William E. Slemmons
Encyclopedia
William E. Slemmons was a prominent 19th century clergyman and academic in Western Pennsylvania
.
Slemmons was born in Cadiz, Ohio
on December 1, 1855. He graduated from Princeton University
in 1877 and from the Western Theological Seminary
(now Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
) in 1887. He earned a Doctor of Divinity from Grove City College
in 1900 and W&J awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1936.
He gave the Master's Oration at the Princeton commencement in 1880, a speech entitled "Literary and Academic Exclusiveness." The New York Times called it an "extremely practical view of the caste feeling existing between high institutions of learning and the common every-day world."
In 1894, while serving as a pastor in Mercer
Second Presbyterian Church, Slemmons was a delegate for the Pennsylvania Synod to the 106th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. He served on the Church Erection Committee and was involved in a protest against a declaration against a resolution from the "Committee on Temperance"
declaring "no political party has the right to expect the support of Christian men so long as the party...refuses to put itself on record against the saloon."
He served as President Pro Tem. of Washington & Jefferson College from May 1918 to June 1919. He served as a trustee of the Board of Trustees for 38 years and on W&J's faculty as adjunct professor of Biblical Literature from 1919 to 1935. He retired from full-time teaching in 1935, but he continued teaching two philosophy courses until his death on September 4, 1939 at the age of 83.
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
.
Slemmons was born in Cadiz, Ohio
Cadiz, Ohio
Cadiz is a village in Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,308 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Harrison County.-Geography:Cadiz is located at ....
on December 1, 1855. He graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1877 and from the Western Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, founded in 1794, is a graduate theological institution associated with the Presbyterian Church USA. It is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and houses one of the largest theological libraries in the nation...
(now Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, founded in 1794, is a graduate theological institution associated with the Presbyterian Church USA. It is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and houses one of the largest theological libraries in the nation...
) in 1887. He earned a Doctor of Divinity from Grove City College
Grove City College
Grove City College is a Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, about north of Pittsburgh. According to the College Bulletin, its stated three-fold mission is to provide an excellent education at an affordable price in a thoroughly Christian environment...
in 1900 and W&J awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1936.
He gave the Master's Oration at the Princeton commencement in 1880, a speech entitled "Literary and Academic Exclusiveness." The New York Times called it an "extremely practical view of the caste feeling existing between high institutions of learning and the common every-day world."
In 1894, while serving as a pastor in Mercer
Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 116,638. Its county seat is Mercer; Sharon is its largest city....
Second Presbyterian Church, Slemmons was a delegate for the Pennsylvania Synod to the 106th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. He served on the Church Erection Committee and was involved in a protest against a declaration against a resolution from the "Committee on Temperance"
declaring "no political party has the right to expect the support of Christian men so long as the party...refuses to put itself on record against the saloon."
He served as President Pro Tem. of Washington & Jefferson College from May 1918 to June 1919. He served as a trustee of the Board of Trustees for 38 years and on W&J's faculty as adjunct professor of Biblical Literature from 1919 to 1935. He retired from full-time teaching in 1935, but he continued teaching two philosophy courses until his death on September 4, 1939 at the age of 83.