Nettleton, Ashael, Dd

Nettleton, Ashael, D.D.

a Congregational minister of note, was born April 21, 1783, at North Killingworth, Conn. He graduated at Yale College in 1809; entered the ministry May 28, 1811; and from 1812 to 1822 travelled as an evangelist through Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts and New York. He had originally intended to become a missionary; but his preaching was attended with such great success, hundreds being converted by his labors, that he concluded to stay at home and continue in this work. In 1822 his health failed, and he almost ceased preaching for two years, but afterwards resumed the work, spending his winters in the South, and visiting England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1831. On his return, in 1832, he was appointed professor of pastoral theology in the then newly-organized theological seminary at East Windsor; but he did not accept this office, and simply took up his residence in the place and lectured occasionally to the students. He died May 16, 1844. Dr. Nettleton was a decided opponent to the New Haven theology, and in sermons and addresses took frequent opportunity to combat it. His only publication was a compilation, The Village Hymns (1824). After the doctor's death there was published Remains of the late Rev. A. Nettleton, D.D., consisting of Sermons, Outlines and Plans of Sermons, Brief Observations on Texts of Scripture, and Miscellaneous Remarks (edited by Bennet Tyler, D.D. [Hartford, 1845, 12mo]), of which the Christian Review (October 1846, page 171) spoke in terms of high commendation. The "Remains" was remodelled in some parts, and brought out by Bonar in 1854. See, besides this and the review referred to, Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 2:542; Drake, Dictionary of American .Biography, s.v. (J.H.W.)