The Biographical Dictionary of America/Adams, Myron

ADAMS, Myron, clergyman, was born at East Bloomfield, N. Y., March 12, 1841, son of Myron and Sarah (Taylor) Adams. In 1859 he entered Hamilton college, where he was graduated in 1863. He enlisted in the army as a private, later becoming corporal, hospital steward, 2d lieutenant, and assistant inspector-general. In 1863 he was attached to the signal corps and was signal officer on the "Lackawanna" at the battle of Mobile Bay. After the war he declined the rank of major, which was offered to him, and began the study of theology at the Auburn seminary, where he was graduated in 1868, and began preaching at Union Springs, N. Y. In this year he was married to Hester Rose, daughter of Rev. Prof. Samuel Miles and Mary (Heacock) Hopkins of Auburn, N. Y. In 1869 he removed to Dunkirk, and in 1876 accepted a call to Rochester, N. Y., where he was pastor of the Plymouth Congregational church. After preaching there five years Mr. Adams was obliged to announce to his people that his theological convictions would not accord with the orthodox statement of belief in several essential points; but though he resigned his pastorate the members of his church desired him to remain in the pulpit, the church thus becoming a liberal organization bound by no creed. He was president of the Rochester academy of science, and in 1893 he received the degree of LL.D. from St. Lawrence university, Canton, N. Y. Among Mr. Adams's published works are "Cain and Abel" (1883); "The Continuous Creation: an Application of the Evolutionary Philosophy to the Christian Religion" (1889); and "Creation of the Bible" (1892). He died in Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 29, 1895.