Editing Gilbert Tennent

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix   = [[The Reverend]]
| name               = Gilbert Tennent 
| image              = Jacob Eichholtz - Gilbert Tennent (1703–1764), Trustee (1747–64) - PP10 - Princeton University Art Museum.jpg
| image_size         = 240
| caption            = Portrait by [[Jacob Eichholtz]]
| birth_date         = {{birth date|df=yes|1703|02|05}}
| birth_place        = Vinecash, [[County Armagh]], [[Ireland]]
| death_date         = {{death date and age|df=yes|1764|07|23|1703|02|05}} 
| death_place        = [[Philadelphia]], [[Province of Pennsylvania]], [[British America]]
| resting_place      = Abington Presbyterian Church Cemetery, [[Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania]]
| education          = Honorary [[Master of Arts]]
| alma_mater         = [[Yale College]] (1725)
| occupation         = [[Presbyterian polity#Minister|Presbyterian minister]]
| years_active       = 1726–1764
| known_for          = The [[Great Awakening#First Great Awakening|First Great Awakening]] in the [[Middle Colonies]]
| boards             = Original trustee of the [[Princeton University|College of New Jersey]]
| spouse             = Cornelia de Peyster (2nd wife)<br>Sarah Spofford (3rd wife)
| children           = Cornelia Tennent
| parents            = [[William Tennent]], Catherine Kennedy
| relatives          = William Tennent (brother)<br>John Tennent (brother)<br>Charles Tennent (brother)
}}

'''Gilbert Tennent''' (5 February 1703 – 23 July 1764) was a [[Presbyterian]] [[Revivalist (person)|revivalist]] [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]] in [[Colonial America]]. Born into a [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scotch-Irish]] family in [[County Armagh]], [[Ireland]], he migrated to America with his parents, studied [[theology]], and along with [[Jonathan Edwards (theology)|Jonathan Edwards]] and [[George Whitefield]], became one of the leaders of the evangelical revival known as the [[First Great Awakening]]. His most famous sermon, ''On the Danger of an Unconverted Ministry'', also known as the "Nottingham Sermon," compared "Old Side" ministers to the biblical [[Pharisees]] of the [[Gospels]], triggering a schism in the Presbyterian Church which lasted for 17 years. A prolific writer, Tennent would later work towards reunification of the two synods involved.

==Early life==
Gilbert Tennent, the eldest son of [[William Tennent]] and Catherine Kennedy, was born at Vinecash, County Armagh, Ireland. Gilbert's father was a [[Church of Ireland]] minister who emigrated to the American colonies before 1718, when he successfully applied to the [[Synod of Philadelphia]] to be accepted as a Presbyterian minister.<ref name="Rickards">{{cite thesis |last= Rickards|first= Cheryl Ann|date= 2003|title= Gilbert Tennent: An Analysis of His Evangelistic Ministry, Methods and Message during the Great Awakening|url= https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/283 |type= DMin Thesis|publisher= Liberty University}}</ref> In 1721, the family moved from [[Westchester, New York]] to [[Province of Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] where William served as pastor at [[Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania|Bensalem]] in [[Bucks County]]. Five years later he accepted a call to Neshaminy in what is now [[Warminster, Pennsylvania|Warminster]] where he remained until his death in 1746.<ref name="Sprague"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sprague |first1=William B. |title=Annals of the American Pulpit, or, Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of Various Denominations |volume=3 |date=1858 |publisher=Robert Carter & Brothers |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/00839292.1353.emory.edu}}</ref> 

Gilbert and his three younger brothers received a classical education from their father in Ireland and America. Gilbert briefly studied medicine but in 1723 switched his focus to theology. In May 1725, he was licensed to preach by the [[Presbytery of Philadelphia]]. The same year he received an honorary [[Master of Arts]] degree from [[Yale University|Yale College]] in recognition of his educational achievements despite not having attended lectures.<ref name="Coalter">{{cite book |last1=Coalter |first1=Milton A. |title=Gilbert Tennent, Son of Thunder : A Case Study of Continental Pietism's Impact on the First Great Awakening in the Middle Colonies |date=1986 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Connecticut |url=https://archive.org/details/gilberttennentso00coal}}</ref>

==Ministry==
In December 1725, Tennent accepted a call to ministry in [[Newcastle, Delaware]] but left abruptly after a few weeks. He was consequently reprimanded by the Synod.<ref name="Sprague" /> He assisted his father in the founding of [[Log College]] at Neshaminy, but soon accepted a call to establish a church in [[New Brunswick, New Jersey]].<ref name="Lunney">{{cite web |last1=Lunney |first1=Linde |title=Tennent, Gilbert |url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/tennent-gilbert-a8501 |website=Dictionary of Irish Biography |access-date=25 June 2023 |date=2009}}</ref> 

While at New Brunswick, Tennent became friends with [[Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen|Theodorus Frelinghuysen]], a [[Dutch Reformed Church|Dutch Reformed]] minister who greatly influenced Tennent and helped him develop his ministerial and preaching skills.<ref name="Rickards" />

Tennent became an enthusiastic orator known for "preaching the terrors" and for his fiery exhortations to repent.<ref name="Rickards" /> Tennent met [[George Whitefield]], an itinerant evangelist minister from England, in April 1740. He accompanied Whitefield on a preaching tour of New Jersey and [[Staten Island]], and in the winter of 1741 embarked on his own tour of New England. George Whitefield was impressed with Tennent's preaching and referred to him as "a son of thunder" in his journal.<ref name="Coalter" />

Tennent's views increasing brought into him into conflict with the Synod. He supported "enthusiastic itinerancy," opposed changes to the Synod's educational requirements for ordination, and insisted that only those who experienced "genuine conversion" should be ministers.<ref name="Bendler">{{cite journal |last1=Bendler |first1=Bruce A. |title=Matter and Substance: The Tennent-Evans Controversy and the Presbyterian Schism of 1741 |journal=The Journal of Presbyterian History |volume=97 |issue=2 |pages=48-59 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26886189}}</ref>

He was scornful of his critics among conservative or "Old Side" Presbyterians and in his 1740 sermon ''The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry'', also known as the ''Nottingham Sermon'', denounced his opponents, calling them [[Pharisees]] who had, "no experience of a special work of the Holy Ghost upon their own souls."<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography of Gilbert Tennent | url=http://greatawakeningdocumentary.com/exhibits/show/biographies/gilbert-tennent |website=The Great Awakening: Spiritual Revival in Colonial America |publisher=Bob Jones University |access-date=23 June 2023}}</ref>  

In 1738, several  "New Side" ministers led by Tennent had split from the Presbytery of Philadelphia and formed the Presbytery of New Brunswick.<ref name="Rickards" /> In 1741, the Synod of Philadelphia voted to exclude the New Brunswick Presbytery, effectively expelling Tennent and other revivalist ministers. In 1745, the Presbytery of New Brunswick joined with the Presbytery of New York to form the Synod of New York.<ref name="Bendler" />

Tennent expressed regret for his role in fomenting the dissension that resulted in the scism.<ref name="Bendler" /> His sermons became less passionate and he worked towards reconciliation with the Old Side faction. In 1743, he left New Brunswick to become the founding pastor of Philadelphia's Second Presbyterian Church.<ref name="Lunney" /> 

In 1746, Tennent was elected a trustee of the recently chartered College of New Jersey (now [[Princeton University]]). In 1753, he travelled to England to raise the funds to build what would become [[Nassau Hall]].<ref name="Lunney" />

The Old Side and New Side factions reunited in 1758. The Synod of Philadelphia and Synod of New York merged and Tennent was elected as the new [[Moderator of the General Assembly|moderator]].<ref name="Lunney" />

==Emissary==
{{Main article|Paxton Boys}}

Tennent retired from the ministry in 1762 due to chronic illness. In February 1764, Governor [[John Penn (governor)]] appointed Tennent to a delegation of civic leaders led by [[Benjamin Franklin]] and Tennent to meet with the Scotch-Irish vigilante group known as the [[Paxton Boys]].<ref name="Kenny">{{cite book|last1=Kenny|first1=Kevin|title=Peaceable Kingdom Lost: The Paxton Boys and the Destruction of William Penn's Holy Experiment|date=2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|isbn=9780195331509|url=https://archive.org/details/peaceablekingdom0000kenn}}</ref>

Scotch-Irish immigrants to Pennsylvania frequently squatted on indigenous territory. As a result they were the target of raids during the [[French and Indian War]] and [[Pontiac's War]]. In response, Reverend [[John Elder (pastor)|John Elder]], a Presbyterian minister from [[Paxtang, Pennsylvania|Paxtang]] known as the "Fighting Parson,"<ref name=McAlarney1890>{{cite book | last =McAlarney | first =Mathias Wilson   | title =History of the Sesqui-centennial of Paxtang Church | location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |publisher=Harrisburg Publishing Company | year =1890 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=14MsAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> raised two companies of mounted [[associators]]. In December 1763, this group massacred 20 peaceable [[Susquehannock]] at [[Conestoga Town]] and [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]]. In February 1764, the [[Paxton Boys]] led an armed march on [[Philadelphia]] with the intent of attacking the [[Moravian Church|Moravian]] Lenape and [[Mohican]] who had been moved there for their protection.<ref name="Brubaker">{{cite book | last =Brubaker | first =John H. | title =Massacre of the Conestogas: On the Trail of the Paxton Boys in Lancaster County. | publisher =History Press | year =2010| isbn =9781609490614}}</ref>

