Background
Thomas Brainerd was born on June 17, 1804 at Leyden, Lewis County, New York, but spent his childhood and early youth at Rome, New York. He was a son of Jesse and Mary (Thomas) Brainerd, youngest of twelve children.
Thomas Brainerd was born on June 17, 1804 at Leyden, Lewis County, New York, but spent his childhood and early youth at Rome, New York. He was a son of Jesse and Mary (Thomas) Brainerd, youngest of twelve children.
At the age of fourteen, Thomas became a member of the Lowville Academy in Lowville, New York; then considered one of the best educational institutions in Northern New York. After developing tendencies toward a professional career, he studied law at Rome, New York, but turned to the ministry, graduating with honors at Andover Theological Seminary, which later granted his "D. D.
The reason of switching to seminary was that at the age of twenty-one he fell under the influence of Charles G. Finney the evangelist, and being pressed further by a distressful experience, he resolved to enter the ministry.
He took his theological course and graduated from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1831.
On October 7, 1831, Thomas Brainerd was ordained by the Third Presbytery of New York and accepted a commission under the Home Missionary Society, going to Cincinnati to take charge of the new and struggling Fourth Church in the outskirts of the city. In this field he labored for two years. In 1833 Lyman Beecher, who was pastor of the Second Church as well as president of Lane Theological Seminary, invited him to the position of an associate in the Second Church. This he accepted. At the same time he became an associate editor of the Cincinnati Journal and, later, editor of the Youth's Magazine, and assisted in editing the Presbyterian Quarterly Review.
During the controversy involving the trial of Lyman Beecher for heresy he stood faithfully by his chief and became a firm advocate of what were known as the "New School" views, joining in 1837 the New School Presbyterian Church when it was organized. From Cincinnati he was called to the pastorate of the Third ("Old Pine Street") Church of Philadelphia and spent the remainder of his life (1837 - 66) in this field. In 1864 the New School General Assembly elected him to the position of moderator. He died at Scranton, Pennsylvania, suddenly, of apoplexy, August 21, 1866.
His extant literary productions are not extensive. Though he was a prolific writer, most of what he wrote was designed for use in the newspapers and periodicals for which he was responsible as editor and contributor. It concerned matters under discussion at the time and was therefore naturally of an ephemeral nature.
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After the graduation from the Andover Theological Seminary, Brainerd then placed himself for a brief season under the guidance of Dr. James Patterson of Philadelphia with a view to connecting himself with the Presbyterian Church.
In the beginning of 1830s he joined the New School Presbyterian Church when it was organized and became a firm advocate of what were known as the "New School" views.
He strongly supported and was a firm advocate of what were known as the "New School" views. It became especially obvious during the controversy involving the trial of Lyman Beecher for heresy, where Brainerd stood faithfully by his chief.
Brainerd was a member of the Home Missionary Society.
In appearance Brainerd was large and dignified; in manner gentle and amiable. He was rather popular than scholarly in his tastes; full of zeal and energy, quick and impulsive, but broad in his interests.
Thomas was particularly active in public affairs during the Civil War, sponsoring, among other duties, the care of soldiers as they passed through Philadelphia. His greatest hobby was riding around town in a clerical frock coat and silk hat. He always managed to feed one good-looking saddle horse.
During his young years Brainerd fell under the strong influence of Charles Grandison Finney, the leader in the Second Great Awakening in the United States, an innovative revivalist during the period 1825–1835 in upstate New York and Manhattan, an opponent of Old School Presbyterian theology, and an advocate of Christian perfectionism, as well as a religious writer.
Thomas Brainerd was twice married: on October 20, 1831, to Sarah J. Langstroth, and on October 29, 1836, to Mrs. Mary Whiting. Thomas and his first wife, Sarah Jennings Langstroth, had no children. His second wife, Mary Whiting, had four children.
1755–1812
1754–1839
1839–1846
1806–1889
1844–1849
1837–1910