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Patten, David, D.D.

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Patten, Robert

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a Methodist Episcopal minister was born at Boston, Massachusetts, October 10, 1810. He graduated at the high school there, went thence to Wilbraham Academy, where he was converted in his eighteenth year, and afterwards to Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, where he graduated in 1834. In 1832 he was licensed to preach, and employed a supply at Hartford, and also supplied Power Street Church, Providence, R.I., during his last college year. On completing his course at Wesleyan he was at once called to the principalship of Wilbraham, and in 1835 entered the New England Conference. He served as. principal at Wilbraham seven years, then entered the pastoral office, and, receiving a transfer to the Providence Conference, was sent in turn to Chestnut Street,, Boston; Nantucket; Elm Street, Bedford; Fall River, and Mathewson Street, Providence, serving two years in each place, and one year to Warren. In 1852 he was appointed presiding elder of Providence District, which office he filled until his election, in 1854, to the professorship of theology in the Biblical Institute at Concord, N.H. By unceasing efforts he secured an enlarged endowment for the institute, its removal to Boston, its establishment on an assured financial, basis as a department of Boston University, and retained his position in its chair of homiletics and pastoral, theology until 1873. He then, on account of impaired health, relinquished his office and became agent of the university and secretary of the board of trustees, devoting to its interests his unfailing love and unflagging zeal until his death, March 26, 1879. The estimate placed upon Dr. Patten's character and. worth by his conference is made manifest by his three elections to the General Conference in 1848, 1852, and 1864. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1879, page 80;. Simpson, Cyclop. of Methodism, s.v.