The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Strong, James

STRONG, James, an American author, born in New York, Aug. 14, 1822. He graduated at Wesleyan university, Middletown, Conn., in 1844, and in 1844-'6 was a teacher in the Troy conference academy, Poultney, Vt. In 1847 he settled at Flushing, Long Island, where he held several local offices, projected and as president constructed the Flushing railroad, laid out a cemetery and two suburban villages, and taught Greek and Hebrew to private pupils. In 1856, although a layman, he received the degree of S. T. D. from Wesleyan university. In 1858-'61 he was professor of Biblical literature and acting president of the Troy university; and in 1868 he became professor of exegetical theology in Drew theological seminary, Madison, N. J. In 1874 he made an extended tour in the East. He is a member of the Anglo-American commission for the revision of the authorized English Bible, and of the Palestine exploration society, and president of the oriental topographical corps. His chief literary work is the “Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature,” projected by him and Dr. John McClintock in 1853, in which he had charge of the department of Biblical literature, and Dr. McClintock, to the time of his death in 1870, of theological and ecclesiastical literature. Since that date Dr. Strong has been supervising editor of the whole work, assisted by Prof. J. H. Worman. The first volume appeared in 1867, and the sixth in 1875; and it is to be completed in ten volumes. Dr. Strong has also published “Harmony and Exposition of the Gospels” (New York, 1852); “Greek Harmony of the Gospels” (1854); brief manuals of Greek and Hebrew grammar; and articles on Biblical topics and on ministerial education, the latter eliciting much controversy; and he prepared the part on Daniel for the English translation of Lange's “Commentary” (New York, 1875).