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THE

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE

AND

MISSIONARY CHRONICLE.

JANUARY, 1821.

MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF THE REV. TIMOTHY DWIGHT, S. T. D. LL. D.

LATE PRESIDENT OF YALE COLLEGE.

N tracing those events wherein elevated to a most honourable sta

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over-ruled the sins and follies of mankind for the purposes of his glory, few will be found more striking than the persecution of the English Puritans, and the vast accession made to the Church of Christ in America, in consequence of it. A few pious ministers and their people, unwilling to submit to the intolerance of bigoted Ecclesiastics, were driven across the Atlantic to enjoy that liberty of conscience which was denied them in Britain. In the course of 180 years what wonders of grace have been exhibited! A succession of learned, pious, laborious, and useful ministers of the Gospel has appeared from that period to the present; and millions of Christians are now worshipping God in the spirit, and rejoicing in Christ Jesus, where, two centuries ago, nothing was heard but the war-whoop of the ignorant and savage Indian.

Amongst the stars of the first magnitude which have shed their lustre on the Anglo-American Churches, we must number the subject of this Memoir-a man who, by the uncommon powers of his mind, and by peculiar incidents in life, acquired a commanding influence on the minds and affections of the public, and was deservedly

XXIX,

TIMOTHY DWIGHT was born at Northampton, in the County of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts, on the 11th of May 1752. His ancestors emigrated from Dedham in England, and settled at Dedham in America, in 1637. His father received his education in Yale College, and took his bachelor's degree in 1744. He was a merchant, a man of sound understanding and of fervent piety; his mother was the third daughter of President Edwards-a woman of uncommon powers of mind, and the first instructor of professor Dwight, whose capacity and eagerness for improvement were such, that he learned the alphabet at a single lesson, and was able, before he was four years old, to read the Bible with ease and correctness. Her pious instructions made impressions on his mind which were never effaced.

At the age of six he was sent to the grammar school, where he pursued the study of Latin with such assiduity, that he would have been prepared for admission into college at eight years of age, not a discontinuance of the school rendered it necessary for him to return home; where, by the help of his mother, he learned geography

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and history. In his 12th year he went to Middletown, where he diligently pursued his studies under the Rev. Enoch Huntington- -a gentleman of high classical attainments. In his 14th year he was admitted as a member of Yale College, where he was a most assiduous student. He frequently studied 14 hours a day, would construe and parse 100 lines of Homer before prayers in the morning, which were at half-past five in the winter, and at half-past four in the summer. This lesson was of course by candle-light, and thus was the foundation laid of that, weakness of his eyes which was the source of so much distress during the rest of his life. When 17 years of age, he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts.

After leaving college he took charge of a grammar school at New Haven, and during the two years of his residence there, he made great advancement in literature and science.

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In September 1771, when about 19, he was chosen a tutor in Yale College, and in this situation he remained six years, performing its duties with distinguished success and reputation. During this period he cultivated the art of poetry, and composed a regular epic poem, called "The Conquest of Canaan.' In the year 1772 he delivered, as an exercise, at the public commencement, "A dissertation on the history, eloquence, and poetry of the Bible," which gained him great applause, both in America and Europe. He then received the degree of Master of Arts, and soon after engaged deeply in the study of the higher branches of the mathematics. This so fully engrossed his attention, that for a time he lost even his relish for poetry, and it was not without difficulty that his fondness for it was recovered.

Wishing to maintain his health

without losing time for the purpose of taking exercises, he entered on a strict course of abstinence, and confined himself to a vegetable diet; but his constitution, naturally vigorous, began to decline; and repeated attacks of a bilious cholic made dreadful ravages on his frame, so that it was with difficulty he was conveyed to his father's house. However, by persevering in a daily course of vigorous bodily exercise he recovered his health and enjoyed it for 40 years.

In March 1777, he was married to Miss Mary Woolsey, the daughter of Benj. Woolsey, Esq. of LongIsland, the intimate friend of his father. They had eight sons; of whom six survive their father. Mrs Dwight is still living. In June he was licensed as a preacher, and, beside instructing his class, he preached every Sabbath at Kensington, in Weathersfield.

