CHARACTER OF PRESIDENT LORD.
The period of President Tyler's resignation was a most critical one in
the history of the college.
Its eminent founder passed away in the midst of the Revolutionary
struggle, leaving the frail bark, in which were centered fond and
long-cherished hopes, tossing upon uncertain and dangerous waters. A
fearful storm was raging when his immediate successor put off the
robes of office, and a little later went "to give account of his
stewardship." Thirteen years had scarcely been sufficient fully to
restore to a healthy condition the discipline of the college, which
had been materially weakened by the lack of harmony between the second
president and his associates in office.
Material aid was needed also to provide better accommodations for the
students.
In common with other colleges, Dartmouth needed most of all, in those
trying times, a president "rooted and grounded" in the truth.
The multiplication of colleges rendered it especially desirable, at
this period, that this college should have a man at its head well
fitted and furnished for his work. In the little more than half a
century of its existence, the number of New England colleges, founded
upon the same religious faith, had increased from three to eight,
rendering the best leadership necessary to meet the competition.
A more judicious selection could not have been made for the sixth
president of the college.
Rev. Nathan Lord, the son of John and Mehitable (Perkins) Lord, was
born at Berwick, Maine, November 28, 1792, and belonged to a highly
respectable family. At the early age of sixteen, he graduated at
Bowdoin College, in the class of 1809. Very rarely has a student at
college the opportunity to sit under the instruction of two such men
as Joseph McKeen and Jesse Appleton, each of whom filled the
president's chair two years, while young Lord was a student.
After valuable experience as a teacher in the Exeter Academy, he
pursued a theological course at the Andover Seminary, graduating in
1815. He had been twelve years pastor of the Congregational Church at
Amherst when called to the presidency of Dartmouth, having been for
some time a Trustee. In the intellectual strength and literary
attainments of its people, this had been for a long period one of the
leading towns in southern New Hampshire. Being the county seat, it was
visited periodically by gentlemen eminent in the law, with whom
professional men resident in the place would most naturally have
frequent intercourse. At a period when the whole community was
profoundly agitated, by the most earnest and important theological
controversy in the history of New England, we can readily understand
that the youthful preacher would have abundant opportunity to measure
swords with skilled warriors, in the field of religious debate. That
he wielded his weapons, in the discussions of that period, with a
force indicating that he was a man of no ordinary mould, is a matter
of history. When he entered upon his great work at Dartmouth, those
who, as its guardians, had called him to it, cherished confident hope
of his success. Seldom has there been so full a realization of such
hope in the history of American colleges.
President Lord brought to the accomplishment of his task a fine
physique; a countenance serene, yet impressive; a voice rare both for
its richness and its power; a pleasing, almost magnetic, dignity of
mien; a mind most capacious and discriminating by nature, richly
stored by severe application, and thoroughly disciplined by varied
professional labor; and a heart always tender, yet always true to the
profoundest convictions of duty. A deep, rich, and thorough religious
experience well fitted the graceful and earnest man to be a graceful
and earnest Christian teacher. The question of fitness for the
position as an executive was soon settled beyond the possibility of a
doubt. It required but a brief acquaintance with President Lord to
teach any one, that he fully believed in the most literal acceptation
of the doctrine, that "the powers that be are ordained of God."
A recognition of this fundamental law guided and governed him daily
and hourly through all his public life. When early in his
administration, he discovered marked symptoms of a spirit of
insubordination in the college, he gave all concerned to understand
most fully, that it would be his duty to maintain the supremacy of the
law. There was never any deviation from this loyalty to duty in
administering the discipline of the college. No undue regard for his
own dignity, or comfort, or safety, deterred him from visiting, at any
hour of day or night, the scene of disorder. When he had been more
than forty years an officer of the college he reaffirmed his adherence
to this principle, in a most emphatic manner, when those to whom he
did not deem himself responsible sought to point out to him the path
of duty.
As a teacher it was President Lord's province, chiefly to unfold the
various relations and obligations of man to his Maker. In the
performance of this duty he gave remarkable prominence to the Divine
Revelation. Jealous for the honor of his great Master and Teacher, he
was very suspicious, possibly too suspicious, of any intermixture of
"man's wisdom." This habit may have induced occasionally, measurable
disparagement of worthy and eminent men. But the genial manner and
chastened tone invariably extracted the point from the severest word,
and left upon the pupil's mind a profound conviction that his teacher
had been "taught of God." It may well be doubted whether, of the large
numbers who graduated during President Lord's administration, any who
were brought in close contact with him, and listened with a "willing
mind" to his instructions, failed to receive measurably, yet
consciously, the impress of their honored teacher.
