Atwater, Lyman Hotchkiss, Dd, Lld

Atwater, Lyman Hotchkiss, D.D., LL.D.

an eminent Presbyterian divine, was born at Cedar Hill (now in New Haven), Connecticut, February 23, 1813. He graduated from Yale College in 1831, spent the ensuing year at the head of the classical department of Mount Hope Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, and then entered Yale Divinity School. At the end of the first year he was appointed tutor of mathematics in Yale College, where he remained two years, continuing his theological studies. He was licensed to preach in 1834, and became pastor of the First Church in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he remained twenty years. In 1854 he was appointed professor of intellectual and moral philosophy in Princeton College, which position he substantially held until the close of his life, February 17, 1883. In 1861 he was appointed to the lectureship extraordinary in Princeton Theological Seminary, which office he held for five years. He was a member of the joint committee on the subject of the reunion of the old and new school branches of the Presbyterian Church. He was acting president of Princeton College from the retirement of Dr. McLean to the inauguration of Dr. McCosh. He was a voluminous writer, especially for the reviews, and became editor of the Princeton Review, which position he held until it was united with the Presbyterian Review. His contributions greatly exceeded those of any other man, beginning, in 1840, with his well-known essay on The Power of Contrary Choice. Many of his articles 'have been republished in this country and in Europe. He was held in the highest esteem by his colleagues, and was very popular with the students. See Necrol. Report of Princeton Alumni, 1883, page 8; Nevin, Presb. Encyclop. s.v. (W.P.S.)