George Duffield Jr. D.D. (September 12, 1818 – July 6, 1888) was an American

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

minister and

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

odist. He was born on September 12, 1818, the fifth such George Duffield. He was born to George Duffield IV, who was also a Presbyterian minister, and Isabella Graham Bethune Duffield. His grandfather was George A. Duffield III. His great-grandfather, George Duffield II, was chaplain to the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...

. His great-great-grandfather George D. Dunfield was a native of Belfast. His brother was Colonel William Duffield, commander of the 9th Michigan volunteer Infantry Regiment. He graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1837, the youngest in his graduating class, and the

Union Theological Seminary Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York (shortened to UTS or Union) is a Private college, private ecumenical liberal Christian seminary in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, affiliated with Columbia University since 1928. Presently, Co ...

in New York. He was a pastor from 1840 to 1869 at numerous cities including

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York;

Bloomfield, New Jersey Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and an inner-ring suburb of Newark. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 53,105, an increase of 5,790 (+12.2%) from the 2010 census cou ...

;

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Pennsylvania;

Adrian, Michigan Adrian is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Lenawee County, Michigan, Lenawee County. The population was 20,645 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Adrian lies in Michigan's 5th congressional district. The c ...

;

Galesburg, Illinois Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is northwest of Peoria, Illinois, Peoria. At the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, its population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County and the principal cit ...

; Saginaw City, Michigan;

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, and

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and nort ...

. He married and had a son, minister Samuel Willoughby Duffield. He died on July 6, 1888, and was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.Log College Press
/ref>

Biography

George Duffield Jr. was born on September 12, 1818, in

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...

. He grew up around his father and grandfather who were both preachers. At age thirteen, Duffield professed his complete devotion to the church. In 1834, at the age of sixteen, Duffield matriculated to

. Despite his young age, he was known for his exceptional intellectual ability, particularly in the literary disciplines. He graduated from

Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...

in 1837, being the youngest out of the 104 members within the graduating class. Subsequently, he attended the Union Seminary in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

where, in 1840, he received a doctorate in

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

Family life

George Duffield Jr. was born to Rev. George Duffield IV and Isabella G. (Bethune) Duffield. His father was a prominent pastor and a leader in the New School wing of the

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...

. Duffield was the eldest of five siblings, and his brother Colonel William W. Duffield, was the commander of the 9th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. One of his other siblings was Henry Duffield, who was a colonel in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

His grandfather was George A. Duffield III. His great-grandfather, George Duffield II, was chaplain to the

. His great-great-grandfather George D. Dunfield was a native of

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

. On October 22, 1840, Duffield married Anna Augusta Willoughby of

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. They were married until October 30, 1880, when Anna passed away from a serious fever-like illness. Before her death, the couple became parents to two sons and a daughter. His eldest son was Rev. Samuel Willoughby Duffield, who was an American clergyman and author. It is unknown what the names of his other two children were, but it is of note that he was described as a loving father before his death in 1888. His daughter was also the last remaining family member of the Duffields after George's death as both of his sons passed away before him.

Career

For the subsequent seven years following his graduation from Union Seminary in 1840, Duffield remained in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

where he extensively read, wrote, evangelized, and began to lay the foundations of his career in ministry. At the age of 28, he left his large church in

to take charge of a rural church in

. After six years in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, he accepted a new position in

. His tenure in

proved to be among the heights of his career as he was able to reach more people in need than ever before and had years of experience in ministry to guide him. While in

, he was, alongside his work in the church, employed as an editor for the ''Christian Observer''. During the height of the

, he moved to

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, his final permanent residence. His residence in

was only interrupted once by a brief appointment to lead a congregation in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. While in

, he served on the board of regents for the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, where he greatly influenced religious life on campus by establishing a

Young Men's Christian Association YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

