George Washington Bethune (March 18, 1805 – April 28, 1862) was a preacher-pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church. Of Huguenot descent, his father was a highly successful merchant in New York. Originally a student at Columbia College of Columbia University, Bethune graduated in 1822 from Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania and went on to study theology at Princeton University. He married Mary Williams in November, 1825. In 1827, he was appointed Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church, Rhinebeck, New York. In 1830, he moved to Utica, New York; in 1834 to Philadelphia; and in 1850 to Brooklyn Heights, NY. He was offered the chaplaincy of the U.S. Military Academy, the Chancellorship of New York University and the Provostship of University of Pennsylvania, all of which he declined. He was an outspoken Democrat in politics, opposed to slavery but unsympathetic to abolitionism. He wrote or edited many works, to include:
- The Fruits of the Spirit (1839)
- Sermons (1847)
- Lays of Love and Faith (1847)
- The British Female Poets (1848)
- Orations and Discourses (1850)
Due to Calvinist ideas about the suitability of such a hobby for a clergyman, Bethune, an avid fisherman, worked anonymously on five of the US editions of Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler. He also wrote many hymns, some of which are still used today. The hymn When Time Seems Short and Death is Near was found in his portfolio and was written on April 27th, 1862, the day before his death. While visiting Florence, Italy for his health, he fell ill after preaching and died of a stroke on April 27, 1862. His Life and Letters were edited by A. R. Van Nest, 1867.
References
Julian, John (June, 1907). A Dictionary of Hymnology. London: John Murray, 138-139. Encyclopedia Dickensonia. George Washington Bethune, Class of 1823. Dickenson College. Retrieved on 2007-01-28. Christian History Institute. George Washington Bethune Came on Stage. Retrieved on 2007-01-28.
