Stearns, Timothy

Stearns, Timothy, a Presbyterian minister, was born at Billerica, Mass., Jan. 23, 1810. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., graduated at Amherst College, Mass., in 1833, spent a year as teacher in the Female Seminary at Chillicothe, O., graduated at the Andover Theological Seminary, Mass., in 1837, was licensed by the Andover Congregational Association, removed to Athens, O., and was ordained and installed pastor of the Church at Worthington, O., where he labored nearly four years successfully. In 1842 he accepted a call to Mount Pleasant Church, Kingston, O., where his talents as a minister were fully displayed, and his zeal and energy blessed in the ingathering of many to the Church. In 1848 he induced his Church to erect in Kingston a Presbyterian academy as "an Ebenezer to God's goodness to them" in the fifty years of their existence as a Church. In 1855, owing to impaired health, he removed to Iowa and took charge of the Church at Mount Pleasant, Iowa Presbytery. The Church was weak, but God blessed his labors, and in 1857 the congregation dedicated one of the most complete and commodious houses of worship in that State. He died July 19, 1861. Mr. Stearns was an excellent preacher and an eminently faithful pastor. He was the author of a work on The Promises, and of several magazine articles. See Wilson, Presb. Hist. Almanac, 1862, p. 119. (J.L.S.)