Newell Dwight Hillis Explained

Birth Date:2 September 1858
Death Place:Bronxville, New York
Resting Place:Kensico Cemetery, Kensico, New York
Spouse:Annie Louise Patrick Hillis (1862–1930)
Children:Richard Dwight Hillis (b. 1888)
Margaret Louise Hillis Roulston (b. 1899)
Nathalie Louise Hillis Kellogg (b. 1900)
Signature:Signature of Newell Dwight Hillis.png

Newell Dwight Hillis (September 2, 1858 – February 25, 1929) was a Congregationalist minister, writer, and philosopher from Brooklyn. He served as pastor of the historic Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn, and he oversaw the completion of the last major renovation of the church.[1]

Biography

Newell Dwight Hillis was born in Magnolia, Iowa, on September 2, 1858.[2] His parents were Samuel Ewing and Margaret (Hester) Hillis. He graduated from Lake Forest University, Illinois, in 1884, and McCormick Theological Seminary in 1887. The same year he was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry. Subsequently he served as pastor at the First Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois (1886–89); at the First Presbyterian Church, Evanston, Illinois (1889–95); at the Independent Central Church, Chicago, Illinois (1895–1899); and the Plymouth Congregational Church, Brooklyn, New York (1899–1924).

Over his lifetime he delivered approximately 3,500 lectures and published several books, largely on religious and patriotic subjects. Among his writings were Great Books as Life-Teachers: Studies of Character, Real and Ideal (1888),[3] Right Living as a Fine Art (1899),[4] After Sermon Prayers, Lectures and Oration, The Influence of Christ in Modern Life - A study of the New Problems of the Church in American Society (1900),[5] The Quest of John Chapman - The Story of a Forgotten Hero, The Quest of Happiness: A Study of Victories Over Life's Troubles (1902),[6] The Contagion of Character, Studies in Culture and Success (1911),[7] Henry Ward Beecher - A Study of his Live and Influence (1913), Message of David to his Generation (1913), The Blot on the Kaiser's Scutcheon (1918),[8] German Atrocities, Their Nature and Philosophy (1918),[9] The Better America Lectures (1921),[10] and Great men as prophets of a new era (1922).[11]

Hillis died in Bronxville, New York, on February 25, 1929, at age 70, and was buried in Kensico Cemetery, Kensico, New York.[12]

Controversial views

As a minister in a major metropolis, Hillis railed against immorality, and he told reporters in 1900 that "a common whipping post might be very wholesome for New York today."[13] Hillis was upset over what he deemed the immoral behavior found in Broadway plays, in particular the play Sapho, which featured English actress Olga Nethersole in the role of Fanny. The offensive scene involved Fanny being carried up a flight of stairs by a man to whom she was not married, with Fanny discussing her excitement onstage about what might await the couple after they reached the top of the stairs.

Hillis was a supporter of eugenics. With John Harvey Kellogg he organized the first and second National Race Betterment Conferences in 1914 and 1915.[14] As a Vice-President of Race Betterment Foundation Hillis was on the executive committee and spoke on the subject of factory degeneration.[15] [16] In 1918, Hillis called for the sterilization of Germans because of the atrocities performed by the German military during World War I.[17]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Our History. Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims. 2008. 2008-07-17.
  2. Web site: Archived copy . 2016-04-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151201013346/http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5343&context=annals-of-iowa . 2015-12-01 . dead .
  3. Book: Hillis, Newell Dwight . Great books as life-teachers : studies of character, real and ideal . 1899 . Chicago : Fleming H. Revell . Robarts - University of Toronto.
  4. Newell Dwight Hillis, Right Living as a Fine Art, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York 1899.
  5. Book: Hillis, Newell Dwight . The influence of Christ in modern life; being a study of the new problems of the church in American society . 1900 . New York, The Macmillan Company; London, Macmillan & Co., Ltd. . Harvard University.
  6. Newell Dwight Hillis, "The Quest of Happiness: A Study of Victory Over Life's Troubles," The Macmillan Company; 6th edition (1909)
  7. Newell Dwight Hillis, The Contagion of Character, Studies in Culture and Success, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York 1911.
  8. Newell Dwight Hillis, The Blot on the Kaiser's Scutcheon, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York 1918. Also published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 17, 2013), .
  9. Newell Dwight Hillis, German Atrocities, Their Nature and Philosophy, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York 1918.
  10. Newell Dwight Hillis, The Better America Lectures, Better America Lecture Service (1921), ASIN: B0010OYR7W.
  11. Newell Dwight Hillis, Great Men as Prophets of a New Era, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York 1922.
  12. Web site: Kensico Cemetery . 2020-04-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180710183343/http://www.kensico.org/ . 2018-07-10 . dead .
  13. Web site: The Sapho Affair. PBS. 1999. 2008-07-17.
  14. Web site: Proceedings of the first National Conference on Race Betterment, January 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1914. Battle Creek, Michigan. Race Betterment Foundation, Battle Creek, Michigan. 1914. Archive.org.
  15. Web site: First National Conference On Race Betterment . 2012-10-14 .
  16. Web site: Proceedings of the First National Conference on Race Betterment: January 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1914, Battle Creek, Michigan . 2016-04-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160426212850/http://www.forgottenbooks.com/books/Proceedings_of_the_First_National_Conference_on_Race_Betterment_1000875597 . 2016-04-26 . dead .
  17. Book: The Blot on the Kaiser's 'Scutcheon. Hillis, Newell Dwight. 1918. 22. 2008-07-17.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Newell Dwight Hillis".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.