Cobb Divinity School: Difference between revisions

Cobb Divinity School
Cobb Divinity School
	Cobb Divinity School's facility from 1870 to 1895. The building now serves as John Bertram Hall on the campus of Bates College
Location
	Parsonsfield, Maine, Lewiston, Maine
Coordinates	44°06′13″N 70°12′05″W / 44.103727°N 70.201483°W
Information
Founded	March 12, 1840
Closed	March 23, 1908 (merged with Bates religion department)

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Cobb Divinity School (also known as Bates Theological Seminary or the Free Will Baptist Bible School) was a Baptist theological institute. Founded in 1840, it was a Free Will Baptist graduate school affiliated with several Free Baptist institutions throughout its history. Cobb was part of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, United States from 1870 until 1908 when it merged with the college's Religion Department.

The school created one of the first models for a Bible school in the United States.^[1] The school had a close relationship with the University of Chicago with many Baptist theology students and faculty going back and forth between the schools.^[2]

History

The divinity school was founded by the Free Will Baptists in Parsonsfield, Maine in 1840 as a library department and graduate bible school of the Parsonsfield Seminary with Moses Smart serving as the first leader of the school. From 1842 to 1844, the divinity school was located in Dracut, Massachusetts. In 1844, the divinity school moved again to Whitestown, New York and became part of the Whitestown Seminary, where it was known as the Free Baptist Biblical School. From 1854 to 1870, the divinity school was located in New Hampton, New Hampshire, and affiliated with the New Hampton Institute.^[3]

The school and its library were removed to Lewiston in 1870 and became a graduate school (known as Bates Theological Seminary until 1888) of Bates College. In 1888, it was renamed Cobb Divinity School in honor of Jonathan Leavitt Haskell Cobb (1824-1897), a prominent businessman at the Bates Mill in Lewiston who had donated $25,000 to the Divinity School at Bates.^[3] In 1891, President of Bates College Oren B. Cheney amended the school's charter requiring that Bates' president and a majority of the trustees be Free Will Baptists. Following Cheney's retirement, the amendment was revoked in 1907 at the request of his successor, President George C. Chase, and the board of trustees. In 1907, the Maine Legislature amended the college's charter removing the requirement for the president and majority of the trustees to be Free Will Baptists, thereby allowing the school to qualify for Carnegie Foundation funding of professor's pensions.^[4] Cobb Divinity School was disbanded in 1908, with much of its curricula and faculty and library becoming the Bates College Religion Department. In 1911, the Northern Free Will Baptist Conference merged with the Northern Baptist Conference, now known as the American Baptist Churches USA. Bates remained nominally affiliated with the Baptist tradition until 1970 when the college catalogue no longer described the school as a "Christian college".

Images

Cobb Divinity School faculty, ca. 1895, featuring Professors John Fullonton, Alfred W. Anthony, Purinton, Howe, and Benjamin F. Hayes
Cobb Divinity School building from 1895-1908. Currently Roger Williams Hall on the campus of Bates College
School buildings which were located in New York on the former Oneida Institute campus in Whitesboro, New York

Notable people

Alfred W. Anthony (1885), pastor, professor, and author
George H. Ball (1847), pastor, teacher of President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucretia Garfield
John Jay Butler, Arminian theologian, professor at Cobb and Hillsdale
George Colby Chase, second president of Bates College
Oren B. Cheney (1846), abolitionist, founder of Bates College
Lewis Penick Clinton (1897), African Bassa prince, missionary in Liberia
George T. Day (1847), pastor, writer at the Morning Star, professor at Bates
Ransom Dunn (1840), President of Rio Grande College and Hillsdale College, teacher of President James A. Garfield
John Fullonton (1849), Professor and Dean at Cobb Divinity School
Frank Sandford, preacher, founder of "The Kingdom"

References

^ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, (Scarecrow Press, 2009) pg. 570
^ Gordon L. Heath, Paul R. Wilson, Baptists and Public Life in Canada (2012)pg. 121 https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1608996816
^ ^a ^b Guide to the Freewill Baptist records, 1797-1970, n.d. | MC091. (Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library at Bates College in Maine) http://abacus.bates.edu/muskie-archives/EADFindingAids/MC091.html.
^ Paul Monroe, A Cyclopedia of Education (Published by Gale Research Co., 1911) Item notes: v.1, [1], pg. 331

Anthony, Alfred Williams, Bates College and Its Background, (Philadelphia: Judson Press, 1936).

