Alexander MacWhorter, DD (also spelled McWhorter) (July 26, 1734 – July 20, 1807) was an American clergyman.

Biography

MacWhorter was born in New Castle,

Delaware Colony Delaware Colony in the North American Middle Colonies consisted of land on the west bank of the Delaware River Bay. In the early 17th century the area was inhabited by Lenape and possibly the Assateague tribes of Native Americans. The first Eur ...

, 26 July 1734. His parents, who were Scots-Irish immigrants, came to America from Northern Ireland in 1730, and settled in Newcastle, where his father, formerly a linen merchant, became a farmer and an active member of the Presbyterian church. MacWhorter graduated at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

in 1757, studied theology with

William Tennent William Tennent (1673 – May 6, 1746) was an early Scottish American Presbyterian minister and educator in British North America. Early life Tennent was born in Mid Calder, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, in 1673. He graduated from the Univers ...

, was licensed to preach in 1758, and in the following year became pastor of a church in

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

, New Jersey. In 1764 he was appointed by the synod of New York and Philadelphia to a mission in North Carolina, where his friends were settled, returning to Newark in 1766 after a visit to Boston. In 1775 he was sent by

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

to western North Carolina to persuade the royalists to unite with the patriot cause, and in 1776 he visited the

American army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

in its camp opposite Trenton, to confer with regard to measures for protecting the state, and was present at the passage of the Delaware and the surprise of the Hessians. In 1778, at the solicitation of General

Henry Knox Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 – October 25, 1806), a Founding Father of the United States, was a senior general of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, serving as chief of artillery in most of Washington's campaigns. Following the ...

, he acted as chaplain of Knox's artillery brigade. In 1779 he accepted a pastorate and the presidency of Charlotte Academy in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, from which place he was compelled to flee before the approach of Cornwallis' army, losing his library and other possessions. He was recalled to Newark in 1781, where he remained until his death. In 1788 he aided in forming the constitution of the Presbyterian Church of the United States, and was a trustee of the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

. He was also a trustee of Princeton for thirty-five years, and took an active part in soliciting funds in New England for rebuilding the college after the fire of 1802.

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

gave him the degree of D. D. in 1776. He published a ''Century Sermon'' describing the settlement and progress of Newark (1800), and a collection of sermons (2 vols., Newark, 1803) He died in Newark, New Jersey, 20 July 1807. His great-grandson, Alexander, clergyman, born in Newark, New Jersey, 1 January 1822; died in New Haven, Connecticut, 28 June. 1880, was graduated at Yale in 1842, studied three years in the theological department there, and was licensed to preach in 1844. In 1859-'60 he was professor of metaphysics and English literature in Troy university. He received deacon's orders in the" Protestant Episcopal church in 1863. He was a profound Hebrew scholar, and, in addition to magazine articles upon metaphysics and theology, was the author of ''Yahveh Christ, or the Memorial Name'', with an introductory letter by

Nathaniel W. Taylor Nathaniel William Taylor (June 23, 1786 – March 10, 1858) was an influential Protestant Theologian of the early 19th century, whose major contribution to the Christian faith (and to American religious history), known as the New Haven theology ...

, D.D. (Boston, 1857). The object of this work is to prove that the Hebrew word Jehovah should be Yahveh, denoting Christ.

References

External links

*
''Dictionary of North Carolina Biography''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macwhorter, alexander 1734 births 1807 deaths People from New Castle, Delaware Princeton University alumni American Presbyterian ministers American male writers Continental Army personnel 18th-century American clergy