The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

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But, though the bo}' Heman was, by nature and training, reverent and conscientious in his
attention to these external observances, it was not until the winter of his twentieth year, during a
powerful revival under the preaching of Rev. Dr. Griffin, then settled in New Hartford, that his
religious impressions deepened into the personal experience which he recognized as his conversion.
It was such an experience as was the natural result of the yielding of his strong and earnest
nature to the power of pungent and searching doctrinal truths, such as were presented in that
day both from the pulpit and in personal appeals. In allusion to this period of his life he says
"If I was then born again, I was born a Calvinist; 'Not of flesh and blood, nor of the will of
man, but of God, who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy.' I then fully embraced the
doctrines of the Shorter Catechism, from which I never swerved." Yet though " the strong decrees
ever remained to him a bulwark and defense, it is equally true that faith in God's dear Son as
the Saviour of the world was the vital element which inspired his faith, his preaching ,and his life.
When he was twenty years old, encouraged by his pastor. Rev. Jonathan Miller, who also
volunteered to give him some instruction, he determined to advance in his studies beyond the
point he had previously thought of His biographer thus describes this attempt: "Two months
in the harvest-field, then to study. Then teaching in the winter. Then once more to Latin;
again to the harvest-field; and so the process went on in spite of enfeebled health, until, in the
autumn of 1803, he passed successfully the examination which admitted him to the Junior class
in Yale College." His earnest desire at this time was to prepare himself to become a minister of
the Gospel. During the most of his college course he was obliged to replenish his purse by
teaching, by assuming the duties of Librarian, and by other expedients, but his rank as a student
was always good. He was diligent, also, with his pen, writing, among other things, articles for
the New Haven papers over the signature of "Lictor," thrusting his manuscript under the Editor's
door and hastily retreating. These articles attracted much attention from their ability, and much
curiosity as to their authorship. In 1805, he was graduated with honor in a class of forty-two.
Among his classmates were the distinguished Dr. Spring, long the almost unrivalled preacher and
pastor of New York City, and Thomas H. Gallaudet, who introduced teaching the deaf and dumb
into the country, and whose biography Dr. Humphrey wrote in after years.
As there was no Theological Seminary in the country at that time, Mr. Humphrey, accord-
ing to the custom of the day, studied for the ministry, with four or five other students, in one of
the small "Schools of the Prophets," conducted by the Rev. Asahel Hooker, of Goshen, Ct.
Theolog}' seems to have been almost literally the meat and the drink of the young divines, for in refer-
ring to this time he says: "Some theological question was proposed for discussion at almost every
" meal. Of the course pursued he says: "In these private schools there was no critical study of
the original languages of the Scriptures. The period of study, which rarely extended over eighteen
months, was almost wholly occupied in reading standard English theological authors, such as
Hopkins, Bellamy, and, above all. President Edwards; also in writing disputations upon a long
list of questions embracing the whole system of Christian doctrine, drawn from the Word of God,
and embodied in the Westmimtter Assemhlys Catechism."
If the truth thus sown though sound and vital was somewhat compact, it must in his case
have fallen into productive soil, for we have, among many evidences of his theological ability as
afterwards developed, this testimony from a distinguished New England clergyman: "When in-
stalled (in 1826) over the church at Amherst College, Dr. Humphrey gave the Council his system
of theology, w-hich for clearness, for conciseness, comprehensiveness and beauty, they declared
they had never heard equalled."
In October, 1806, he was licensed to preach by the Litchfield North Association. He thus
describes his entrance upon the active iluties of the ministry: "With my license in my pocket, I
purchased a horse, saddle, bridle and portmanteau, and was ready to enter the field, without
knowing or conjecturing in what ci>rner of it I was to find emphnmenl. I was 'even with the
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