Life in the Church

Due to his family's various ministry careers, George Duffield spent most of his life growing up and working in the church. Not only was he a minister himself, but he also composed several

hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

, which are biblical songs of praise to

Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

. His career as a pastor impacted the global Church in all over the country, including

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, and other such states. He was ordained in 1840, and he spent his time in the church organizing revivals and teaching his congregation the love of

. Duffield's pastoral journey in the 1800s led him to a very successful revival during the winter of 1857-58 that spread throughout the land of

. The influence of this revival that Duffield participated in was commonly referred to during that time as "The Work of God in Philadelphia," and Pastor George Duffield happened to be at the helm of this quest for souls. During Duffield's 48 years as a preacher of the gospel, he also spent some time serving as a Christian Commission delegate at Gettysburg. Whether serving within his local church or evangelizing in other parts of the country, George Duffield spent the better part of his life dedicated to ministry.

Legacy

Duffield was known as a zealous advocate of

abolition Abolition refers to the act of putting an end to something by law, and may refer to: *Abolitionism, abolition of slavery *Capital punishment#Abolition of capital punishment, Abolition of the death penalty, also called capital punishment *Abolitio ...

and Union causes during the

U.S. Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), which was formed in 1861 by states that had seceded fr ...

. Upon the tragic death of another abolitionist and friend, he shared in a sermon, "I caught its inspiration from the dying words of that noble young clergyman, Rev. Dudley Atkins Tyng, rector of the Epiphany Church, Philadelphia, who died about 1854. His last words were, ‘Tell them to stand up for

: now let us sing a hymn.' As he had been much persecuted in those pro-slavery days for his persistent course in pleading the cause of the oppressed, it was thought that these words had a peculiar significance in his mind; as if he had said, ‘Stand up for Jesus in the person of the downtrodden slave.' (Luke 4:18)"

Influence on American culture

George Duffield Jr.'s contributions as a preacher and hymn writer have had a notable impact on American culture. In 1888, his work "

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" is an American Christian hymn. It was written by George Duffield Jr. in 1858 and is based on the dying words of Dudley Atkins Tyng. The traditional tune "Webb" was composed by George James Webb, based on the melody ...

" was described as "New School Presbyterianism's best known contribution to the American religious heritage". During the

, the hymn became popular amongst soldiers of the Union Army, likely due to its inspiring and militant language. It has continued to be sung by

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

of numerous denominations well after its composition in 1858. In addition, the hymn has been featured in episodes of ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural mountainous Western Virginia of the Appalachian Mountains / Allegheny Mountains / Blue Ridge Mountains chain, during the economic hardships and mass unemp ...

'', amongst other TV shows and films. In his service as a minister, Duffield Jr. influenced his congregation through sermons on what he considered to be "national sins". He preached against

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

, intemperance, the mistreatment of Native Americans and

Mexicans Mexicans () are the citizens and nationals of the Mexico, United Mexican States. The Mexican people have varied origins with the most spoken language being Spanish language, Spanish, but many also speak languages from 68 different Languages o ...

, and the practice of polygamy amongst

Mormons Mormons are a Religious denomination, religious and ethnocultural group, cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's d ...

. As a regent at the

, he played a part in the establishment of the

at the university, helping to obtain its location.

Role in the American Civil War

Duffield was substantially involved in the

. His brother was Colonel William W. Duffield, commander of the 9th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. During the

, Duffield frequently ministered to Union soldiers, which he periodically documented. In a Sailor's magazine published during the war, he wrote in vivid detail his experience preaching to members of the

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

Agreeably to my appointment, at 10 o'clock a.m., I found myself on the deck of the double-turreted monitor Onondaga, Commodore Melauethou Smith of the Reformed Dutch Church. Half a mile back of us was now a battery of the enemy, eight guns already mounted, four more mounting, and ready at any moment to open fire upon us. Rather interesting and suggestive circumstances in which to preach! With the crew of the Onondaga and part of the crew of the Sangus, Captain Colbonen of the Alexander Church, Philadelphia, we had a full deck. I preached of Christ as at the hand of the kingdom of Providence as of the kingdom of Grace–as the Saviour of nations as well as individuals.

