Archibald Alexander
Archibald Alexander (April 17, 1772 – October 22, 1851)[1] was an American Presbyterian theologian and professor at the Princeton Theological Seminary. He served for 27 years as that institution's first principal from 1812 to 1840.
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[edit] Biography
Alexander was born at South River, [[Rockbridge County, Virginia Rockbridge,and raised under the tuition and ministry of Presbyterian minister William Graham (1745–1799), a man who had been trained in theology by John Witherspoon. His grandfather, of Scottish descent, came from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1736, and after a residence of two years removed to Virginia. William, father of Archibald, was a farmer and trader. At the age of ten Archibald was sent to the academy of William Graham at Timber Ridge meetinghouse (since developed into Washington and Lee University), at Lexington. At the age of seventeen he became a tutor in the family of General John Posey, of The Wilderness, twelve miles west of Fredericksburg, but after a few months resumed his studies with his former teacher. At this time a remarkable movement, still spoken of as "the great revival," influenced his mind and he turned his attention to the study of divinity. He was licensed to preach October 1, 1791, ordained by the presbytery of Hanover 9 June 1794, and for seven years was an itinerant pastor in Charlotte and Prince Edward counties.
By the time he was 21 Alexander was a preacher of the Presbyterian Church. He was appointed the president of Hampden-Sydney College[2] and from there was called to the Third Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. The Princeton Theological Seminary was established at Princeton, New Jersey in 1812 and Alexander was appointed its first professor, inaugurated on August 12, 1812. In 1824, he helped to found the Chi Phi Society along with Robert Baird and Charles Hodge.
Samuel Miller became the second professor at the seminary and for 37 years Alexander and Miller were considered together as pillars of the Presbyterian Church in maintaining its doctrines. Charles Hodge, a famous student and successor of Alexander, named his son Archibald Alexander Hodge after his mentor.
[edit] Family
On April 5, 1802, Alexander married Janetta Waddel, the daughter of a Presbyterian preacher, James Waddel (1739–1805), whose eloquence was described in William Wirt's Letters of a British Spy (1803).[3]
His eldest son, James Waddel Alexander (1804–1859) was a Princeton graduate and Presbyterian minister. He wrote the life of his father, and edited his posthumous works. His second son, William Cowper Alexander (1806–1874) served as president of the New Jersey State Senate and as the first president of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. His third son was Joseph Addison Alexander (1809–1860), a biblical scholar.
His grandson, William C. Alexander (1848–1937), was an executive with the Equitable Life Assurance Society, author, and founder of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. His great-grandson, James Waddell Alexander II (1888–1971), was a noted mathematician and topologist.
[edit] References
- ^ Carey, Patrick W.; Joseph T. Lienhard (2000). Biographical Dictionary of Christian Theologians. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. pp. 12-13. ISBN 9780313033445.
- ^ Benedetto, Robert (2010). Historical Dictionary of the Reformed Churches (2nd ed.). Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 6-7. ISBN 9780810870239.
- ^ "Archibald Alexander". Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911.
[edit] External links
- "Sinners Welcome to Come to Jesus Christ" (Part I) (Part II) by Alexander
- "The Day of Judgment" (Part I) (Part II) by Alexander
- "Nature and Means of Growth in Grace" by Alexander
- "The Lord's Day" by Alexander
- "A Practical View of Regeneration" (Part I) (Part II) by Alexander
- "Practical Directions How to Grow in Grace and Make Progress in Piety" by Alexander
This article incorporates text from the public domain Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography.
