"Every authorized pursuit within the walls of colleges begins and ends with God." - President Joshua Bates, President of Middlebury College (1818-1839)
The Town's College: Middlebury College, 1800-1915 pg.80

Religion played an eminent role in the college's early academic curriculum. During the early 19th century, Middlebury College experienced a religious revival that attracted many Middlebury students into the seminary and into missionary work. Many of the early faculty were clergymen and were deeply involved in the Christian religion. The faculty attempted to mold each student into a model Christian citizen. "But they were particularly happy when a graduate decided to enter Andover Theological Seminary and study for the ministry" (Stameshkin, David The Town's College: Middlebury College, 1800-1915 pg.80). This is exactly what Pliny Fisk did after he graduated from Middlebury College in 1814. Fisk spent the next four years at Andover studying the Christian religion and preparing himself for the ministry.

During the first half of the 19th century, renowned colleges such as Dartmouth, Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury were filled with eager young men who hoped to spread the Christian religion at home and abroad. Fisk spent about the last six years of his life in Palestine and in other eastern countries devoted to spreading the Gospels and words of Jesus to foreigners.

Middlebury College's role during this time of great religious awakening was to help prepare young men for the ministry and the difficult task of missionary work that lie ahead in their near futures. The college was pressured to put more emphasis on religious and moral education, mainly in the training of future ministers such as Pliny Fisk. Many faculty at Middlebury along with Middlebury graduates urged for the education of these hopeful ministers and supported the fight against immorality and irreligion. Many ministers and educators looked at this task as a challenge of bringing Jesus' word to the "heathens" in foreign lands.

FACT
Before 1849, two fifths of all Middlebury College graduates entered the ministry (Stameshkin, David. The Town's College: Middlebury College, 1800-1915 pg.89).

As of today, Middlebury College is not thought of as a religious institution or a college that emphasizes a particular religion. However, it is important to note and should never be forgotten that during the early 19th century, Middlebury College was a religious college. The college stressed the importance of the Christian religion and supported the movement of spreading the word of Jesus not only in America, but also overseas. There is no denying that there was a solid tie between the college and the emergence of the evangelical Christian society. This tie was one of the reasons for Middlebury's early growth and success.

 

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