On April 21, 1861, following the

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

attack on

Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...

, Duffield preached a sermon entitled "Courage in a Good Cause" which spoke out against the Confederacy and called for fearlessness in standing up for what is right. In the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

, Duffield served as a Christian Commission Delegate for the Union Army.

Personal views on slavery

Consistent with his volunteer work within the Union during the

, Duffield was completely opposed to the applications of

. His sermons reflected this idea, which greatly upset many within his church and others. In fact, Duffield was so disgusted by the slavery sentiment possessed by many in his church that he ended up resigning from his Episcopal congregation. However, Duffield was not swayed by those with opposing viewpoints and continued to preach to those who were willing to listen.

Personal views on religion

Duffield, in contrast to many religious leaders at the time, held a consociational ideology regarding the participation of various

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

denominations and

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

within the body of

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. Duffield spoke out strongly against the pervasive infighting amongst

denominations, as well as between

Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

and

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

, calling instead for a unity of all

Temperance movement

In the movement of temperance, Duffield took a strong stance against the abuse of alcohol in

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. He used his abilities as a speaker and writer to warn society of the poverty, wretchedness, and ruin caused by drinking. He preached this reform of temperance within the church and wrote about it as an editor of the ''Christian Observer'' or ''American Presbyterian''. He served as a delegate in numerous local, state, and national conventions on the subject, and is said to have played a role in creating a National Temperance Society. He served as an appointed secretary of the World's Temperance Convention, held at Metropolitan Hall in the city of New York on September 6, 1853. In 1855, his historical sermon entitled ''His Locks Renewed'' was published. In the sermon, he details the history of alcohol usage in the US, steps that had been taken to resolve the problem, and how these steps would influence the present and future. On the topic of new alcohol restriction laws, he stated:

"TOTAL PROHIBITION ONE DAY IN THE WEEK! TOTAL PROHIBITION EVERY DAY FOR MINORS AND DRUNKARDS!! THE UTTER EXTERMINATION OF TIPPLING HOUSES!!! This is wonderful progress indeed! LET US MAINTAIN THE GROUND THAT WE HAVE GAINED."

In 1861, another historical sermon was published: ''The God of Our Fathers''. In this, he expresses concern for the nation given the prevalence of intemperance within its political leaders.

Hymns

Some of his hymns include: * "Blessed Saviour, Thee I Love" * "Parted for some Anxious Days" * "Praise to our Heavenly Father, God" * "Slowly in Sadness and in Tears" * "

Stand up, stand up for Jesus "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" is an American Christian hymn. It was written by George Duffield Jr. in 1858 and is based on the dying words of Dudley Atkins Tyng. The traditional tune "Webb" was composed by George James Webb, based on the melody ...

"Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus"

Dudley Tyng was an

Episcopalian Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protes ...

minister and close friend of George Duffield Jr. Tyng was in a terrible accident in which he lost his arm, and eventually his life. His final statement was, "Let us all stand up for Jesus." His final words were the inspiration for George Duffield Jr.'s most famous hymn, "

". It is probable that this hymn is written in more hymn books across that country than any other hymn. The hymn has not been without controversy due to its abrasively militant diction. One such controversy was in 1989 when the inclusion of the hymn in ''The United Methodist Hymnal'' was debated due to the militant diction of the hymn that many believed could be interpreted as a call to literal warfare, particularly when viewing it through the historical context of the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

that took place in the eleventh through thirteenth centuries. Additionally, the hymn has received omission from a 1989 collection as not to exclude handicapped people.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duffield, George Jr. American Protestant hymnwriters 1812 births 1888 deaths Yale College alumni 19th-century American Presbyterian ministers Union Theological Seminary alumni 19th-century American writers Regents of the University of Michigan 19th-century American musicians Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit)