The Founders of Yale and Princeton

The founders of Yale said, “Every student shall consider the main end of his study is to know God and Jesus Christ and answerably to lead a godly, sober life.”(*) In 1755, the students of Yale College were instructed, “Above all, have an eye to the great end of all your studies, which is to obtain the clearest conceptions of Divine things and to lead you to a saving knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.”(*) Princeton University’s motto was, “Under God’s power, she flourishes.” (*) The first President of Princeton University, the Rev. Jonathan Dickenson, stated, “Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ.” (*) The first President of Princeton said that.

“He wants all people to be saved and to learn the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4; GWT)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

  • Pray for all of the earliest U.S. universities and colleges you can find. Most were established as seminaries. Otherwise, they were typically founded with a biblical directive. Start with Yale and Princeton. (Click here for a good place to start.)
  • Declare the founders’ heart and intent back into these schools, as indicated in the quotes above.
  • Pray for every college-aged student to encounter Christ.
  • Declare that no court, not even our U.S. Supreme Court, can keep Christ out of our colleges and universities!
  • Cry out for a sweeping move of God in our colleges and universities!

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, we call our nation’s earliest colleges and universities back to their roots, if they were established to honor You. (Find schools to pray for here.) We declare that You once moved on the hearts of those that founded these schools with Your plan. Renew and refresh it, Father. Let revival hit our college campuses! May every student encounter Jesus! No court in the land, not even the U. S. Supreme Court, can keep Jesus out or stop this move of God! Holy Spirit, sweep over our universities! Amen.

Today’s decree:

Christ’s gospel will go forth from our colleges and universities once again!

* Quotes are from “America’s God and Country.” Learn more here.