1919-1920 Academic Catalog

CEDARVILLE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY HISTORICAL SKETCH The Theological Seminary of the Reformed Presbyterian Church (General Synod) of North America is one of the oldest institutions for the professional training of young men for the gospel ministry in the United States. At a meeting of the Reformed Presbytery of North Amer– ica, held in John Thompson's home, Conococheague, in Oc– tober, 1807, a committee, consisting of the Reverends Gibson, Wylie, and :Mel.cod, was appointed to inquire into the neces– sity for establishing a theological seminary and, if such necessity existed, to outline a plan for the inspection of the Presbytery. On the following day the committee reported the need of such an institution and presented an outline of the plan. The Presbytery considered the articles of the constitu– tion and, with some amendments, adopted them. The Seminary was to be located in Philadelphia. The Rev. ~~~~=!o~~f"¾ 1 ~~io~y.~~~ai~~~idib:~~.u134:t 1 ~~:~YM~ 1 {~~d~ superintendents for the first year of its organization. The superintendents met with the Professor of Theology in Phila– delphia in May, 1809, to organize the Seminary and make all necessary arrangements. No students had presented them– selves. A committee, appointed for this purpose, reported that the amended draft of the constitution had not been published, fird;;:~n 1 i~~; ~ft. 0 T\1i;:~~;;s~~~e~~a~ 0 !:~~ 1 ~~:~1\t~ ~e;~r~~ ary be removed from Philadelphia to Walkill, but the oppo– sition of Mr. \Vylie was so decided that it was thought best ~~nd~~i~ 0 ~vea; 1 Tn:;:~c~~dpt 1 i 1 ~:~f 1 :~~th '!te p~~r::so~f i~ll~i~il~= delphia, in 1810, and to exert themselves in behalf of the institution. !\fr. Gibson having declined to serve as a super– intendent, Rev. Gilbert McMastcr was appointed in his stead, and the Seminary was organized May 25, 1810. Rev. S. B. \Vylie, D. 0., was its first, and for many years its only professor. The number of students was comparatively 40