The following extracts from the official records of the Trustees, are
deemed worthy of insertion in this connection in order to a full
understanding of the circumstances attending President Lord's
resignation.
"Annual Meeting, July 1863. Mr. Tuck offered the following, to wit:
'The undersigned has had his attention called to the accompanying
resolutions passed by the Merrimack County Conference of
Congregational Churches, held on the 23d and 24th of June last; and he
submits the same to the Trustees, with a motion that a Committee be
appointed to report what action thereon ought to be taken.
"'1. "Resolved. That the people of New Hampshire have the strongest
desire for the prosperity of Dartmouth College, and that they rejoice
in the wide influence this noble institution has exerted in the cause
of education and religion.
"'2. "Resolved. That we cherish a sincere regard for its venerable
president; for the rare qualifications he possesses for the high
office he has so long and ably filled; but that we deeply regret that
its welfare is greatly imperiled by the existence of a popular
prejudice against it, arising from the publication and use of some of
his peculiar views touching public affairs, tending to embarrass our
government in its present fearful struggle, and to encourage and
strengthen the resistance of its enemies in arms.
"'3. "Resolved. That in our opinion it is the duty of the Trustees of
the College to seriously inquire whether its interests do not demand a
change in the presidency; and to act according to their judgment in
the premises."'
"Whereupon, Messrs. Tuck, Bouton, and Eastman were appointed a
Committee, to report on the subject aforesaid."
"The Committee to whom was referred the resolutions of the Merrimack
County Conference, respecting Dartmouth College, made the following
Report:
"'The Committee have taken into most respectful consideration the
action of the Conference and the sentiment pervading the churches of
which the resolutions of the Conference are the expression. We do not
forget, but thankfully avow the debt of gratitude which has rested on
the college, throughout its history, to the churches of New England,
and to the pious teachings and generous patronage of those included
within their embrace. We are fully aware of the obligations of science
and literature, in all past time, to the clerical profession; that the
countenance and support of the clergy and the churches have ever been
the chief reliance of this college, and that we can hope for little
prosperity or usefulness to the institution in future, without
meriting the confidence bestowed upon it in the past. We deplore the
present condition of the college in respect to the sentiments
entertained towards it, as expressed in said resolutions, and we
proffer our readiness to do any act which our intimate knowledge of
its affairs and circumstances enable us to judge practicable and
beneficial. Neither the Trustees nor the Faculty coincide with the
president of the college in the views which he has published, touching
slavery and the war; and it has been their hope that the college would
not be adjudged a partisan institution, by reason of such
publications. It has been our purpose that no act of ours should
contribute to such an impression upon the public mind, inviting the
public as we do, to contribute to its support, and to partake of its
privileges.
"'It would be impracticable if it were wise to embody in this report
all the reasons which induce us to propose no action by which the
removal of the president from the head of the institution should be
undertaken by the Trustees; and we bespeak with confidence the
favorable judgment that we act discreetly, from the members of the
Conference who have expressed in their resolutions their generous
appreciation of the eminent ability and qualifications of the
president for the position which he occupies.
"'Yet the Committee do not fail to see that the present crisis in the
country is no ordinary conflict between opposing parties, but is a
struggle between the government on one side, and its enemies on the
other, and that in it are involved vital issues, not only respecting
science and learning, virtue and religion, but also respecting all the
social and civil blessings growing out of free institutions.
"'The Committee recommend that the resolutions of the Merrimack County
Conference, this report and the accompanying resolutions, be published
in pamphlet forms, and that the Treasurer be directed to cause the
same to be circulated among the members of said Conference, and other
persons, according to his discretion.
Amos Tuck.
N. Bouton."
"'RESOLUTIONS.
"'The Trustees of Dartmouth College, impressed with the magnitude of
the crisis now existing in public affairs, and with the vital
consequences which the issue of current events will bring to the
nation and the world; and, considering that it is the duty of literary
institutions and the men who control them to stand in no doubtful
position when the Government of the country struggles for existence;
inscribe upon their records, and promulgate the following Resolutions:
"'First. We recognize and acknowledge with grateful pride, the heroic
sacrifices and valiant deeds of many of the sons of Dartmouth, in
their endeavors to defend and sustain the Government against the
present wicked and remorseless rebellion; and we announce to the
living now on the battlefields, to the sick and the maimed in the
hospitals and among their friends, and to the relatives of such of
them as have fallen in defense of their country, that Dartmouth
College rejoices to do them honor, and will inscribe their names and
their brave deeds upon her enduring records.