External links

[1] William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, (Scarecrow Press, 2009) pg. 570

[2] Gordon L. Heath, Paul R. Wilson, Baptists and Public Life in Canada (2012)pg. 121 https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1608996816

[abacus_bates_edu-3] Guide to the Freewill Baptist records, 1797-1970, n.d. | MC091. (Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library at Bates College in Maine) http://abacus.bates.edu/muskie-archives/EADFindingAids/MC091.html.

[4] Paul Monroe, A Cyclopedia of Education (Published by Gale Research Co., 1911) Item notes: v.1, [1], pg. 331

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[2]

[3]

[4]

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 }}
-'''Cobb Divinity School''' (also known as '''Bates Theological Seminary''' or the '''Free Will Baptist Bible School'''), founded in 1840, was a [[Free Will Baptist]] [[graduate school]] affiliated with several Free Baptist institutions throughout its history. Cobb was part of [[Bates College]] in [[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]], [[Maine]], [[United States]] from 1870 until 1908 when it merged with the college's Religion Department.
+'''Cobb Divinity School''' (also known as '''Bates Theological Seminary''' or the '''Free Will Baptist Bible School''') was a [[Baptist]] [[theological institute]]. Founded in 1840, it was a [[Free Will Baptist]] [[graduate school]] affiliated with several Free Baptist institutions throughout its history. Cobb was part of [[Bates College]] in [[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]], [[Maine]], [[United States]] from 1870 until 1908 when it merged with the college's Religion Department.
 The school created one of the first models for a [[Bible school]] in the United States.<ref>William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, (Scarecrow Press, 2009) pg. 570</ref> The school had a close relationship with the [[University of Chicago]] with many Baptist theology students and faculty going back and forth between the schools.<ref>Gordon L. Heath, Paul R. Wilson, ''Baptists and Public Life in Canada'' (2012)pg. 121 https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1608996816</ref>
 ==History==
-The [[divinity school]] was founded by the Freewill Baptists in [[Parsonsfield, Maine|Parsonsfield]], Maine in 1840 as a library department and graduate bible school of the [[Parsonsfield Seminary]] with [[Moses Smart]] serving as the first leader of the school. From 1842 to 1844, the divinity school was located in [[Dracut, Massachusetts|Dracut]], [[Massachusetts]]. In 1844, the divinity school moved again to [[Whitestown, New York|Whitestown]], [[New York (state)|New York]] and became part of the [[Whitestown Seminary]] where it was known as the Free Baptist Biblical School. From 1854 to 1870, the divinity school was located in [[New Hampton, New Hampshire|New Hampton]], [[New Hampshire]] and affiliated with the [[New Hampton Institute]].
+The [[divinity school]] was founded by the Free Will Baptists in [[Parsonsfield, Maine|Parsonsfield]], Maine in 1840 as a library department and graduate bible school of the [[Parsonsfield Seminary]] with [[Moses Smart]] serving as the first leader of the school. From 1842 to 1844, the divinity school was located in [[Dracut, Massachusetts|Dracut]], [[Massachusetts]]. In 1844, the divinity school moved again to [[Whitestown, New York|Whitestown]], [[New York (state)|New York]] and became part of the [[Whitestown Seminary]], where it was known as the Free Baptist Biblical School. From 1854 to 1870, the divinity school was located in [[New Hampton, New Hampshire]], and affiliated with the [[New Hampton Institute]].<ref name="abacus_bates_edu">Guide to the Freewill Baptist records, 1797-1970, n.d. | MC091. (Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library at Bates College in Maine) http://abacus.bates.edu/muskie-archives/EADFindingAids/MC091.html.</ref>
-The school and its library were removed to Lewiston in 1870 and became a graduate school (known as Bates Theological Seminary until 1888) of Bates College. In 1888, it was renamed Cobb Divinity School in honor of Jonathan Leavitt Haskell Cobb (1824-1897), a prominent businessman at the [[Bates Mill]] in Lewiston who had donated $25,000 to the Divinity School at Bates. In 1891, President of Bates College [[Oren B. Cheney]] amended the school's charter requiring that Bates' president and a majority of the trustees be Free Will Baptists. Following Cheney's retirement, the amendment was revoked in 1907 at the request of his successor, President [[George C. Chase]], and the board of trustees. In 1907, the [[Maine Legislature]] amended the college's [[charter]] removing the requirement for the president and majority of the trustees to be Free Will Baptists, thereby allowing the school to qualify for [[Carnegie Corporation of New York|Carnegie Foundation]] funding of professor's [[pension]]s.<ref>Paul Monroe, ''A Cyclopedia of Education'' (Published by Gale Research Co., 1911) Item notes: v.1, [https://books.google.com/books?id=GXMYAAAAIAAJ], pg. 331</ref> Cobb Divinity School was disbanded in 1908, with much of its curricula and faculty and library becoming the Bates College Religion Department. In 1911, the Northern Free Will Baptist Conference merged with the Northern Baptist Conference, now known as the [[American Baptist Churches USA]]. Bates remained nominally affiliated with the Baptist tradition until 1970 when the college catalogue no longer described the school as a "Christian college".
