Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Woods, Leonard, 1774-1854. |
| Title: | Leonard Woods Letters |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1796-1832 |
| Quantity: | 0.25 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Papers of the American Congregationalist clergyman. Mainly outgoing correspondence to brother-in-law Isaac Warren about Woods' career as a minister, from his education and ordination to his work as a theology professor at Andover Theological Seminary. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
Leonard Woods (1774-1854) was an American Congregationalist clergyman and author. A graduate of Harvard University, he taught at Andover Theological Seminary and helped establish several Christian social agencies including the American Tract Society, the American Education Society, the Temperance Society, and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Leonard Woods Letters comprise 83 items of outgoing correspondence to Woods' brother-in-law Isaac Warren of Cambridge. In addition there are two items of incoming correspondence, one from nephew Samuel Warren (10 Apr 1813), the other from Isaac Warren (21 Mar 1827).
The correspondence focuses on Woods' religious training for the ministry and, later, on his teaching at Andover Theological Seminary. Other topics of discussion include the preaching of sermons, financial arrangements for sending students from Andover to preach in Boston, various philanthropic projects of Warren; and religious controversies involving other ministers, including Henry Ware and Jedidiah Morse. The letters also document a number of family matters, including births, illnesses, marriages, deaths, and the religious education of children. The flavor of the correspondence is summed up in the following passages from the last letter (1 Jul 1832):
One remark in your letter I thought quite worth of consideration; that is, the remark you made as to the impropriety of introducing all sorts of subjects in conversation on the Sabbath. I believe that ministers and Christians generally are...in fault in that subject.May if please our merciful heavenly Father to help us by his gracious Spirit, so that we may do good while we live, be faithful unto death, & receive at last the crown of eternal life. If our trials & losses & sufferings may conduce to this end, happy trials, happy losses, & happy sufferings. I hope you will dwell on this thought. & your mind be unburdened of all anxious cares, & filled with the peace which Jesus gives.
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Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Leonard Woods Letters,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Finding Aid Information
Created by: KM
Date: Oct 1988
Revision history: 3 Dec 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC)