10 February 1925 A.D. Strategic Move of Columbia Seminary to Decatur, GA
10 February
1925 A.D. Strategic Move of Columbia
Seminary to Decatur, GA
Myers,
David T. “February 10: Columbia Theological Seminary.” This
Day in Presbyterian History. 10 Feb 2015. http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2015/02/february-10-3/.
Accessed 10 Feb 2015.
February 10: Columbia Theological Seminary
Moving Day
Thomas Goulding, George Howe, Aaron Leland, Benjamin Morgan
Palmer, James Henry Thornwell, William S. Plumer, Joseph R Wilson, John L.
Giarardeau, Charles Colcock Jones, Francis R. Beattie — if you live outside the
southern states of this great land, you may not have any recognition of these
men and their important place in God’s kingdom. But if you reside
within the southern states, these are the worthies of the cross associated with
Columbia Theological Seminary, and the southern visible church. » Pictured at
right, Dr. John L. Girardeau [1825-1898] »
It was on April 1, 1824, that the Presbytery of Southern
Carolina began the first steps to organize a theological seminary to serve the
entire Southeastern part of the country. Up to this date, there were only
four Presbyterian seminaries in operation, namely, Andover in Massachusetts,
New Brunswick in New Jersey, Princeton, also in New Jersey, and Auburn in
New York. The new seminary, known later as Columbia, began in Lexington,
Georgia with one professor (Thomas Goulding) and five students. Later,
the theological school was moved to Columbia, South Carolina, with two teachers
(Goulding, and Thomas Howe) and six students. Two of the six became
foreign missionaries. Between that year of 1830 and 1910, the membership
of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. (aka, Southern) rose from 10,000 members to
70,000 members. And the seven hundred and fifty candidates of
the gospel ministry who went through those hallowed halls would minister to
that remarkable3 growth of the visible church.
Then in the second decade of the twentieth century, there was a
geographic shift in the population of the southeastern United States, such that
Atlanta, Georgia became the unofficial capital of that area. In response,
Columbia Theological Seminary began a $250,000 endowment campaign on February 10, 1925 as part of a strategic
plan to relocate the Seminary, from the city which gave it its name, to
Decatur, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. That move was accomplished in the year
of 1930. Today, Columbia Seminary is one of ten seminaries of the Presbyterian
Church U.S.A.
« To the left: This
building—designed by Robert Mills—was the chapel of Columbia Theological
Seminary when the seminary was located in Columbia, South Carolina. Mills had
designed the building as the carriage house for the Ainsley Hall mansion. The
chapel building was relocated to the property of Winthrop College in 1936.
[photograph by Barry Waugh, 18 July 2006]
Statistical trivia: Among the founding fathers of the PCA, the overwhelming
majority of these pastors were educated at Columbia Theological Seminary:
5 — Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1929, 1939, 1942,
1953
2 — Biblical Seminary, 1961, 1963
83 – Columbia Theological Seminary, 1934-1970
2 — Dallas Theological Seminary, 1937, 1941
3 — Erskine Theological Seminary, 1953, 1966
2 — Faith Theological Seminary, 1948, 1955
3 — Fuller Theological Seminary, 1953, 56, 59
2 — Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 1953, 1970
1 — Grace Theological Seminary, 1970
2 — Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1942, 1955
1 — New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1965
1 — Northwestern Evangelical Seminary, 1938
1 — Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, 1951
2 — Princeton Theological Seminary, 1928, 1954
1 — Reformed Episcopal Seminary, 1952
35 – Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS 1969-1973 [RTS opened its doors in the fall of 1966]
1 — Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, 1957
1 — Toronto Bible College 1948
14 – Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA, 1919-1968
15 – Westminster Theological Seminary, 1929-1972
1 — WTNC, 1934
1 — Wheaton College, 1939 [James R. Graham, D.D.]
2 — Biblical Seminary, 1961, 1963
83 – Columbia Theological Seminary, 1934-1970
2 — Dallas Theological Seminary, 1937, 1941
3 — Erskine Theological Seminary, 1953, 1966
2 — Faith Theological Seminary, 1948, 1955
3 — Fuller Theological Seminary, 1953, 56, 59
2 — Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 1953, 1970
1 — Grace Theological Seminary, 1970
2 — Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1942, 1955
1 — New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1965
1 — Northwestern Evangelical Seminary, 1938
1 — Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, 1951
2 — Princeton Theological Seminary, 1928, 1954
1 — Reformed Episcopal Seminary, 1952
35 – Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS 1969-1973 [RTS opened its doors in the fall of 1966]
1 — Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, 1957
1 — Toronto Bible College 1948
14 – Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA, 1919-1968
15 – Westminster Theological Seminary, 1929-1972
1 — WTNC, 1934
1 — Wheaton College, 1939 [James R. Graham, D.D.]
Words to Live
By: Statistics say that the average American family
will move every seven years of his life and work. Of course, there are
always exceptions to this rule, and you reader might say that you have lived in
the same location all of your life! But whether you move or stay in one
location, Christ describes us as the salt of the earth and the light of the
world. As salt, we are to flavor our circumstances in life as well as
restrain the corruption which is all around us in varying degrees. As
light, we are to shine forth the rays of the gospel, especially to reveal the
sinfulness of our culture, for the world is in spiritual darkness. As
Christians remember their calling, there will bloom wherever they are planted,
whether they move frequently or remain in one location all of their lives.
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