Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 8.djvu/45

Rh published, under the title of "Ministerial Fidelity, in declaring the whole Counsel of God." Before leaving his native shores, he also published, at Glasgow, "Discourses on Practical Subjects;" and, at Edinburgh, "Practical Discourses on the Leading Truths of the Gospel."

Dr Witherspoon now prepared for his departure for America, and at length sailed for that country in the month of July, 1768, and arrived there in safety with his family, in the following month. Immediately after his arrival, he entered upon his new appointment, and began to discharge the important duties with which it was associated. The reputation of Dr Witherspoon had gone before him; and the result to the college, over which he presided, was a great and rapid increase of its prosperity. Previously to his arrival, the institution, which was chiefly supported by private liberality, was in a very indifferent situation with regard to finances; these, however, were quickly placed in a flourishing condition by the spirit of liberality, which the new president's abilities and zeal excited. Nor were either these, or the value of his services, overrated. The latter were singularly important and beneficial, not only to the college over which he presided, but to the general interests of education throughout America. At Princeton, he effected a total revolution in the system of instruction practised there previously to his arrival. He greatly extended the study of mathematical science, and introduced important improvements into the course of instruction in natural philosophy. In a few years afterwards, his career of usefulness was not only interrupted, but, for a time, altogether terminated, by the occurrence of the American war of independence. In this struggle, he took a decided part in favour of the insurgents; and on the 17th May, 1776, preached a sermon at Princeton, on the occasion of a general fast, appointed by the Congress, in which he expressed his sentiments fully on the subject of the great political questions, then agitated between the mother country and the revolted colonies. This discourse was afterwards published, under the title of "The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men." Dr Witherspoon's conduct, on this occasion, greatly displeased his friends at home; and an edition of the sermon above alluded to, was published at Glasgow, with severe and abusive notes and remarks, by its editor, in some of which the author was stigmatized as a rebel, and a traitor to his country. In America, however, it produced a very different feeling towards Dr Witherspoon; and the nature of this feeling is sufficiently evinced, by the circumstance of his having been, soon after, elected by the citizens of New Jersey as their delegate to the convention, in which the republican constitution was formed. In this capacity he acquired, by the versatility of his talents, and the soundness of his judgment, a political reputation, not inferior to that which he enjoyed as a man of letters. In the early part of this year, 1776, he was sent, as a representative of the people of New Jersey, to the Congress of the United States, and continued for seven years an active and zealous member of that body. He was consulted on all momentous occasions; and it is known that he was the writer of many of the most important state papers of the period.

On the final settlement of the question of American independence, in the early part of the year 1783, Dr Witherspoon resumed his college duties; and two years afterwards, paid a short visit to his native country. The object of this visit was to obtain benefactions for the college over which he presided, and which had nearly been exterminated by the war; but party feeling still ran too high in the mother country, to allow of such a mission being very successful: and although the doctor made every exertion in London, and in several other parts of the kingdom, to excite an interest in, and sympathy with his views, the result, on the whole, was by no means favourable After a short stay in Paisley, IV.