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John Nelson Abeel

• Born: 1768, New York, New York
• Died: 20 January 1812

Article from Encyclopaedia of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, p. 9

Abeel, John Nelson, D. D., graduated at Princeton College in l787, and was Tutor in it for two years. He entered upon the study of theology under Dr. Livingston, and was licensed to preach in April, 1793. He first became pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, but in l795 was installed as pastor of the Refonned Dutch Church in the City of New York. With a discriminating mind, a sweet and melodious voice, and his soul inflamed with pious zeal, Dr. Abeel as pre-eminent among extemporaneous orators. He was a man of unassuming manners, and a truly eloquent preacher. He died January 20th, 1812.

Another biographical sketch is available from the PCA History Center and his papers are collected at the Presbyterian Historical Society.

And a long entry from Annuls of the American Pulpit, v. 9, Reformed Dutch Section, pg 95

JOHN NELSON ABEEL, D.D.

1793-1812.

FROM THE REV. PHILIP MILLEDOLER, D.D.

New York, February 28, 1848.

Rev. and dear Brother: I regret that I have not been able sooner to comply with your request fur some account of my lamented and excellent friend, the Rev. Dr. Abeel; and I regret still more, now that I have set myself to the work, to find that I am in possession of only enough of the facts of his history to form but a very general outline of his life. With the material that I have, however, I will endeavour to serve you as well as I can.

JOHN NELSON ABEEL, a son of Colonel James and Gertrude (Nelson) Abeel, was born in the city of New York, near the close of the year 1768. The rudiments of his classical education he received at Morristown, N. J. In due time he was admitted as a student in the College of New Jersey, where he graduated, an excellent scholar, in 1787.

Shortly after his graduation he commenced the study of the Law, under the direction of the Hon. William Patterson, of New Brunswick, afterwards Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. But within about a year from that time he experienced a change in his views and feelings, in regard to religion, that determined him to devote himself to the work of the ministry. Accordingly, he became a student of Theology, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. John H. Livingston; but, in 1791, accepted a Tutorship in the College of New Jersey, which he held for two years. In 1793 he was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Classis of New York. Shortly after this the Second and Third Presbyterian Churches in Philadelphia entered into an arrangement to obtain his services, with an understanding that two-thirds of his time should be given to the Second Church, and the remaining third to the other. He was accordingly ordained, and installed as Colleague Pastor with Dr. Green, of the Second Church. The plan, however, did not work satisfactorily, though the relation between the two Pastors was altogether agreeable. In June, 1795, Mr. Abeel received a call from the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church, in the city of New York, to become one of its Pastors. He accepted the call, and was installed on the first Sabbath in October following. In August, 1805, be was called to the Pastorship of the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia; and, if my memory serves me, he was invited to become the Pastor of one or two other prominent churches; but be declined in each case and remained with his charge in New York till the close of his life.

In the year 1804 the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by the Corporation of Harvard College.

In 1809 Dr. Abeel was assailed by that insidious and fatal malady, the consumption. This obliged him frequently to suspend his labours for a considerable time. He passed one winter in South Carolina, and also made a voyage to Rio Janeiro; but in neither case experienced any permanent benefit. No medical skill could arrest the progress of his disease. It was slow but sure, and on the 19th of January, 1812, he gently fell asleep in Christ, being in the forty-third year of ms age.

In person Dr. Abeel was of middle stature, of spare habit, and always appeared to be in delicate health. The expression of his countenance was decidedly and highly intellectual. He had an uncommonly amiable disposition, fine colloquial powers, and manners at once calm and dignified, polished and attractive.

Dr. Abeel possessed a mind of a naturally superior order, thoroughly disciplined and highly cultivated by the best advantages of education, and by a subsequent habit of close study. His style of preaching was simple, luminous, searching, pungent, and sometimes marked by extraordinary bursts of eloquence. He usually preached from short notes, and occasionally without any notes at all; but his sermons were never lacking in well-digested thought, logical accuracy, or close discrimination. They were especially remarkable as exhibiting an uncommon depth and richness of Christian experience; and while all were attracted by the eloquence that characterized them, they were most acceptable to those who received the truth in the love of it. He delivered a series of Discourses on Education, which were of a very high order, and were thought, by the best judges, worthy of being given to the world through the press; but I am not sure that they ever existed even in manuscript. He was celebrated for his fine efforts on charitable occasions--few preachers could make more powerful or successful appeals in behalf of human want and suffering than be. As a watchman on the walls of Zion, he was most vigilant and faithful. He took great delight in visiting his people, and his presence was always greeted by them as a benediction. He was especially attentive to the youthful members of bis flock. He lost no opportunity to place himself in contact with them; and, while be rarely, if ever, failed to win their hearts, he was always endeavouring to impress upon them, directly or indirectly, those great truths, the reception of which makes wise unto eternal life.

Though Dr. Abeel was himself, in his religious views, a decided Calvinist, be was distinguished for catholic feeling and action towards those whose creed was not, in all respects, in harmony with his own. Wherever be recognized the image of Christ, there his heart opened in expressions of fraternal sympathy and goodwill. He had no patience with that spirit of bigotry, which rends the seamless robe of Christ, hurls abroad its anathemas, and raises the senseless cry,--'The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are we."

With such qualifications for usefulness, and pursuing such a course as this, it is no cause of wonder that be had an eminently successful ministry, aDd enjoyed in a high degree the affection and confidence of both the congregations that he served. A revival of religion occurred under bis ministry in New York, 88 the result of which large numbers were gathered into the church, and a great and enduring influence fur good is believed to have been secured. I do not say that Dr. Abeel W88 fu.ultless,-for that cannot be said of any human being; but I may safely say that I have known few men whose characters had so little in them that seemed to require correction as bis. I have known few ministers of the Gospel, whose course through life has been marked by so much wisdom, dignity and quiet efficiency, or which bas secured such UDiversal respect. I venture to say, you cannot find a person who knew him, who does not etill hold him in cherished remembrance.