The Log College, Biographical Sketches of William Tennent and His Students, Together with an Account of the Revivals Under Their Ministries, by Archibald Alexander, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, hardback, 251 pages, £16.00, obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
The Log College by Archibald Alexander (1772-1851) is a historical account of the early roots of Presbyterian education and ministry in America. Recently reprinted, it was first published in 1851 and tells the story of William Tennent, a Presbyterian minister, and the theological school he founded in the early 1700s in Pennsylvania.
Established around 1726 by William Tennent in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, the modest institution (a literal log cabin but also described in this way as a mark of contempt) became a cradle for the spiritual revival that would sweep through the American colonies, producing a remarkable number of ministers and leaders who profoundly shaped American Presbyterianism and broader Evangelical movements.
Tennent’s aim was to provide rigorous theological education to young men who lacked the financial means or connections to attend the established universities in Europe, or Harvard and Yale at home. His belief in divine calling over social status was a radical departure from the prevailing norms, and his unwavering conviction that God could raise up ministers from among the ordinary and overlooked, became a hallmark of the Log College ethos.
The College’s influence is best measured by the lives of its alumni, many of whom became luminaries in the Great Awakening. The book is composed of biographical sketches, with commentary, of ten of these men: William Tennent senior, his sons Gilbert, John, William and Charles, and five others.
Gilbert Tennent finished his education, entirely under the tuition of his father, before the Log College was built. He became a key figure in the Awakening and used great boldness in calling for spiritual renewal. His fiery sermons, such as “The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry”, were instrumental in stirring revival across the colonies. The Synod of Philadelphia was largely composed of university graduates from Scotland and New England, while the newly formed Presbytery of New Brunswick was largely composed of Log College alumni.
In 1737 the Synod passed a requirement that those without university degrees should be examined by a committee of Synod before licensing. The Log College was not mentioned specifically but its graduates knew full well that they were being singled out, and Gilbert Tennent took offence at this
attempt to discredit the College degrees. What the Log College lacked in science and literature was greatly outweighed by its emphasis on piety and its students were used mightily by the Lord. Other differences between the Synod, the “Old Side”, and the Log College men, the “New Side”, included the style of preaching, and eventually the New Brunswick Presbytery separated from the Synod for 17 years before harmony was restored.
William Tennent, second son of William, Snr, followed in his father’s footsteps, and his work further spread the revivalist spirit and solidified the Log College’s influence. His biography includes a strange and remarkable incident which occurred when he was preparing for a presbytery examination and staying with his brother Gilbert. He fell down as though dead, and his funeral was arranged, but a close friend who was a doctor insisted that he was not dead. Gilbert was unconvinced but agreed to delay the funeral until another day. Only half an hour before William was due to be buried, he opened his eyes, only to close them again immediately.
After making a slow but full recovery he later explained what a shock it was to him to be back in the world. When pressed to speak of his experience he said, “I can say, as Paul did, I heard and saw things all unutterable. I saw a great multitude before this glory, apparently in the height of bliss, singing most melodiously. I was transported with my own situation, viewing all my troubles ended and my rest and glory begun, and was about to join the great and happy multitude, when one came to me, looked me full in the face, laid his hand upon my shoulder and said, ‘You must go back!’ These words went through me; nothing could have shocked me more. I cried out, ‘Lord, must I go back?’ With this shock I opened my eyes in this world.” Great care, of course, should be taken when trying to understand William Tennent’s experience, but it is, nevertheless, a remarkable event related by a faithful man of God. It undoubtedly greatly influenced him for the rest of his life.
On one occasion William Tennent, Jnr, was in the company of several ministers, including George Whitefield. Whitefield commented on the difficulties attending the gospel ministry, arising from its small success. He said that his great consolation was that in a short time his work would be done, when he would depart and be with Christ. He asked the ministers around him if they agreed. They generally assented, except for Tennent, who sat in silence. When pressed for an answer, he said, this thought was no pleasure to him at all. “But now, brother, let me ask you a question. What do you think I would say if I was to send my man Tom into the field to plough, and if at noon I should go to the field and find him lounging under a tree, and complaining, ‘Master, the sun is very hot, and the ploughing hard and difficult; I am tired, I’m weary of the work you have appointed me, and I’m overdone with the
heat and burden of the day; do, master, let me return home and be discharged from this hard service”?