The Paxton Boys halted their march in [[Germantown, Philadelphia|Germantown]] after learning about the sizable force that was prepared to meet them in Philadelphia.  Following a day of negotiations, the marchers agreed to disperse after receiving assurances that their grievances would be presented to the Governor and [[Pennsylvania General Assembly|Assembly]].<ref name="Kenny" />

==Family==

Tennent married three times. His first wife died childless in 1740. Tennent then married Cornelia Clarkson (née de Peyster), a widow with several children. She died in 1753. Sometime before 1762 Tennent married another widow, Sarah Spofford, who had one daughter by her first husband. She had three children with Tennent; one of the two daughters was given the name of Tennent's second wife, Cornelia.<ref name="Lunney" />

==Works==
[[File:The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry.jpg|thumb|Gilbert Tennent's ''The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry'' published in 1740]]
Tennent had many of his sermons, as well as some of his other works, published by Benjamin Franklin and other Philadelphia printers. These include:
* [https://www.logcollegepress.com/s/Tennent-Gilbert-The-Danger-of-an-Unconverted-Ministry.pdf ''The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry, Considered in a sermon on Mark VI. 34. Preached at Nottingham, in Pennsylvania, March 8, Anno 1739,40''] (1740)
* [https://archive.org/details/examined00tenn''The Examiner, examined, or, Gilbert Tennent, harmonious : in answer to a pamphlet entitled, The examiner, or Gilbert against Tennent''] (1743)
* [https://www.logcollegepress.com/s/Tennent-Gilbert-Some-Account-of-the-Principles-of-the-Moravians.pdf ''Some Account of the Principles of the Moravians, Chiefly Collected from Several Conversations with Count Zinzendorf''] (1743)
* [https://archive.org/details/twentythreesermo00tenn ''Twenty Three Sermons Upon the Chief End of Man: The Divine Authority of the Sacred Scriptures, the Being and Attributes of God, and the Doctrine of the Trinity''] (1744)
* [https://archive.org/details/lateassociationf00tenn ''The Late Association for defence farther encouraged, or, Defensive war defended, : and its consistency with true Christianity represented in a reply to some exceptions against war, in a late composure, intituled, The doctrine of Christianity, as held by the people called Quakers, vindicated.''] (1748)
* [https://www.logcollegepress.com/s/Tennent-Gilbert-The-Substance-and-Scope-of-Both-Testaments.pdf ''The Substance and Scope of Both Testaments; or, The Distinguishing Glory of the Gospel: A Sermon''] (1749)
* [https://www.logcollegepress.com/s/Peace-of-Jeru-Tennent-3wtl.pdf ''Irenicum Ecclesiasticum, or, a Humbly Impartial Essay upon the Peace of Jerusalum''] (1749)
* [https://www.logcollegepress.com/s/Tennent-Gilbert-A-Persuasive-to-the-Right-Use-of-Passions-in-Religion-ss65.pdf A Persuasive to the Right Use of the Passions in Religion; or, The Nature of Religious Zeal Explain’d, Its Excellency and Importance Open’d and Urg’d, in a Sermon, on Revelations iii.19. Preached at Philadelphia, January 27th, 1760] (1760)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/evans?type=simple&rgn=full+text&q1=Tennent&cite1=Tennent&cite1restrict=author&cite2=Gilbert&cite2restrict=author&firstpubl1=1470&firstpubl2=1790&Submit=Search Partial list and transcriptions of Gilbert Tennent's sermons and other published works (Evans Early American Imprint Collection)]
* [https://philadelphiacongregations.org/records/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Tennent%2C+Gilbert%2C+1703-1764 Digitized copies and transcriptions of 162 of the original manuscripts of Gilbert Tennent's sermons (Philadelphia Congregations Early Records Project)]
* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7447822 Gilbert Tennent's monument at Abington Presbyterian Church Cemetery (Find a Grave)]
* [https://www.logcollegepress.com/gilbert-tennent-17031764 Gilbert Tennent resources at Log College Press]

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[[Category:1703 births]]
[[Category:1764 deaths]]
[[Category:People from County Armagh]]
[[Category:American Presbyterian ministers]]
[[Category:18th-century American Christian clergy]]
[[Category:Yale College alumni]]
[[Category:University and college founders]]
[[Category:Tennent family]]