Gardiner Spring

Gardiner Spring Gardiner Spring, (1785-1873), attended Berwick Academy in Maine and later graduated from Yale University in 1805. He attended Andover Seminary from 1809 - 1810. His first pastoral call was to the Brick Church of New York City in 1810 and his entire ministerial career of 63 years was served at this post. He is best known for the Gardiner Spring Resolutions of 1861. This is arguably one of the most significant actions ever taken in the history of the Presbyterian Church. In essence, the resolutions required pastors and members of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. to swear political allegiance to the Federal Government of the United States. By themselves the resolutions would have been controversial enough, but their proposal and enactment came just at the start of the Civil War.