Livingston, John, a noted Scottish Presbyterian divine, was born in 1003, and was educated at Glasgow, where he took the degree of A.M. in 1021. He entered the ministry, and soon distinguished himself as an able preacher. A zealous Covenanter, he opposed the ejiis- copal government of the Church after the Restoration, and on this account suftered many inconveniences. Very remarkable in his life was the result wliich fol- lowed his preaching on a special fast-day appointed by the "Kirk of Shotts," June 21, 1630. He was at this time domestic chaplain to the countess of Wigton. Later he became minister at Ancram. He was twice suspended from his pastoral office, but, his opposition to the government continuing, he was banished the king- dom in 1603. He retired to Holland, and became min- ister of a Scottish church at Rotterdam. There he died in 1672. He -wrote his Autobioi/raphi/ (Glasgow, 1754, 12mo) ; also Lives of eminent Scottish Divines (1754, 8vo). See Chambers, Biog. Diet, of eminent Scotsmen, s. v.; A. Gunn, Memoirs oj' John Livingsion (N. Y. 1829) ; Gorton, Biog. Diet. vol. ii, s. v.
Livingston, John Henry, D.D., S.T.P., the
"father of the Refornud Dutch (.'hiuTh in this coun- try," and ill many respects its most celebrated re]ircsciit- ativc, was born at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., May 30, 1746, son of Henry Livingston, and a Uneal descendant in the fourth generation from the Rev. John Livingston, of Scotland. He graduated at Yale College in 1762, and then studied law for two years, when his healtli gave way under his close application, and he was obliged to discontinue it. About this time he was converted, and then directed his attention to the Christian nunistry. By advice of Dr. Laidhe, of New York, he went to Eu- rope to complete his theological studies at the L'nivcrsi- ty of Utrecht, in Holland, where he remained four years, and was licensed to preach tlie CJospel by the Classis of Amsterdam. Having received a call to become pastor and second preacher in English of the Churcli of New York, he passed examination at the university fur the degree of doctor of divinity, returned to New York Sept. 3, 1770, and at once began his labors as pasttjr of the Church. Here he soon established his great reputation as a pulpit orator and as a learned theologian ; but his
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gjrand ecclesiastical achievement was the settlement of the old and bitter controversy between the "Coetus" and " Conferentie'' parties of the Reformed Dutch Church, and the consummation in about two years of the union, which has never since been broken. His pastoral rela- tion to the Church in New York continued forty years — 1770 to 1810 — although during the Revolutionary War he was obliged to leave the city, and upon his return in 1783 he found himself the sole pastor, and so re- mained for three years. The next year he was appoint- ed professor of theology, and retained this office, with his pastorate, until 1810, when he removed to New Brunswick, N. J., at the request of the spiod, and open- ed the theological seminary in that city, occupying, in connection with it, the presidency of Queens, now Rut- gers College. These two offices he held until his death in 1825. It is difficult, in this brief notice, even to sum up the services and character of this eminent man. More than four hundred souls were received into the Church on profession of their faith during the three years of his sole pastorate after the war. Nearly two luuidred young men were trained by him for the min- istry of the Church. To him, more than to any other man, is due the credit of the separate organization of the Reformed (Dutch) Church in this country. He principally shaped its Constitution ; he prepared its first psalm and h3-mn book. His theological lectures still form the basis of didactic and polemic instruction in th^ theological seminary of which he was the founder and father. The whole denomination is reaping to-day the fruits of the sacrifices which lie made for it. His influ- ence in the Church was like that of Washington in the nation. His grand and eloquent sermon, preached be- fore the New York Missionary Society in 1804, from Rev. xi\-, 6, 7, was one of the leading influences in that revival of the missionary spirit which gave Samuel J. ]\lills and his j'oung friends to the work, and which re- sulted in the subsequent organization of the "American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions'' in 1813. Several of Dr. Livingston's occasional productions were published by himself, and a posthumous volume, con- taining a syllabus of his theological lectures, was issued by the Rev. Jesse Fonda, one of his pupils. His death, at his residence in New Brunswick, January 19, 18-25, was like a translation, without pain or complaint, " in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." His wife, Sarah Livingston, whom he married in October, 1775, ■was the daughter of Philip Livingston, one of the sign- ers of the Declaration of Independence. Like him. Dr. Livingston was an ardent and fearless patriot, and dur- ing all of the Revolutionary struggle he earnestly sus- tained the cause of freedom. In person Dr. Livingston was tall, commanding, dignified, and imposing. His features were regular and handsome. His manners were refined and studiously polite. He was the model of the Christian gentleman. In his later years his ap- pearance was truly patriarchal. His piety was all-per- vading. As a preacher, he possessed eminent abilities. Ills oratory was pecidiar to himself, and very effective. It was fiUl of action, variety, and power. As a theo- logical teacher, he was clear, concise, learned, syste- matic, and practical. His influence over his students was wonderful. His great aim was to make them ex- perimental ministers of Christ, and they loved and rev- erenced him almost as an apostle. Whatever faults he had were more than covered, to the eyes of his friends, by his majestic bearing, his admirable character, his pi- ous hfe, and fruitful ministry, and by his services to the Church of Christ. See Dr. (iunn's" /.j/c, etc., abridged by Dr. T. W. Chambers ; also Sprague, A wiak, vol. ix, an admirable portraiture; also several funeral discourses, etc. (W. J. R. T.)