“What would I say? Why, that he was an idle, lazy fellow; that it was his business to do the work that I had appointed him, until I, the proper judge, should think fit to call him home. Or suppose you had hired a man to serve you faithfully for a given time in a particular service, and he should, without any reason on your part, and before he had performed half his service, become weary of it, and upon every occasion be expressing a wish to be discharged or placed in other circumstances. Would you not call him a wicked and slothful servant, and unworthy of the privileges of your employment’?”
The biographer comments that “the mild, pleasant, and Christian-like manner in which this reproof was administered rather increased the social harmony and edifying conversation of the company, who became satisfied that it was very possible to err, even in desiring with undue earnestness to depart and be with Christ, which in itself is far better, than to remain in this imperfect state; and that it is the duty of the Christian in this respect to say, ‘All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come’.”
Another Log College graduate, Samuel Blair, became a powerful preacher, credited with furthering the spread of the Awakening, particularly in Pennsylvania. His school in Faggs Manor continued the tradition of ministerial education, creating a further supply of trained evangelists.
Samuel Finley, another alumnus, later became the fifth president of the College of New Jersey, bridging the gap between the Log College and what would become one of America’s leading institutions of higher education, Princeton University. John Rowland and John Blair (Samuel Blair’s brother) were also key figures who carried the message of revival into new territories.
Though the Log College ceased to exist as a physical institution following the death of William Tennent, Snr, in 1746, its legacy endured. It was the spiritual forerunner of the College of New Jersey, which was founded by associates and supporters of the Tennents, who sought to institutionalise the mission of the Log College, on a grander scale. Princeton’s founding charter reflects many of the College’s values – theological rigour, evangelical zeal, and accessibility to all called to the ministry. Contemporaries of the Log College, particularly the “Old Side” Presbyterians, criticised it for its unorthodox approach and perceived lack of formal scholarship. However, sympathetic observers recognised the College’s alignment with the “New Side” movement, which prioritised heartfelt conversion and spiritual authenticity over mere intellectual attainment.
The Log College holds a special place in American educational and religious history as a pioneering institution that shaped the foundations of higher
education and ministerial training in the early eighteenth century and represented a bold and visionary commitment to intellectual and spiritual growth. What stands out most about the Log College is its deep dedication to nurturing future leaders, particularly ministers, who would go on to play pivotal roles in the Great Awakening and the development of Presbyterianism in America. The emphasis on rigorous theological training, personal faith, and moral character helped foster a new generation of preachers who carried their knowledge and passion into the communities that they served.
Tennent and his contemporaries showed remarkable foresight, demonstrating that even the smallest educational endeavours can have a profound and lasting impact on society. The story of the Log College continues to resonate as a testament to how commitment to knowledge and belief can shape not only individual lives but entire generations. This reprint of Archibald Alexander’s The Log College provides an extremely interesting history of the growth and struggles of early Presbyterianism in America. The biographies are fascinating, with their heart-warming stories of spiritual revival.
The cover is almost identical to that of the 1968 edition and therefore rather old fashioned, but once the reader opens the book, an absorbing story begins to unfold which is well worth discovering. The book is heartily recommended.
F R Daubney
The Thought of the Evangelical Leaders, Notes of the Discussions between John Newton and his friends in the Eclectic Society, London, 1798-1814, edited by John H. Pratt, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, hardback, 719 pages, £19.00, obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
As explained on the front flap of the cover, this Society “was formed in 1783 by John Newton, Richard Cecil, Henry Foster and Eli Bates, and held its first meeting at the Castle and Falcon Inn, Aldersgate Street, in the old city of London. Its aim was to provide fellowship for ministers of the gospel, and to encourage biblical and experimental Christianity.”
In a very helpful introduction by Sinclair B Ferguson, we are told that the numbers attending those meetings “never grew beyond a manageable size for serious discussion, perhaps with a dozen or so in attendance every second Monday, while country members or guests attended from time to time. The Eclectics were mainly clergymen in the Church of England, with a small number of Free Church or Dissenting brethren . . . and a few laymen. . . . The aggregate membership over the thirty-odd years of its existence was less than fifty. Apparently the by-laws of the Society allowed for a fine of two shillings and sixpence if a member missed a meeting without good cause.”
The subjects discussed were many and varied, as can be imagined when one considers the size of the book and that the “Table of the Questions and
Discussions” takes up some 15 pages! A couple of examples may be given.
