ABBOTT.ABBOTT.
gregational church, and began his work in Terre Haute, Ind., where he continued to preach until 1865. The work he was doing did not, to his mind, show that he was greatly benefiting his people, so he resigned his pastorate and became secretary of the American Union (Freedman's) commission in New York city. .png)
Some time afterward he visited his former parish at Terre Haute, and was greatly encouraged to find that his labors there had not been in vain, and that the effects of his teachings were becoming apparent. This decided him to re-enter the ministry, and he became pastor of the New England church in New York city. He also conducted the "Literary Record" of Harper's Magazine, and edited the Illustrated Christian Weekly. He resigned the latter work to become associated with Henry Ward Beecher in editing the Christian Union, and upon the death of Mr. Beecher he became editor-in-chief of that paper. In 1891 he changed the name of the periodical to The Outlook. In October, 1887, he succeeded Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth church, Brooklyn, which he resigned Nov. 27. 1898. During the seasons of 1891-92, 1899-1900 and 1900-01, he lectured before the Lowell Institute of Boston, Mass., his subjects being 'Evolution of Christianity" and "Life and Literature of the Ancient Hebrews." He was married Oct. 14, 1857, to Abby F., daughter of Hannibal Hamlin of Boston, Mass. He received the degree D.D. from the University of the City of New York in 1879; from Harvard in 1891, from Yale in 1903, and LL.D. from Western Reserve in 1900. Mr. Abbott became an exponent of what is termed liberal theology. He edited two volumes of Henry Ward Beecher's sermons; contributed to magazines and wrote many valuable books, the first of which was "Jesus of Nazareth" (1869). In 1870 he published "Old Testament Shadows of New Testament Truths;" and in 1872 a 'Dictionary of Religious Knowledge" in collaboration with Thomas J. Conant. In 1875 he began a series of commentaries on the separate books of the New Testament; and in 1880, in conjunction with James R. Gilmore, he wrote "The Gospel Commentary." His other publications include: "A Layman's Story," "How to Study the Bible," "Hints for Home Reading" (1880); "How to Succeed" (1882): "Henry Ward Beecher" (1883); "Study in Human Nature"(1886); "In Aid of Faith" (1886); "Illustrated Commentary of the Gospel According to St. John" (1888); "The Epistle of Paul to the Romans," with notes (1888); "Signs of Promise" (1889); "The Evolution of Christianity" (1892); "Life of Christ" (1894); "Christianity and Social Problems" (1896); "The Theology of an Evolutionist" (1897); "The Life and Epistles of Paul the Apostle" (1898); "The Life that Really Is" (1899); "Problems of Life" (1900) ; "Life and Literature of the Ancient Hebrews" (1901), and "The Rights of Man" (1902).
ABBOTT, Robert Osborne, surgeon, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., March 17, 1824. He entered the United States army as assistant surgeon, and was stationed in California, Texas, and Florida until the civil war. He was then assigned as chief assistant to the medical purveyor of the city of New York. The next year he acted as medical director of the Fifth army corps. After the second battle of Bull Run he was given charge of the hospitals and hospital transports in Washington and vicinity. The tremendous strain of having 40,000 sick men in his care undermined his health, and he resigned. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., June 16, 1867.
ABBOTT, Russell Bigelow, educator, was born in Franklin county, Ind., Aug. 8, 1823. His early years were passed on his father's farm, and he entered Indiana university in 1843, and was graduated four years later; was engaged in teaching for nine years, meanwhile studying theology. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Whitewater in 1856. After a successful pastorate of nine years in Indiana he removed to Minnesota, where, after teaching for three years, he accepted a call to a newly organized church at Albert Lea, which soon became the leading church of the Winona Presbytery. After fifteen years of faithful service with this church he, in 1884, resigned the pastorate to accept the Presidency of the Albert Lea college, a new institution then just organized by the synod of Minnesota for the education of young women. His work as founder and president of this college was characterized by wisdom, zeal, and devotion, and he met and mastered obstacles before which many men would have faltered and failed. In this college, and previously, he educated hundreds of young women who remembered its founder with high regard, and imbibed from his teaching some of his own energy and devotion to truth. His lectures to his college students on the "History and Literature of the Bible" were published. He received the degree of D.D. from Galesville university in 1884. He served as moderator of the General Synod of Minnesota, and as a member of the General assembly of the Presbyterian church four times. He also published, "The History of Winona Presbytery," and many addresses and sermons.
