206 JOHN J. STEVENSON 
knowledge as the course afforded. The careful drill in linguistics 
was that from which he derived most profit, and it was in evi- 
dence throughout his writings. 
After teaching; tor one year at rie; kas, hey entered aleane 
Theological Seminary at Cincinnati, O., to prepare for the Pres- 
byterian ministry, but, before the year ended, his eyesight failed 
and he gave up study to become clerk on a coasting vessel sail- 
ing to Florida. The autumn of 1851 found him in the Delaware 
Literary Institute at Franklin, N. Y., where, as instructor in 
Natural Sciences and German, he was expected to teach any 
subject offered in the very liberal curriculum. The hours were 
long and the classes numerous, but his enthusiasm infected the 
pupils, who accompanied him on long field excursions for study 
of botany and geology. The next year was spent at Harvard in 
_ the study of chemistry and botany, after which another year was 
spent in successful teaching at Franklin. He then entered 
Andover Theological Seminary to complete preparation for the 
ministry. He was licensed in 1855, and soon afterward was 
ordained to act as pastor of the Presbyterian church at Downs- 
ville, Delaware county, N. Y. 
He resigned his charge in June 1856, to become professor of 
Natural Sciences in the New York State Normal School at 
Albany, N. Y. There he had access to the State Museum and 
was associated intimately with the strong men on its staff. His 
life in the Normal School was ideal, and his studies in the State 
Museum were what he had longed for. Everything appeared to 
be conspiring to his benefit and to great usefulness in his chosen 
work. 
But, early in his theological studies, doubts had arisen in his 
mind respecting some tenets of the church and these, it is 
believed, had something to do with the abrupt termination of his 
studies at Lane seminary. These doubts were made stronger by 
the surroundings at Harvard and he undertook the study at 
Andover with an earnest desire to remove them. It contributed 
to that result at least so far as to render them subordinate and 
to permit him to assume the Presbyterian ministry. Atter he 
