il INiUiarn K. Selder 76 Princeton Theological Seminary * Princeton Theological Seminary A Narrative History 1812-1992 / William K. Selden Copyright © 1992 William K. Seldcn ISBN 0-9634444-0-9 (cloth) ISBN 0-9634444-1-7 (paper) Printed by Princeton University Press Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Selden, William K. Princeton Theological Seminary : a narrative history, 1812-1992 / William K. Selden. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-9634444-0-9 1. Princeton Theological Seminary—History. I. Title. BV4070-P76S45 1992 230'. 5174965—dc20 92-35559 It is a sound 7naxim that men living at one time must not he judged hy the maxims of an age in which all circumstances are greatly changed. —Archibald Alexander, 184^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/princetontheologOOseld Contents List of Illustrations ix Foreword xi Preface xiii Prologue: Princeton Theological Seminary in the Early 1990s 3 1. From the Beginning 6 Scots-Irish Presbyterian Influences; College of New Jersey; A New Nation 2. Now These Are the Names i6 The Period of Conception; College of New Jersey; Plan of the Theological Seminary 3. These Be the Words 27 Early Years; Board of Trustees; Buildings; Doctrinal Differences; The Faculty 4. Blessed is the Man 48 Society in Flux; Faculty Personnel; Trustee Personnel; Facilities and Finances; Student Amenities; Curricular Developments; The Princeton Theology; Alumni in the Missionary Field 5. Now It Came to Pass 80 Seminary Governance; Divided Responsibilities; Denominational Strife; A Seminary Asunder; Faculty Appointments; Curricular Developments; Other Educational Developments; Continued Financial Concerns; Physical Facilities; Campus Life; Support of and by Alumni; End of an Era 6. The Burden of the Word 115 A Gentle Breeze; Rebuilding the Faculty; Academic Enrichment; Physical Expansion and Financial Needs; Administrative Developments; Campus Life; Words of Fulfillment vii A NARRATIVE HISTORY 7. The Song of Songs Societal Dynamics; Financial Growth; Physical Expansion Seminary Governance; Faculty Appointments; Academic Programs; Enrollment; Campus Life; Alumnae-Alumni Epilogue: Princeton Theological Seminary into the Twenty-First Century Bibliography Index viii Illustrations Confession of Faith 8 Archibald Alexander 19 Samuel Miller 19 Ashbel Green 19 View of Seminary Campus, 1843 35 Lenox Library 38 Biblical Repertory 51 Charles Hodge and Faculty Colleagues, 1873 54 Faculty Members, 1888 55 Student's Dormitory Room, 1908 64 Benham Club 67 Princeton Seminary Martyrs 78 Francis Landey Patton and Faculty Colleagues, 1908-1909 83 ]. Ross Stevenson, the Faculty and Members of Class of 1927 96 John A. Mackay 117 John A. Mackay and Members of Faculty and Administration, 1958-1959 120 Theology Today 125 David Hugh Jones and Student Choir 137 James I. McCord 144 Thomas W. Gillespie 145 Map of the Campus 152 James L McCord and Faculty Colleagues, 1982 160 Edler Garnet Hawkins 171 Graduation in 1966 177 ix Foreword Abrief history of Princeton Theological Seminary, concise enough to be read in an evening but comprehensive enough to reward that investment of time, has long been over- due. With the publication of the present volume, that deficiency is rectified. Recognizing the many dimensions of this institution's life, the author traces the evolving relationships with University and town, with social movements of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and with the sometimes tumultuous de- velopment of American Presbyterianism. Although determined not to judge the complex religious and theological questions with which a seminary inevitably becomes associated, he rec- ognizes the importance of these matters for his task and draws upon the work of recognized scholars to provide the necessary commentary. The book carries us down to the current decade, but the ma- jor interpretative thrusts are muted with the Second World War. There is a wealth of archival information for the later pe- riod, and native Princetonians will have their own vivid recol- lections of persons and events. We are too close to these times, however, to read their signs well, and perhaps their interpreta- tion should be left to our successors. We are grateful to William K. Selden for the enormous labor that has been poured into this work. An educator, author, and community servant of great distinction, he graciously under- took a task certain to be fraught with controversy and produced a volume from which persons inside and outside the Seminary can learn much. His is not, of course, an official or definitive history; the latter is impossible to achieve and the former ought not be attempted. It is, however, a serious work, designed both to give a usable insight into the story of the Seminary and to encourage the interested reader to probe the subject more deeply. Particularly appropriate would have been a Foreword by Pro- fessor Hugh Thomson Kerr. Tim (as he was known by his xi A NARRATIVE HISTORY friends) shared both Wilham Selden's Princeton University pedigree and a devotion to the town where both famiHes re- sided. He