Edward Norris Kirk
Encyclopedia
Dr. Edward Norris Kirk 14 August 1802 - was a Christian
missionary
, pastor
, teacher
, evangelist
and writer
in the Presbyterian, Congregational and revivalist
traditions in the USA. He founded the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Albany, New York
, following a schism at the Second Presbyterian Church in the same city, and later served as the first pastor of Mount Vernon Congregational Church
(now the Old South Church) in Boston
, from 1842 to 1871, where his teaching led to the conversion of renowned evangelist Dwight L. Moody
.
under Dr. Archibald Alexander
, and after graduating worked as an agent for the Board of Foreign Missions. In 1824, he helped to create the Chi Phi
Society, a semi-religious, semi-literary organization, which ceased activity the following year when it merged with the Philadelphian Society. In 1827 he was appointed assistant pastor of the Second Presbyterian church in Albany, New York
, where William Sprague
later ministered, and in 1828 he organized the Fourth Presbyterian church in Albany, after controversy at Second church resulted in a church division partly due to the revivalism techniques then being popularized by Charles Grandison Finney
. With Dr. Nathan S.S. Beman
of Troy, New York
, Kirk established a training school which taught theology for aspiring evangelists. After a time preaching in London and Paris, Kirk returned to the United States and took up the pastorate at Mount Vernon which he held for nearly 30 years. He died in Boston.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
in the Presbyterian, Congregational and revivalist
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
traditions in the USA. He founded the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, following a schism at the Second Presbyterian Church in the same city, and later served as the first pastor of Mount Vernon Congregational Church
Mount Vernon Church, Boston
Mount Vernon Church in Boston, Massachusetts, was a Congregational church located on Beacon Hill and later in Back Bay .-Beacon Hill, 1844-1891:...
(now the Old South Church) in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, from 1842 to 1871, where his teaching led to the conversion of renowned evangelist Dwight L. Moody
Dwight L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody , also known as D.L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts , the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers.-Early life:Dwight Moody was born in Northfield, Massachusetts to a large...
.
Life
Kirk was educated at Princeton Theological SeminaryPrinceton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
under Dr. Archibald Alexander
Archibald Alexander
Archibald Alexander was an American Presbyterian theologian and professor at the Princeton Theological Seminary...
, and after graduating worked as an agent for the Board of Foreign Missions. In 1824, he helped to create the Chi Phi
Chi Phi
The Chi Phi ' Fraternity is an American College Social Fraternity that was established as the result of the merger of three separate organizations that were each known as Chi Phi. The oldest active organization that took part in the union was originally founded in 1824 at Princeton...
Society, a semi-religious, semi-literary organization, which ceased activity the following year when it merged with the Philadelphian Society. In 1827 he was appointed assistant pastor of the Second Presbyterian church in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, where William Sprague
William Buell Sprague
William Buell Sprague was an American Congregational and Presbyterian clergyman and compiler of Annals of the American Pulpit , a comprehensive biographical dictionary of the leading American Protestant Christian ministers who died before 1850.-Biography:He was educated at Yale under Timothy...
later ministered, and in 1828 he organized the Fourth Presbyterian church in Albany, after controversy at Second church resulted in a church division partly due to the revivalism techniques then being popularized by Charles Grandison Finney
Charles Grandison Finney
Charles Grandison Finney was a leader in the Second Great Awakening. He has been called The Father of Modern Revivalism. Finney was best known as an innovative revivalist, an opponent of Old School Presbyterian theology, an advocate of Christian perfectionism, a pioneer in social reforms in favor...
. With Dr. Nathan S.S. Beman
Nathan S.S. Beman
Nathan Sidney Smith Beman was the fourth president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was born in what is now New Lebanon, New York on November 26, 1785. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1807. He then studied theology and preached in Portland, Maine and Mount Zion, Georgia...
of Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, Kirk established a training school which taught theology for aspiring evangelists. After a time preaching in London and Paris, Kirk returned to the United States and took up the pastorate at Mount Vernon which he held for nearly 30 years. He died in Boston.
Works
Dr. Edward Norris Kirk was author of the following publications;- "Memorial of the Reverend John Chester, D.D." (Albany, 1829)
- "Lectures on Christ's Parables" (New York, 1856)
- "Sermons" (2 vols., 1840; Boston, 1860)
- "Canon of the Holy Scriptures" (abridged, 1862)
- Translations of GaussenFrançois Samuel Robert Louis GaussenFrançois Samuel Robert Louis Gaussen was a Swiss Protestant divine.-Life:Gaussen was born at Geneva. His father, Georg Markus Gaussen, a member of the Council of Two Hundred, was descended from an old Languedoc family which had been scattered at the time of the religious persecutions in France...
's "Inspiration of the Scriptures" (New York, 1842)" and Jean Frederic Astie's "Lectures on Louis XIV. and the Writers of his Age" (Boston. 1855). - "Lectures on Revivals ", edited by Reverend Daniel O. Mears (Boston, 1874).