Westminster College - Blue Jay Yearbook (Fulton, MO)

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5 2 he went to Nashville and debated there on theological questions with Dr. Fanning. Afterward, in 1843, the great oral debate with Dr. Alexander Campbell occurred at Lexington. Cnr nation is familiar with the masterly woik between these two intellectual giants. In the same year he was called to Cincinnati, to take charge of a colony from the first Presbyterian church. This he built up to be the leading church in that city, edited the P7'6S6j'Zi67'Z'CZ7Z and wrote '-Romanism not Christianity, 4'God Sovereign and Man Free, a work on HPhrenology and hrlesmer- ism and the 'Old and New School Theology, as well as had a discussion with Mr. Pingree on '4Universalism, and with Rev. Dr. Blanchard on t'Slavery., and, as if this was not enough to tax his energies, he established a theological seminary. This he continued to do for ten years, until he was urged to go to St. Louis. in 1853. Here the multiplicity of his labors continued. All of hisitime, all of histhoughts and powers were consecrated to the services ot the Master. Here, in addition to the cares of a large and growing church, he published a work on '-llaptism, one on f'Tl1e Signs of the Times, and edited the Si. Louis P1'e.s'6yz'e1'z'cz1z. In 1835, he was Moderator of the General Assembly, at Nashville. In 1857, he was called to the North Presby- terian Church, Chicago, which grew in numbers, faith, and grace under his ministry. He was the founder of and professor in McCormick Theological Seminary, which was endowed by Cyrus lVIcCormick, and edited the Expos- ffar. In 1861, his health failing, he gave up these labors so dear to him and went to the Fifth Avenue Church, the largest and richest Presbyterian church in New York City. Here he labored with his usual Hdelity and zeal until his ministry suddenly ceased by prostration of health. In 1869 he came to Fulton as president of Wiestminster College. XYhilst here, besides his duties as president, he preached in the church and published two Works, one upon 'tSpiritualism, the other upon 4'The Immortality of the Soul. Here he was until 1874, when he resigned and took the place of Chief Professor in the Seminary at Danville, Kentucky. He remained here in the faithful discharge of his duties, although in feeble health, up to June, 1877, when he left for his home in Fulton. Cn the way. by reason of his complete prostration, he was taken to Augusta, Kentucky, and there on the eleventh of June, 1877. this truly great and good man was transfigured by glory into an angel of light. Q - lt may truly be said of him, as of his great prototype, that he was Hin labors more abundant. 4'His long life was one of marvelous and manifold activity. ' He was the trenchant debater, the keen, critical editor, the clear, 18

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NATHAN L. RICE, D. D. U THE space allotted for this sketch is too limited to portray the life, or delineate the character, of such a man as Nathan Lewis Rice, D. D. It is indeed a travesty upon the grandeur of so great a life and upon Work so diversi- fied, so enduring, and so glorious to be compressed Within any bounds. On the twenty-ninth day of December, ISO7, in Garrard county, Kentucky, Dr. Rice Hrst saw the light of life. At the age of sixteen, with a longing de- sire for an education, he began to teach in order to earn money to enable him to attend college. .He declined the tendered assistance of two wealthy brothers in Danville, because he had a free and independent spirit and deter- mined to secure his purposes by his own labors, At the age of eighteen, when a student of Centre College, it pleased God to reveal His blessed Son to him and his career was taken, and from it he never departed, his single and sole desire was service for Christ, and his only inquiry was, like Saul of Tarsus, t'Lord, what .Wilt thou have me to do P At the expiration of the first year at college, he was compelled, from therwant of means, to abandon the fur- ther prosecution of his studies. He had gained the confidence of the faculty by his ability, diligence, and Hdelity, and just as he was riding out of town, a messenger was sent recalling him and offering him the position of princi- pal of the preparatory department. He accepted, and by teaching during the day and studying at night, he fin- ished his course, giving intimation at this early date in his life of his amazing power for work. He studied theology for one year under Dr. Gideon Blackburn, president of Centre, College, when he received a call to preach, and, although urged by friends to accept, yet he declined, not believing that he had the ability and grace to do so, and as he felt that the foundation had not been suliiciently laid, he spent two years infcompleting his theological studies at Princeton, 1 A . C , In 1832, at the age of twenty-five, he entered on his first pastoral charge at Bardstown, Kentucky. He estab- lished a school for girls while teaching in the male academy and founded and edited with singular skill and masterly ability the PVesz'e1fn Heffald, and at the same time engaged in a. triumphant controversy with the priests of the Romish church. -In IS4O he accepted a call to Paris, and while assisting his brethren, as if he would never tire, I7

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rffmhmwmz fy. . s ix 3 logical author, the impressive and inspiring professor, and preeminently the preacher of the blessed gospel, With a simplicity and sweetness of method, a transparency of analysis, a force of logic, and a pathos of persuasion, scarcely equaled and never excelled. And the doctrines of grace which he so luminously expounded and so ably defended with tongue and pen, found more striking illustration in the admirable consistency and almost childlike simplicity of his long and laborious life. I9