of North Carolina and South Carolina…his sermons were among the most popular in print for nearly a century after his death…[and] he was the fourth President of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton College or Princeton University)” (Dewey Roberts, Samuel Davies: Apostle to Virginia, pp. 21-22).

We remember his birth, life, work and legacy on this day, as a man who was indeed a “son of prayer.”

Of the Venerable Dead

Some quotes are special. Anyone who enjoys the peaceful pastime of library reading will appreciate what Samuel Davies of Hanover County, Virginia, once wrote to his brother-in-law, John Holt, residing in Williamsburg, in which Davies refers to himself as a "happy recluse." Davies' words have oft been repeated, with some variation, but rarely properly cited. 

This writer spent many years seeking out the original letter from which the famous quote came. It was recently with the most kind and gracious assistance of Dr. Dewey Roberts, author of a wonderful and highly recommended biography titled Samuel Davies: Apostle to Virginia (2017, available here), that a photograph of the letter was obtained, the original of which resides in the holdings of The Library Company of Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Franklin. 

The letter is dated August 13, 1751. The quote in question, pictured here for you now, dear reader, reads thus: 

“I can tell you that I am as happy as perhaps the Creation can make me; I enjoy all the Necessaries & most of the Conveniences of Life; I have a peaceful study, as a refuge from the Hurries & Noise of the World around me; the venerable Dead are waiting in my Library to entertain me, & relieve me from the Nonsense of Surviving Mortals….In short, I have all a moderate Heart can wish; & I very much question if there be a more calm, placid & contented mortal in Virginia."

After years spent in search of the original words of Samuel Davies, this 21st century contented mortal in Virginia is pleased to share the picture with you showing the words in his own handwriting. May your library or study be a peaceful refuge as well.