On page 177 the question, “What are the Causes and Signs of Declension in Religion?” was proposed by John Newton. He introduces the subject by stating that “Christians are often not aware how soon they may decline in their religious affections. The Israelites, when singing on the sea shore, would little have credited one who told them that soon they would be murmuring. Declension begins, says one ‘at the closet door’, Satan waits his opportunity. He will not come when impressions are fresh. The heart will cool, if the means of grace are not habitually used. The declining professor [that is, professing Christian] grows formal in prayer and reading the Scriptures. . . . It is often with us as with the Galatians: we are ‘soon removed from him that called’ us.”
The three signs that Newton gives are: “1. Laxness in the use of the means. 2. Itching ears in hearing the truth. 3. Listening to seducers.” John Venn lists eight chief causes: first, “Great laxity”. Under this head he states several things: “Everything earthly has of itself a tendency to draw us away from God. Grace in our hearts, striving with nature, is like a candle exposed to a storm.” Among the other things he lists are: the fickleness of our nature, the sensuality of our nature, creature love, prosperity, adversity, habits of mind and error.
In answering the question: “Upon what Grounds do we Invite Unconverted Sinners to Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?” Thomas Scott makes three points: “1. There is the Lord’s express command, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’. 2. It is the means by which God works. . . . The apostle gives express direction to Timothy (2 Tim 2:24-26) to meet the unawakened. 3. It is adapted to have effect upon men” (p 309).
With so many and varied subjects, this huge volume is clearly not one to be worked through from start to finish but rather to be dipped into as subjects of interest present themselves. It is certainly fascinating to read the views of men of whom we have heard and read and whom we have admired so much.
The Banner of Truth have done an excellent work in reprinting these discussions, and to quote again from the introduction by Sinclair B Ferguson: “This is a book every gospel minister should have and return to often. I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed by it. It is impossible to read it without being instructed and stimulated by its contents, not to mention delighted by the personalities who appear in its pages.”
(Rev) W A Weale
It is ordinary for God to discover corruption under the graces that are most eminent in His children. Patience is eminent in Job, yet here impatience. In Abraham faith is eminent, yet a fit of fear takes hold of him.
James Durham
Protestant View
Roman Catholicism’s Jubilee Year
Unlike the divinely authorised Jubilee Year given to the Church in the wilderness, which was to be held every 50 years and has had such a wondrous and spiritual fulfilment in the Lord’s ascension into glory, Rome has a Jubilee Year of its own every 25 years, and sometimes more often; the last was in 2000. According to an edict of the Pope, 2025 is such a year in Rome’s eyes.
This unscriptural proclamation is no more than a promotional gimmick for Rome. Its Jubilee Years commenced in 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed its first Jubilee Year. Its purpose, we are informed, was “to offer a special opportunity to pilgrims to visit the holy sites in Rome, receive a plenary indulgence to take away all punishment due to sins already confessed and experience spiritual renewal”. By all reports, the year proved so successful that the Jubilee Year became an occasion held every 25 years. Considering what is known of Rome now, it would be surprising if the year did not prove very rewarding for Rome, at least financially.
In December 2023, Pope Francis declared 2025 a Jubilee Year, “a holy year of hope”, stating, “Hope is the central message of the coming Jubilee. . . . May the Jubilee be for everyone a moment of personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, our Hope”. These words, out of context, may be thought of by many as relatively orthodox and unambiguous. However, great care must be given to all language emanating from Rome, as her usage of terminology, especially of Scriptural expressions, is often ambiguous, if not wholly inaccurate, self-serving and blasphemous.
An illustration of this is seen in the message sent out by the Roman Catholic bishops of Scotland in connection with the current Jubilee Year. After quoting Romans 8:28 and how it is “through baptism we have been given hope of eternal life and the sacraments nourish that hope”, they state, “More than ever, we need examples of hope to inspire us, and few better for Scotland than Venerable Margaret Sinclair, who belonged to the modern world – of mass industry, the movie theatre and high street fashion – and whose young face, captured on camera, is that of a modern girl and one of us”.
The article continues, “Margaret strove for sanctity wherever she found herself, whether at home, or in the factory or the convent. Because she was set on doing God’s will she had the firmest hope, often in times of extreme trial, that the Lord would see her through.
“Margaret was a commonplace young woman who looked for personally holiness and is an example to all of us who want to live our own ordinary
lives in the modern world for God too. Perhaps our prayers for her help will open the door to a miracle through her intercession that raises her to the altar of the saints.”
We need to be aware of the wiles of Satan and earnestly pray that the day may soon dawn when Rome and all the other forces of evil shall fall and that many ensnared in their pernicious evils will, by God’s grace, in his wondrous providence and by the power of the Holy Spirit, come under the liberating sound of the gospel in all its fulness, freeness and richness! DPR