The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-07-20

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DR. Anderson came Southwark to
found the Southern and Western
Theological Seminary and Mary
vile Colleges and it would be difficult
to say which was the greater man;
the higher reputation; or
conferred the greater benefit upon
the Church or the World.
Isaac Anderson became hope
fully religious, after severe mem
tai struggle, when he was about
seventeen years of age, in 1749.
Under particular tree, in grove,
where he often knelt in prayer, he
seemed to become a new creature.
He at first aimed to study for the
profession of law; but was gradu-
ally led to higher aspirations,
and commenced the study of The
OlOgy under the instruction
of his revered Pastor Rev. Samuel
Brown, who was called the Ed
wards of Virginia. Before COM
pleting his Theological studies, he
removed with his fathers family,
in 1901, to Knox county Tennessee,
and became pupil of Rev. Samuel
Carrick. The teacher found in his
pupil however an over-match on
some disputed points of Divinity,
and therefore turned him over for
further instruction and theological
subjugation to that spiritual giant
and champion Rev. Gideon Black
burn, then pastor of this-church.
"They would sit up until midnight
discussing the doctrines of what was
then called new Divinity, that is
the Hopkinsian or New England
Theology. At the close of the in.
terview says DIR. Anderson, 81 felt
that my head was as empty as a
barrel, and that my whole system
of Theology, which 1 thought was
immovable, was completely over.
thrown, and demolished" He then
became firm and staunch Hop.
kinsian.
He was licensed to preach, by the
Presbytery of Union in April 1902
as pastor of the Washinton church
in Knox county, having then attain
ed the age of %. He remained
there tor nine years, deriving his
support mostly from school viii h
he established there; and from 6
farm. In addition to these labors
fired by reading the life of White
field, he laid out for himself cir
cult of about $50 miles around
which he Travelled once month
for several years offering the Cos
to the scattered pioneers of thu
frontier without money and withou
price. Hundreds and sometime.
thousands gathered to hear him.
With no temple often but thu
silent forest, and no pulpit but tn,
stump of some tree, he persuaded
men to be reconciled to God.
l 1871 he felt it t. be his duty tt
resign his charge over the Wash
ington church, which was very re
luctant to release him, and to come
to this church. 1t would seem tina
Maryville was even.then the Meccs
of Presbyterianism for East Tenn
essee. The strength and body O
Presbyterians lying there, he deter
mined to sustain and hold it up
He came to Maryville where hi
was to labor for 46 years, and begar
his lahors here when he was thirty
two years of age. Here also hi
preached in all the region roun(
about and founded many churches
among these was the Second
Church of Knoxville of which he
was the first preacher, and TO which
he minstered as pastor for ter
years, from 1919 to 1899, going ovel
to preach to them once every tive
weeks.
The second church of KnOXvill,
which still contains many forlne
graduates and students from thi
place, as having long depended up
on President Anderson, may b,
justly called the eldest daughter O
Maryville College.
Finding it impossible to obtain
ministers for the destitute churche.
of the South and West, from tn,
Home Missionary Society and iron
Princeton Theological Seminary
he founded in 1919, in this place, tn
Southern and Western Theologica
Seminary. He had before this edu
Gated many persons for usefulness
some of whom became cOnspicuou
in public life. Among these Gov
ernor Reynolds, of Illinoise wa
his pupil. in Knox county and Ger
Sam Houston, Governor of Tenn