1925-1926 Academic Catalog

DARVILLE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY HISTORICAL SKETCH 't'hc> Theological cminary of the Reformed Presbyteri an hurr h ( Gene ral yn od) of North America is one of the oldest i nstitutions for t he pr ofessional training of young men for the gospel ministry in the Un ited St a tes. At a meeting of the Reformed Presbytery of North America, held in J ohn Thompson's home, Conococheague, in October, 1807, a committee, consisting of the Reverends Gibson, Wylie , and McLeod, was appointed to inquire into the necessity for establishing a theo– logical seminar y and, if such necessity exist ed, to outline a plan for t he inspection of the Presbytery. On the following day the com– mittee r epor t ed the need of such an institution and presented an outline of the plan. The Presbytery considered the articles of the constitution and, with some amendments, adopted them. The seminary was to be located in Philadelphia. The Rev. Samuel B. Wylie, of Philadelphia, was unanimously elected Professor of Theology, and Revs. Gibson, Black, and McLeod, superintendents for t he first year of its organization. The superintendents met with the Prof essor of Theology in Philadelphia in May, 1809, to organize t he Seminary and make all necessary arrangements. No students ha d presented themselves. A committee, appointed for this purpose, repor ted that the amended draft of the constitution had not been published , and that they had not made an appeal to the church in general for pecuniary aid. The suggestion was made that the Seminary be removed from Philadelphia to Walkill, but oppos– it ion of Mr. Wylie was so decided that it was thought best to continue its seat in Philadelphia. •1'he Board of Superintendents was in– struct ed to meet with the professor in Philadelphia, in 1810, and to exert themselves in behalf of the institution. Mr. Gibson having declined to serve as superintendent, Rev. Gilbert McMaster was appointed in his stead, and the Seminary was organized May, 25, 181v. Rev. S. B. Wylie, D. D., was its first, and for many years, it s only pr ofessor. The number of students was comparatively large, but the Seminary was not sustained by the Church with t he interest which should have been manifested. It was therefore susp ended from 1817 until 1823, but its usefulness being generally a cknowl– edged, it was revived in 1823, and its former professor was reap– pointed to take charge of it. The controversies that agitated the Church and finally resulted in the division of 1833, affected the Seminary so injuriously that it was ag~in suspended in 1827. From 1817 until 1823 , and again from 1827 until 1844, the training- of theo logical students was under the care of the several presbyteries. Dr. S. B. Wylie trained more than any other minister. Dr. Black instructed many in the West, and Dr. James R. Wilson several in the East. Others studied under the direction of their pastors. In 1844 t h e Seminary was reorganized with Dr. S. B. Wylie as Professor of Theology, and Dr. Samuel W. Crawford as Adjunct Professor. The course of instruction was to occupy four successive annual sessions, ea ch session to be of four months' duration from the first of December to the fi11st of April. ' F or a number of years Dr. S. B. Wylie was also assisted by his ~on, t he Rev. Theodorus W. J. Wylie , a s Junior Professor. In 1850, a second theological seminary was organized at Xenia , PAGE THI ~ TY-F OUR