Early in September he left college; and soon after was appointed Chaplain to Gen. Parsons's brigade, which was a part of the division of Gen. Putnam, in the army of the United states. He joined the army at West Point in October 1777, and remained with it a little more than a year; when the news of his father's death rendered it necessary for him to resign his office, in order to console his mother under that severe affliction; and to assist her in the support and education of her numerous family, consisting of 13 children. On him devolved the care of the family, at a period when the circumstances of the country rendered the task peculiarly difficult and laborious. In this situation he passed five years of the host interesting period of his life; performing in an exemplary manner the offices of a son and a brother, and of a guardian to the younger children. Here, he was emphatically the staff and stay of the family. The government and educa

tion of the children, as well as the daily provision for their wants, depended almost exclusively on his exertions. The elder as well as the younger were committed to his care, and loved and obeyed him as their father. The filial affection and dutiful respect and obedience which he exhibited towards his mother, and the more than fraternal kindness with which he watched over the well-being of his brothers and sisters, deserve the most honourable remembrance. To accomplish this object, though destitute of property, he relinquished in their favour his own proportion of the family estate; laboured constantly with a diligence and alacrity rarely seen; and continued his paternal care and liberality long after his removal from Northampton.

In the mean time, owing to the dispersed condition of the College at New Haven, and to his established character as an instructor, a part of one of the classes in that seminary repaired to Northampton, and placed themselves under his care as their preceptor. To them he devoted his own immediate attention, until they had completed their regular course of collegiate studies. The school was continued during his residence there, and uniformly maintained an extensive and distinguished reputation. At the same time, he preached almost without intermission upon the Sabbath, and with increasing popularity.

A strong disposition was discovered by the inhabitants of Northampton, to employ Mr. Dwight in civil life. In the county conventions of Hampshire he repeatedly represented the town; and, in connexion with a few individuals, met and resisted that spirit of disorganization and licentiousness which was then unhappily prevalent in many parts of the county, and which had too visible an influence in an assembly often fluctuating and tumultuous.

At this period, he was earnestly solicited by his friends to quit the clerical profession, and devote himself to public life. But he had become so thoroughly weaned from his first intention of practising law, and was so much attached to the profession of theology, that nothing could change his resolution to devote his life thereto. Having preached occasionally, while at tending the legislature, in Boston and the neighbourhood, he received invitations, accompanied with flattering offers as it regarded compensation, to settle as a minister in Beverly and Charlestown; both of which, however, he declined: but in the month of May 1783, being invited by a unanimous vole of the church and congregation of Greenfield, a parish in the town of Fairfield, in Connecticut, to settle as their minister, he accepted the invitation; and on the 5th of November following was regularly or dained over that people; and remained for the succeeding twelve years their pastor.

From the time of Mr. Dwight's leaving college as a tutor, his eyes were so weak as not only to preclude him almost entirely from reading and writing, but to occasion frequently extreme pain; yet such. was his industry, and capacity for every kind of business in which he was engaged, that he was able to devote all the time which was necessary to the calls of company and friendship, as well as to perform the extra-parochial duties of a minister to his people. Previously to his settlement at Greenfield, his character as a preacher stood high in the public estimation; and during the period of his residence there he acquired a reputation not often equalled.

Being, from the weakness of his eyes, unable to write, he soon discovered that he must perform his stated duties as a preacher without

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notes, or abandon his profession. A very few experiments convinced him that he was able to adopt the former course; and he pursued it for many years almost exclusively. That course was, to write the heads of his discourse, and to fill up the body of it at the time of delivery. Under all these disadvantages he composed and preached, while at Greenfield, about one thousand ser

mons.

argument, and vanquished; vice was disgraced, and in a great measure banished from the College.

In the year 1795, when he entered upon these duties, the whole number of students was 110. Almost immediately after his accession they began to increase, and in the course of his presidency amounted to 313; an increase unexampled in any similar institution in this. country.