read the manuscript in its earher stages but was pre- vented by death from completing the review. Princeton, New Jersey James F. Armstrong August 1992 Helena Professor of Old Testament and James Lenox Librarian xii — Preface On a cheerful, sunny spring day in 1990 Frederick W. Cas- sell. Vice President for Seminary Relations, invited me for luncheon at the Nassau Club, originally the home of Samuel Miller, the second professor to be appointed at Princeton Theo- logical Seminary. In view of the fact that on several previous occasions Dr. Cassell had indicated the need for a history of the Seminary, I had a premonition that the meeting was to be more than a social event. When he arrived accompanied by William O. Harris, Librarian for Archives and Special Collections, and Hugh T. Kerr, Jr. , Professor of Systematic Theology Emeritus and Editor of Theology Today, I realized that my assumptions were correct, and that any protestations of inadequacy on my part for the assignment would be of no avail. Many months later as I was completing the first draft of this narrative history I found myself subconsciously repeating a quotation the origin of which at the time I did not know. It was from An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) "For fools rush in where angels fear to tread." These words have special pertinence in this instance in view of the fact that over a span of a century and a half a succession of theologically erudite Princeton Seminary professors—Sam- uel Miller, Benjamin B. Warfield, John DeWitt, and Lefferts A. Loetscher—had each been encouraged to undertake this assign- ment that not one of them had ever completed. Possibly they represented Pope's angels and were wiser than me in not at- tempting to fill this void. With my non-theological background I could not have com- pleted the assignment without the assistance of several individ- uals at the Seminary who were constructive in their sugges- tions, generous of their time, and gracious in their appreciation that this project was an educational experience for me in many different ways. Most fortunately I have enjoyed the assistance of a number of individuals who read draft copies of the manuscript, offered excellent suggestions, and corrected some errors that I might xiii A NARRATIVE HISTORY Otherwise have made. To them I am truly indebted. In this manner, James F. Armstrong, Lenox Librarian, was especially helpful. Likewise, with his extensive historical perspective Mr. Harris read the manuscript and continually gave me encourage- ment. Others to whom I am indebted for their comments in- clude Thomas W. Gillespie, President of the Seminary, and Da- vid B. Watermulder, immediate past Chairman of the Board of Trustees, as well as Dr. Cassell and Professor Kerr, the latter who shared his comments with me only a few days before he died. James S. Irvine, Associate Seminary Librarian, was more than a copy editor. He also suggested substantive improve- ments and selections of words that would not encourage possi- ble theological misinterpretations. Henry 1. MacAdam, Asso- ciate in the Archives and Special Collections, generously assumed the task of preparing the index. They and Marsha L. Roche, Controller, and Katherine A. Skrebutenas, Reference Librarian, never failed to be of help when I needed assistance, which was quite frequent. As with several of my previous publications, Carol Jeffery of the Princeton University Press was an excellent and perceptive facilitator whose discreetly of- fered comments were received with gratitude. The knowledge that I acquired from the research that was required and the friendships that were developed in the span of a year and a half made this project a delightful experience for the author. Princeton, New Jersey William K. Selden July 1992 XIV Princeton Theological Seminary Prologue Princeton Theological Seminary in the ocated equidistant between the two largest metropolitan L^regions on the eastern seaboard of the United States, situ- ated in a vibrant university town, nestled among numerous ed- ucational institutions extending from kindergarten to post-doc- toral and research institutes, Princeton Theological Seminary enjoys an environment that is both congenial and stimulating for the education of future religious leaders. In this final decade of the twentieth century the Seminary continues the never- ending study of the foundation and heritage of Christian beliefs and thought; it pursues its concerns not only for the inadequa- cies but also for the opportunities of contemporary society, and it conjectures and theorizes on the future salvation of human- ity. At Princeton Theological Seminary faculty and students are jointly engaged in the great enterprise of continually im- proving and strengthening the moral and religious fabric of so- ciety. Men and women of all races with a diversity of over fifty religious denominations are represented in a student body that usually includes representatives from each of the states and some two dozen foreign lands with Korea alone currently pro- viding annually a delegation of over twenty students.