John Witherspoon—
Scotland’s Gift to American Independence

t so happened that in the summer of 1776, amidst the sweltering deliberations in Independence Hall, Scottish Presbyterian minister John Witherspoon—the only active clergyman and only college president to sign the Declaration of Independence—stood among the patriots. As president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), Witherspoon stressed the biblical principle of stewarding the mind. Rooted in the Presbyterian conviction that all realms of life come under the jurisdiction of Almighty God, he trained in the ideals of truth and liberty nearly 500 students during his 26-year tenure, including dozens of young patriot leaders like James Madison, plus 12 members of the Continental Congress, 28 U.S. senators, 49 U.S. congressmen, 10 cabinet officers, 3 Supreme Court justices, and numerous governors and judges.

The effects of his faithful diligence and high standards of scholarship truly shaped the course of a nation. While others fought on battlefields, Witherspoon’s arena was in the classroom.

For every homeschool parent today, Witherspoon’s legacy is a powerful reminder that training young ones to lay up the truth in their hearts is an act of long-term obedience whose impact can last for centuries.

Join Dr. Bill Potter at Princeton University on our Philadelphia tour, where we will examine Witherspoon’s assertion that:

“He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind.”

Our 250th anniversary tour is a small but meaningful way to “remember the deeds of the Lord” in our nation and the amazing providence that produced our founding document of freedom.