Tennent, Gilbert, an eloquent Presbyterian di- vine, and eldest son of the Kev. ^\'illiam Tennent, Sen., was born in the County of Armagh, Ireland. Feb. 5, ] 703 ; emigrated with his lather to America in 1718; received his education under the paternal roof; had the honorary degree of master of arts conferred upon him bj' Yale College in 1725; studied theology privately; was licensed to preach in May, 1725; and was ordained and installed minister of a Presbyterian congregation at New Bruns- wick, N. J., in 1726. In 1740 he was prevailed on by Whitefield to accompany him on a preaching tour to Boston ; and this tour constituted one of the great events of his life. The effect of his preaching in Boston is thus described by the Rev. Mr. Prince, minister of the Old South Church : "It was both terrible and search- ing. . . . By his arousing and spiritual preaching, deep and pungent convictions were wrought in the minds of many hundreds of persons in that town ; and the same effect was produced on several scores in the neigliboring congregations. And now was such a time as we never knew. The Rev. Mr. Cooper was wont to say that more came to him in one week in deep concern than in the whole twenty-four years of his preceding ministry. I can say also the same as to the numbers who repaired to me." He had much to do in bringing about the di- vision of the Presbyterian Church in 1741 ; indeed, it was owing, in a great measure, to one sermon called the "Nottingham Sermon," which Dr. Alexander de- clares to be " one of the most severely abusive sermons that were ever penned," that that schism occurred. It is to his honor, however, that, seventeen years after, he was a principal instrument in a reunion of the two parties. In 1743 he became pastor of a Presbyterian congregation (disciples of Whitefield) in Philadelphia, where he continued the residue of his ministry and life, which was about twenty years. He died July 23, 1764. Mr. Tennent, as a preacher, had few equals in his vigor- ous days. "His reasoning powers were strong; his thoughts nervous and often sublime; his style flowery and diffusive; his manner of address warm and pathet- ic— such as must convince his audience that he was in earnest." Henry B. Smith, D.D., says of him, " Gilbert Tennent, that soul of fire." He was of a truly pub- lic spirit, needing no other motive to exert himself than only to be persuaded that the matter in question was an important public good. He published Sermons (Phila. 1744, 8vo) : — Discourses (1745, 12mo) : — Ser- mons (1758, 12mo). He also published many occasional sermons, some pamphlets, etc. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, iii, 35^1; Serni. on his Death, by S. Finley, D.D. (1764, 8vo); Alexander, Bist. of the' Log College, p. 91-94; Sermons and Essays by the Tennents and their Contemporaries (1855, 12mo) ; AUibone, Diet, of Brit, and Amer. Authors, s. v.; Gillies, Bist. Coll. (J.L.S.)
Tennent, John, a Presbyterian minister, and third son of the Rev. William Tennent, Sen., was born in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Nov. 12, 1706. His parents emigrated to America when he was twelve years old. He was educated at the Log College, and licensed to preach Sept. 18, 1729. On Nov. 19, 1730, he was in- stalled pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Freehold, Monmouth Co., N. J. He had but a brief ministry, his death occurring April 23, 1732. He was distinguished for a clear, discriminating mind and earnest manner. One of liis sermons, on regeneration, was published, with a short memoir of his life, by his brother Gilbert Ten- nent. See Sprague, A nnals of the A mer. Puljnt, iii, 41.
Tennent, William (1), a Presbyterian minister and educator, and the father of Gilbert, John, and Will- iam Tennent, was born in Ireland in 1673. He received a liberal education in his native country, and was prob- ably a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. He entered the ministry originally in the Episcopal Church, and was ordained deacon by the bishop of Down, July 1, 1704 ; and priest, Sept. 22, 1706. He emigrated to Amer'
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ica in 1718, ami immediately cliaiifred liis ecclesiastical relations, being received into the I'rcsbvterian Church September 17 of the same year. He supplied East Chester and Bedford, N. Y. ; Densalem and Sniiihdeld, Bucks Co., Pa. ; and in 17-20 acceiited a call from tlie Cluirch at Neshaniiny, in the same county, wlicre he spent tlie remainder of his life. He was but fully set- tled when he was impressed with the conviction that there were other duties than those of a pastor de- manding his attention. The country was in a forming state, and he felt that it was all- important that it should have a right direction. His four sons followed in the footsteps of their godly father, and were consistent Christians. His attention was early directed to the young men who were growing up around him, and "who he saw must be educated to become useful mem- bers of society. As there were no schools or colleges in that region, he determined to erect a building for edu- cational purposes. His means were limited, and conse- quently the building must correspond with them. In process of time a log house was erected of humble pro- portions about a mile from Neshaminy Creek, near to the church. This building was afterwards designated the "Log College," and was the first literary and theo- logical institution of the Presbyterian Church in this country. It was the immediate parent of Princeton College and Theological Seminary, and of all other in- stitutions of a similar character in the Church. The site of the Log College was in every way desirable, commanding as it did an extensive prospect of level, fertile country, bounded by distant hills. The dis- tinguished Whitetield, who visited it in 1739, says of it: