Bird, Isaac

Bird, Isaac a Congregational minister and missionary, was born at Salisbury, Conn., June 19, 1793. His preliminary education was acquired at the Castleton Academy, Vt. In 1816 he graduated at Yale College, and, after having taught one year at West Nottingham, Md., he graduated at Andover Theological Seminary in 1820. During the following two years, he was agent of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. His ordination occurred at North Bridgewater, Mass., Oct. 31, 1821; and he sailed for Malta, Dec. 9, 1822. From 1822 to 1836 he was a missionary in Syria, and in October of the latter year returned to America, resuming his agency for the American Board of Commissioners till 1838. He was acting professor of sacred literature in the Gilmanton Theological Seminary for six years from 1838, and was elected to the fuill professorship in 1844. From- 1846 to 1869 he was teacher in a family school at Hartford, Conn., when he removed to Great Barrington, Mass., without charge. He died June 13, 1876. His published works are, Thirteen Letters to the Maronite Bishop of Beirut: — The Jewish Prisoner (Boston, 1860): — The Martyr of Lebanon (ibid. 1864): — Bible Work in Bible Lands (Presbyterian Board, 1872). See Cong. Quarterly, 1877, p. 410.