+The school and its library were removed to Lewiston in 1870 and became a graduate school (known as Bates Theological Seminary until 1888) of Bates College. In 1888, it was renamed Cobb Divinity School in honor of Jonathan Leavitt Haskell Cobb (1824-1897), a prominent businessman at the [[Bates Mill]] in Lewiston who had donated $25,000 to the Divinity School at Bates.<ref name="abacus_bates_edu" /> In 1891, President of Bates College [[Oren B. Cheney]] amended the school's charter requiring that Bates' president and a majority of the trustees be Free Will Baptists. Following Cheney's retirement, the amendment was revoked in 1907 at the request of his successor, President [[George C. Chase]], and the board of trustees. In 1907, the [[Maine Legislature]] amended the college's [[charter]] removing the requirement for the president and majority of the trustees to be Free Will Baptists, thereby allowing the school to qualify for [[Carnegie Corporation of New York|Carnegie Foundation]] funding of professor's [[pension]]s.<ref>Paul Monroe, ''A Cyclopedia of Education'' (Published by Gale Research Co., 1911) Item notes: v.1, [https://books.google.com/books?id=GXMYAAAAIAAJ], pg. 331</ref> Cobb Divinity School was disbanded in 1908, with much of its curricula and faculty and library becoming the Bates College Religion Department. In 1911, the Northern Free Will Baptist Conference merged with the Northern Baptist Conference, now known as the [[American Baptist Churches USA]]. Bates remained nominally affiliated with the Baptist tradition until 1970 when the college catalogue no longer described the school as a "Christian college".
 ==Images==
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 File:Cobb Divinity School faculty photo.jpg|Cobb Divinity School faculty, ca. 1895, featuring Professors [[John Fullonton]], [[Alfred W. Anthony]], Purinton, Howe, and [[Benjamin F. Hayes]]
 File:Cobb Divinity School; Roger Williams Hall.jpg|Cobb Divinity School building from 1895-1908. Currently Roger Williams Hall on the campus of Bates College
+File:Oneida Institute, Whitestown, New York.png|School buildings which were located in New York on the former [[Oneida Institute]] campus in Whitesboro, New York
 </gallery>
@@ Line 27: / Line 28: @@
 *[[Alfred W. Anthony]] (1885), pastor, professor, and author
 *[[George H. Ball]] (1847), pastor, teacher of President [[James A. Garfield]] and First Lady [[Lucretia Garfield]]
-*[[John Jay Butler]], Arminian theologian, professor at Cobb and Hillsdale
+*[[John Jay Butler]], [[Arminian]] theologian, professor at Cobb and Hillsdale
 *[[George Colby Chase]], second president of Bates College
 *[[Oren B. Cheney]] (1846), [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist]], founder of Bates College
@@ Line 53: / Line 54: @@
 {{Colleges and Universities affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA}}
 {{Universities and colleges in Maine |state=expanded}}
+{{authority control}}
 [[Category:1908 disestablishments in Maine]]
 [[Category:Bates College]]
-[[Category:Defunct universities and colleges in Maine]]
+[[Category:Defunct private universities and colleges in Maine]]
 [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1840]]
-[[Category:Free Will Baptists]]
+[[Category:Free Will Baptist schools]]
 [[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in Maine]]
-[[Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA]]
+[[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA]]
 [[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 1908]]
 [[Category:1840 establishments in Maine]]
+[[Category:Universities and colleges in Oneida County, New York]]

v t e Universities and colleges in Maine
Private institutions	Bates College Beal University Bowdoin College Colby College College of the Atlantic Husson University (New England School of Communications) Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts Maine College of Art & Design (Salt Institute for Documentary Studies) Maine College of Health Professions Maine Media College New England Bible College Saint Joseph's College Thomas College Unity Environmental University University of New England
University of Maine System	University of Maine University of Maine at Augusta University of Maine at Farmington University of Maine at Fort Kent University of Maine at Machias University of Maine at Presque Isle University of Maine School of Law University of Southern Maine
Public maritime college	Maine Maritime Academy
Maine Community College System	Central Maine CC Eastern Maine CC Kennebec Valley CC Northern Maine CC Southern Maine CC Washington County CC York County CC
Former schools	Andover College Bangor Theological Seminary Bliss College Cobb Divinity School Eastern State Normal School Nasson College Ricker College Westbrook College