As a youth in the West Indies, Hamilton was an orthodox and conventional Presbyterian of the "New Light" evangelical type (as opposed to the "Old Light" Calvinists); he was taught there by a student of John Witherspoon, a moderate of the New School.
Saat masih muda di Hindia Barat, Hamilton adalah penganut Presbiterian "Cahaya Baru" ortodoks dan konvensional (berbeda dengan Calvinis "Cahaya Lama"); pembimbingnya adalah murid dari John Witherspoon, pengikut Mazhab Baru.