Jeremiah Rankin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeremiah Rankin
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Jeremiah Eames Rankin
January 2, 1828 Thornton, New Hampshire
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| Died | November 28, 1904 (aged 76) Cleveland, Ohio
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| Education | Middlebury College |
| Occupation | Clergyman, university president |
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Jeremiah Eames Rankin (born January 2, 1828 – died November 28, 1904) was an important American figure. He worked to end slavery, a movement called abolitionism. He also supported the temperance movement, which encouraged people to drink less alcohol.
Rankin was a minister at the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C.. He even wrote letters with the famous leader Frederick Douglass. In 1890, he became the sixth president of Howard University in Washington, D.C. During his time as president (1890–1903), the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel was built at Howard University. It was named after his brother.
Rankin is perhaps best known for writing two popular hymns: "God Be with You 'Til we Meet Again" and "Tell It to Jesus".
Early Life and Education
Jeremiah Rankin was born in Thornton, New Hampshire. He was a very bright student. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1848. After that, he studied to become a minister. He finished his seminary studies at Andover Theological Seminary in 1854.
In 1869, Middlebury College gave him a special degree called a doctorate.
A Life of Service
After becoming a minister, Rankin served many churches. He worked in Presbyterian and Congregational churches. These were in places like New York, Vermont, Lowell, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
From 1870 onwards, Rankin was very involved with Howard University. He was a trustee, which means he helped manage the university. He also taught classes there. These classes included "homiletics" (the art of preaching) and "pastoral theology" (how to care for a church community). Later, he became the university's president.
Rankin also represented his church at important meetings. He went to general conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church twice. He also attended a meeting of the Congregational Union of England and Wales.
Leading a Church
In 1869, Rankin became the pastor of Washington's First Congregational Church. This church had faced disagreements about race. The people who stayed with the church believed Rankin would lead them fairly. They trusted him to treat everyone equally.
During his time as pastor (1869–1884), many important people enjoyed Rankin's sermons. These included Vice President Henry Wilson and many members of the United States Congress. Two of his sermons were even printed and shared across the country. These were "The Bible, the Security of American Institutions" and "The Divinity of the Ballot."
Many famous African American leaders and their families were part of Rankin's church. These included Frederick Douglass, John Mercer Langston, Blanche Kelso Bruce, James Monroe Gregory, and William T. Mitchell.
Hymns and Poetry
Jeremiah Rankin helped publish several hymnals. These are books of hymns. He worked with E. S. Lorenz on The Gospel Temperance Hymnal (1878). He also collaborated with John W. Bischoff on Gospel Bells (1880).
Besides his famous hymns, Rankin also wrote poetry. His best-known poem is "The Babie." This poem was written in a style similar to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Rankin admired Burns because they both shared Scottish family roots.
Later Life
Jeremiah Rankin passed away in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 28, 1904.