We have mentioned the weakness of the Doctor's sight, which oc casioned him severe and constant

In 1787, Mr. Dwight received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the College at Princeton, NewJersey, being then 35 years of suffering. For years it was with

age. extreme difficulty that he could read During his residence at Green- or write even a sentence; and he was field, he cultivated an extensive ac- greatly alarmed, for a long period, quaintance, not only with the con- with the symptoms of an approachgregational clergy of New England, ing gutta serena. Repeatedly the but with many in the Presbyterian pressure on the brain was so great church in New York, &c. This as to produce momentary blindness, fact often enabled him to exert an and obviously to threaten apoplexy. auspicious influence in removing the Occasionally, for weeks together, the prejudices which unhappily ex- anguish of his eyes was so intense, isted in many of both classes. that it required powerful exertion Among other projects which early to draw off his mind to any other engaged his attention, was that of a object. And often after attempting more intimate union of the Congre- in vain to sleep, he has risen from gational and Presbyterian churches his bed; and, to promote a free. throughout the United States, which perspiration, has walked for miles was happily accomplished. in the middle of the night.

In May 1795, the presidency of To enumerate all the various Yale College becoming vacant by literary, charitable, and pious inthe death of the Rev. Dr. Stiles, stitutions, which he was active in the attention of the community was founding or promoting, would be a universally directed towards Dr. laborious and tedious employment; Dwight; and he was, with great a few only must be named. By his. unanimity, appointed to fill that exertions and influence, aided by important station; in consequence of which, in December following, he removed his family to New Haven.

those of distinguished men around him, "THE CONNECTICUT ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES" was established in 1799. He was a zealous The talents which Dr. D. pos- promoter of the Missionary Society sessed for the instruction and govern- of Connecticut, and a liberal con-ment of youth, were now called tributor to its funds. He was one into full exercise. A thorough re- of the projectors of "THE SOCIETY formation in the system of discipline FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS" established was early commenced, and ac- in 1809 at Boston; and until his complished with as much expedi- death was one of its active and tion as the nature of the case would effective officers. Such was the fact, admit. Infidelity was assailed by also, with regard to "THE THEO-

LOGICAL SEMINARY AT ANDOVER," of which he was a visitor. From the time of the establishment of "THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SoCIETY" in England, it was the ardent wish of President Dwight to see a similar institution formed in the United States, and although he was prevented by sickness from being present at the establishment of "THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY," during the last year of his life; yet it was an object which not only met with his cordial approbation, but had the benefit of his warmest encouragement, and his earnest prayers; and it was a consoling consideration to him, that he lived to see it accomplished, and making rapid progress towards extensive usefulness and respectability.

By long continued and unintermitted application to literary and scientific pursuits, it would be natural to expect, that, at the age of 63, his constitution would have begun to shew marks of decay and infirmity. Such, however, was not the fact. No apparent declension was discernible in the powers either of his body or his mind. His understanding was as vigorous, his imagination as lively, and his industry and exertions as uniform and efficient, as they had been at any former period. In September 1815, he undertook a journey into the western parts of the State of New York, preaching every Sabbath on that journey, and was thought by his friends never to have discovered more force of intellect, or higher powers of eloquence, than on these occasions. This was the last journey that he made. On the meeting of College in October, he resumed his customary labours in the Chapel, and in the Recitation-room, and continued them with his usual vigour; but in the month of February he was seized with the first threatening attack of the disease to which he finally became a victim. That

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attack was severe and painful to a degree, of which those, who did not witness it, can have no conception. It made rapid and fearful ravages in a constitution which had increased in strength and firmness for more than 60 years, and which promised to human expectation, to last to a "good old age. His patience as well as his faith were now brought to a most severe test, For several weeks, during the month of April, scarcely any hopes were entertained, either by himself, his friends, or his physicians, of his recovery. Amidst all his sufferings, however, not a murmur escaped his lips. His mind was clear, and his reason unclouded. Patience under suffering, and resignation to the will of God, were exhibited by him in the most striking and exemplary manner, from day to day. His conversation was the conversation of a Christian, not only free from complaint, but at times cheer ful and animated; his prayers were fervent, but full of humility, submission, and hope.

At the end of twelve weeks, his disease assumed a more favourable appearance. By surgical aid, he gained a partial relief from his distress: and his constitutional energy remaining still unbroken, raised the hopes of his friends that he might recover. He was unable to preach in the chapel until after the May vacation. But on the 2d of June he delivered to his pupils a sermon, composed for the occasion during his sickness, from Psalm xciv. 17, 18, 19-" Unless the LORD had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in silence," &c. which was delivered in a manner peculiarly solemn and impressive, and heard with uncommon interest.

On the 17th of June, the General Association of Connecticut met as New Haven. It was a meeting of unusual interest; and he was present during most of their delibera❤

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