The New International Encyclopædia/Spring, Samuel

SPRING, Samuel (1746-1819). An American Congregational clergyman. He was born at Northbridge, Mass., graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1771, and later studied theology. In 1775 he joined the Continental Army, and accompanied Benedict Arnold as chaplain of the invading army into Canada. In 1776 he left the army, and the next year was installed pastor of the church at Newburyport, Mass., where he continued until his death. He was one of the founders of Andover Theological Seminary, and also of the Massachusetts Missionary Society, and to him is attributed the idea of forming the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Many of his occasional sermons have been printed, the most notable of them being A Sermon on the Death of Washington (1799), and A Discourse in Consequence of the Late Duel (1804)—that between Burr and Hamilton. Consult the Life and Times of Gardiner Spring, vol. i. (New York, 1866).