Robert Smith was a faithful and often honored churchman. In 1760, he received the Doctor of Divinity from the College of New Jersey. In 1772, he was appointed a trustee of the College of New Jersey and served as such for the rest of his life. Due to the extent of influence upon successive generations of ministers from his academy and divinity instruction, he was often asked by former students to preach in both large and small churches. 

When the Second General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) convened in First Church, Philadelphia, May 20, 1790, the retiring moderator, John Rodgers, delivered his sermon from Acts 11:24, “For he was a good man,” speaking of Barnabas, “and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord” (KJV). Rodgers ministered in New York City until his death in 1811. The minister elected to moderate the second general assembly was another father of the church, Robert Smith. The two were close friends and had similar backgrounds. Both studied in Samuel Blair’s academy in Chester County Pennsylvania; both were converted through the preaching of the itinerant evangelist, George Whitefield; both served on the committee to compose the PCUSA constitution published in 1789; and both were members of the board of trustees for the College of New Jersey, currently Princeton University.

Robert Smith was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1723. His family had moved there from Scotland but relocated to the American colonies when Robert was about seven years of age. His ancestors on both his father’s and mother’s sides had farmed for several generations. Arriving in America, the Smith family settled along the Brandywine about forty miles from Philadelphia. At the age of fifteen, Robert believed the gospel through the preaching of George Whitefield during his first evangelistic trip to America. Within a short time of his conversion Robert believed he was called to the ministry. His parents supported the decision and encouraged him to pursue studies in the Blair’s school in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Blair’s curriculum was designed primarily to prepare men for the ministry. Robert was a good student who quickly acquired the classical languages and absorbed theological subjects.

Once he completed studies with Blair, Smith sought licensure and ordination by his presbytery. On December 27, 1749, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Newcastle (New Side). Following less than a year testing his gifts, he accepted on the ninth of October, 1750 a call to the churches in Pequea and Leacock, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed March 25, 1751. Robert’s friend, John Rodgers, was the moderator of presbytery for Smith’s ordination.

It was quite common for ministers to establish academies in conjunction with their pastoral duties and young Smith shortly established a school with its curriculum designed to teach primarily Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. As word of Smith’s academy spread it became necessary to hire additional teachers because the student body had increased with the addition of many students from Pennsylvania and Maryland. At the time, there was not an established seminary program to prepare men for the ministry, so Smith’s former students often returned to him as a tutor for theology and mentor in pastoral ministry.

Currently, it is often written in calls to prospective ministers that one of the goals of the financial compensation promised is that the amount is sufficient for the minister “to be free from worldly cares.”

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