"'Second. We commend the cause of our beloved country to all the
Alumni of this Institution; and we invoke from them, and pledge our
own most efficient and cordial support, and that of Dartmouth College,
to the Government, which is the only power by which the rebellion can
be subdued. We hail with joy and with grateful acknowledgments to the
God of our fathers, the cheering hope that the dark cloud which has
heretofore obscured the vision and depressed the hearts of patriots
and statesmen, in all attempts to scan the future, may in time
disappear entirely from our horizon; and that American slavery, with
all its sin and shame, and the alienations, jealousies, and
hostilities between the people of different sections, of which it has
been the fruitful source, may find its merited doom in the consequence
of the war which it has evoked.
"'Third. The Trustees bespeak for the College in the future the same
cordial support and patronage of the Clergy and Churches of New
England, as well as other friends of sound learning, which they have
given to it in time past, reminding them of the obligations which the
cause of education, science, and religion seem to lay upon them, to
stand by this venerable Institution, in evil report and in good
report, in view of its past history and great service to the Church
and the State, entertaining an abiding faith that it will triumph over
all obstacles, and go down to posterity with its powers of usefulness
unimpaired.'
"It was moved by Dr. Barstow that the foregoing Report and Resolutions
be accepted and adopted.
"On the question of adopting the report, two voted in the negative and
five in the affirmative. On the adoption of the preamble and second
resolution, two voted in the negative and five in the affirmative, for
the first and third resolutions the vote was unanimous, so the report
and resolutions were adopted.
"The president asked leave to withdraw for a short time, and Dr.
Barstow was requested to take the chair.
"The President on resuming the chair read to the Trustees the
following paper, to wit:
* * * * *
"'Dartmouth College, July 24, 1863.
"'To the Trustees of Dartmouth College:
"'In making this communication to the Hon. and Rev. Board of Trustees
I take the liberty respectfully to protest against their right to
impose any religious, ethical, or political test upon any member of
their own body or any member of the College Faculty, beyond what is
recognized by the Charter of the institution, or express statutes or
stipulations conformed to that instrument, however urged or suggested,
directly or indirectly, by individuals or public bodies assuming to be
as visitors of the college, or advisers of the Trustees.
"'The action of the Trustees, on certain resolutions of the Merrimack
County Conference of Churches, virtually imposes such a test, inasmuch
as it implicitly represents and censures me as having become injurious
to the college, not on account of any official malfeasance or
delinquency, for, on the contrary, its commendations of my personal
and official character and conduct during my long term of service, far
exceed my merits; but, for my opinions and publications on questions
of Biblical ethics and interpretations, which are supposed by the
Trustees to bear unfavorably upon one branch of the policy pursued by
the present administration of the government of the country.
"'For my opinions and expressions of opinion on such subject, I hold
myself responsible only to God, and the constitutional tribunals of my
country; inasmuch as they are not touched by the Charter of the
college, or any express statutes or stipulations. And, while my
unswerving loyalty to the government of my fathers, proved and tested
by more than seventy years of devotion to its true and fundamental
principles, cannot be permanently discredited by excited passions of
the hour, I do not feel obliged when its exercise is called in
question, to surrender my moral and constitutional right and Christian
liberty, in this respect, nor to submit to any censure, nor consent to
any conditions such as are implied in the aforesaid action of the
Board; which action is made more impressive upon me, in view of the
private communications of some of its members.
"'But not choosing to place myself in any unkind relations to a body
having the responsible guardianship of the college, a body from which
I have received so many tokens of confidence and regard, and believing
it to be inconsistent with Christian charity and propriety to carry on
my administration, while holding and expressing opinions injurious, as
they imagine, to the interests of the college, and offensive to that
party in the country which they [the majority] professedly represent,
I hereby resign my office as president.
"'I also resign my office as Trustee. In taking leave of the college
with which I have been connected, as Trustee or President, more than
forty years, very happily to myself, and, as the Trustees have often
given me to understand, not without benefit to the college, I beg
leave to assure them that I shall ever entertain a grateful sense of
the favorable consideration shown to me by themselves and their
predecessors in office; and that I shall never cease to desire the
peace and prosperity of the college, and that it may be kept true to
the principles of its foundation.
I am very respectfully,
"'Your ob't serv't,
"'N. Lord.'"
"'Adjourned Meeting, September 21, 1863. Resolved, 'that in accepting
the resignation of President Lord, we place on record a grateful sense
of his services during the long period of his administration; and his
kind and courteous treatment of the Board in all their intercourse.'"
Dr. Lord continued to reside at Hanover, cordially co-operating with
his successor in office, till his death, September 9, 1870. His wife,
Mrs. Elisabeth King (Leland) Lord, died a few months previous to her
husband.