Animated Son of Liberty: a life of John WitherspoonThis is an account of a leading 18th century Scottish churchman, the Reverend John Witherspoon. His already colourful and eventful life took an unusual turn when in 1768, as a Minister of the Church of Scotland in a Paisley parish, he was persuaded to accept the office of President of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. Within a year of taking up this academic post, he became involved in the Colonies' struggle for Independence. He was elected to Congress in 1775 and in 1776 was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. During his time of office as a Congressman, he served on over one hundred and twenty Congressional Committees and occupied key positions on both the Board of War and the Foreign Affairs Committee. He had a hand in drafting two of the foundation documents of the thirteen United States: the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence. Later, he was to provide the Instructions to the United States Delegates at the Paris Peace Conference in 1783. He was only prevented from participating in the Constitutional Convention which resulted in the production of the Constitution of the United States of America in 1789, because he had been already commissioned by the Presbyterian Church in America to Chair the Committee that was to produce its Confession of Faith and Books of Church Order and Discipline. Witherspoon transformed the College of New Jersey by broadening its curriculum to offer courses that would provide a substantial education for any one preparing for any of the Professions, or to engage in public life. He was a colleague of the first four Presidents of the USA: Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison (teaching Madison for four years and also Aaron Burr, who became a Vice-President). He was branded as a traitor by Britain, but won huge respect in America. This is a long-awaited biography giving a unique insight to interesting aspects of an important age. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 17 | |
| 27 | |
| 35 | |
President of the College of New Jersey | 72 |
Lectures on Divinity | 104 |
Lectures on Moral Philosophy | 123 |
Lectures on Eloquence | 166 |
17761783 | 223 |
Personal Qualities | 249 |
Personal Characteristics | 276 |
Emigration | 315 |
The impact of John Witherspoon on Scotland and America | 339 |
References and Notes | 371 |
| 408 | |
| 419 | |
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Alexander Carlyle American appointed argument Assembly asserts attitude authority become Beith belief Benjamin Rush Blair Britain British called Carlyle cause Chapter character Christ Christian Church of Scotland claims College Collins Colonies committee Common Sense Confession of Faith congregation Congress continued Declaration of Independence Divinity doctrine Dominion of Providence Ecclesiastical Characteristics Edinburgh edited emigration Essays evidence Francis Hutcheson give Glasgow goes Gospel ibid James James Madison Jefferson Jeffry H Jersey Jesus John Adams John Witherspoon judgement land letter liberty Madison man’s mind minister Moderates Moral Philosophy Nassau Hall opinion original sin Paine Paisley pamphlet perhaps person Philadelphia political preached preacher Presbyterian President Princeton University principles pulpit reason reference religion religious reveals Rhetoric Ryegate says Scots Magazine Scottish Scottish Enlightenment scripture sermon society Synod Testament theology things Thomas Thomas Paine truth vols Witherspoon Lecture Witherspoon writes words