The Great Awakening and the Conception of the College of New Jersey: Not Purely Born of the Log College By Hilary Going

The Great Awakening vs. George Whitefield- “New Light” upstart church itinerant Evangelical protestant ministers Challenged the standing order of the government, churches and colleges Said they were too rigid and formulaic New, hot forms of religious observance Yale University- “Old Light” Traditional Presbyterian University Saw the itinerants as a threat to established ministers and the established order Thought that methods of the New Side ministers were too excitable

Old-Side New–Side Controversy New side thought that presbyteries need not obey the Synod Old side thought that travelling around and preaching was disorderly and undermined the old side ministers and the organization of the established church

William Tennent From Scotland, graduated from University of Edinburgh Ordained in the church of Ireland Immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1718 Started the Log College in 1727 in Bucks County Pennsylvania

The Log College Founded in 1727 to educate ministers (considered New Side) Had no charter, was a private institution Before the Log College, students had to travel to New England or to Great Britain for the education to enter the Presbyterian ministry Curriculum of ancient languages and the bible known for developing evangelical zeal in pupils Old Side supporters thought that the training of the Log College was too narrow and insufficient Though disregarded by the Old Side establishment, many graduates of the Log College went on to fill vacancies in Presbyterian congregations both in the middle and southern colonies Some graduates went on to found schools

1739 Ruling of the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia was the only Presbyterian Synod in America at the time Prohibited ministers from American colleges or seminaries except for those from Harvard and Yale Was a direct attack at the Log College, making it’s graduates illegitimate

The College of New Jersey Jonathan Dickinson and Aaron Burr along with other Harvard and Yale graduates, all New Side moderates, wanted to establish a college that would not be as starkly traditional Presbyterian as Harvard and Yale, to educate ministers for new congregations Wanted their college to be more accepting of New Side principles Requested a charter, (their second attempt), from the Governor of New Jersey, John Hamilton The charter was granted in 1746, despite backlash from Anglican politicians Opened in 1747 in Elizabethtown

Jonathan Dickinson Graduated from Yale in 1706 Was an ordained minister in Elizabethtown As a moderate New Side supporter, encouraged revivals but was opposed to excesses Defended the legitimacy of the Log College; recognized need for more accessible education for American ministers and thought the Log College was ultimately inadequate Recognizing the need for a college for the middle colonies and disturbed by the opposition of George Whitefield by Harvard and Yale, Dickinson began planning a new college in New Jersey with Aaron Burr, Ebenezer Pemberton, and John Pierson The four men along with three laymen and five Log College graduates made up the board of trustees, and Dickinson was appointed president

Log College Men in Support of The College of New Jersey Samuel Blair, Samuel Finley, William Tennent Jr., Gilbert Tennent and Richard Treat all were elected to the board of trustees of the newly established College of New Jersey Finley later was elected president when the college had been renamed Princeton University

Princeton University The College of New Jersey became Princeton when the college was moved to Princeton, NJ and a permanent building was erected: Nassau Hall, which still stands on Princeton’s present day campus They established a new curriculum of liberal arts and sciences in addition to moral and religious training in accordance with Presbyterian teachings

Sources Leitch, Alexander. A Princeton Companion. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, Print. McCaughey, Robert A. Stand, Columbia: A History of Columbia University in the City of New York, New York: Columbia UP, Print. McCaughey, Robert A. Colleges of the Great Awakening- Lecture 4. Edblogs Post, February /lectures/4-colleges-of-the-great-awakening-2/ Sidwell, Mark. Faith of Our Fathers: Scenes from American Church History. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones UP, Print.