Niklaus, Robert L, John S. Sawin, and Samuel J. Stoesz. "George P. Pardington." Excerpts from All For Jesus: God at work in the Christian and Missionary Alliance over one hundred years. Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, Inc., 1896. (ISBN 0-87509-680-8). HTML Marshall Davies Lloyd (January 8, 2001).

George Palmer Pardington, Sr.

The Nyack schools suffered yet another reversal in 1915 with the death of Dr. George P. Pardington.^* When only a boy ten years old, he had been beaten by a public school teacher and severely crippled.

He described his own condition: "I was twisted entirely out of shape, and when lying on the floor upon my back my body formes a complete arch, my head and heels only touching the floor."¹⁰

In 1881 he claimed by faith the Lord's healing. He gradually improved and by April 1885 he could testify: "I am well. My spine is straight. The old trouble is gone. I am perfectly healed. I have dedicated myself wholly to the Lord."¹²

The physical problem returned in later years, however, causing great pain and eventually deformity. But he refused to allow this handicap to end his ministry-or even his sense of humor.

After graduating from New York University and Drew Theological Seminary, he continued postgraduate studies until he earned his Ph.D. degree from New York University in 1898.

While a university student, he had become entangled in Higher Criticism attacks on the Bible and his faith suffered an eclipse. He credited the Friday afternoon meetings of Dr. Simpson in the Gospel Tabernacle with restoring him to full fellowship with the Lord.

Dr. Pardington spent the rest of his life teaching at the Missionary Training Institute. His concentrated textbook on systematic theology, Outline Studies in Christian Doctrine, gave little inkling of the humorous, intensely alive man who could convulse his students with hilarious laughter and disrupt other classes throughout the building.

Somewhere along the line, Dr. Pardington learned how to be a rifle sharpshooter. On one occasion he was guest speaker at a Bible conference in the Appalachians of North Carolina. A young camper named David Fant recalled that "chickens were abundant. When a daily supply for the table was needed, Dr. Pardington awed us with his rifle. He was a crack shot at something like fifty yards."¹²

The death of Dr. Pardington and the departure of Stevens and---end page 130--Dr. Ballard, all within a short span of time, produced a school crisis at Nyack. Dr. Simpson had to enlist an unusual man bigger than the problems on the hillside. He found his solution in a Canadian from Peterborough, Ontario.

Walter Turnbull's^* father had been drawn to the Alliance through Dr. Simpson's preaching. After attending the Missionary Training Institute, young Turnbull sailed for India as a missionary in 1903. His two brothers, John and Louis, also served with the Alliance in India.

Turnbull met and married an American missionary, Maude West, on the field. His wife fell sick and died while they were on furlough in 1909. Turnbull decided on further education and in three years earned a B.A. degree with high honors from McMaster University in Toronto.

While superintendent of a city mission in Vancouver, he was summoned by Dr. Simpson to take charge of Wilson Academy after Dr. Ballard's departure in 1914. When Dr. Pardington died the following year, Turnbull was also given the workload of dean at the institute.

Turnbull inherited a debt of $75,000 on the Nyack schools, mostly from construction projects, including a new administration building later called Pardington Hall. In six years he had the debt reduced to only $6,200, while at the same time enrollment grew to 353, of whom "about 190 came from Alliance branches and 160 from other circles."¹³

^*See "The Founder's Team" in the Appendix for more details.

¹⁰George P. Pardington, "The Crooked Made Straight," (Published Privately).

¹¹Ibid.

¹²David J. Fant, "Early Associates of Dr. Simpson," Southeastern District Report (May, 1972), p. 4

¹³"Annual Report, 1919/1920," pp. 64-66.

George P. Pardington (1866-1915) was born in St. Clair, Michigan. At the age of ten, he received a thrashing from a schoolteacher that caused a physical disability from which he suffered most of his life. He appeared for a period of time to have been healed, but later the problem returned. Despite his handicap, he lived a victorious and productive life.

He began his ministry, as did his father, as pastor of a small Methodist church. His higher education at New York University and Drew University culminiated in a Ph.D. in 1898. He attributed the deepening of his spiritual life during his years of graduate studies to Dr. Simpson. He began his teaching career at the Missionary Training Institute in 1897. His classes in biblical and theological studies were demanding, yet full of humor.

His publications included several books very significant in Alliance schools: Outline Studies in Christian Doctrine and The Crisis of the Deeper Life. He also prepared Twenty-five Wonderful Years, official history of the Alliance after its first quarter-century of ministry. Apart from Dr. Simpson, perhaps no other person was as influential as Dr. Pardington in the development of Alliance doctrine, especially the subject of sanctification.

Dr. Mantle speaking to men and women students (seated seperately) in a chapel session of the Missionary Training Institute, 1920 [inside Pardington Hall]

from the CPI publication
Communicate, Sept. 1998 Volume 8 ; No. 2

Ordination of George Pardington
By Rev. A. B. Simpson

In 1898, the ministry of George Palmer Pardington reached full tide in The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Throughout the year he published a weekly Sunday School Lesson in the Society magazine. In mid-year he received his Ph.D. from New York University after receiving classical education and seminary training at New York University and Drew University.

Severely injured as a child, he experienced the healing touch of the Lord in his youth. As his body weakened upon entering middle age, he testified concerning the daily strength he received from the Lord.

He was to spend most of his professional career . . . at the Nyack Missionary Training Institute until his death in 1915. Dr. Simpson gave the following report of Pardington's ordination on February 18, 1898. -Editor

Our beloved brother . . .was ordained to the full ministry of the Gospel in the Gospel Tabernacle, New York, on Friday evening, February 18th, by a council of ministers, including his father, Rev. R.S. Pardington, Rev. F.W. Farr, Rev. Dr. Oerter, Rev. Stephen Merritt, Rev. H.M. Warren, Rev. A.B. Simpson and others.

The services were deeply interesting, the sermon being preached by Mr. Farr, an intimate friend and former teacher of Mr. Pardington, and the ordination prayer was offered by Mr. Simpson, who has always counted our dear brother as a spiritual son. Mr. Funk presided, and Dr. Peck gave the charge to the young minister. Mr. Pardington, with his much beloved young wife, is living in a quiet cottage at Nyack, and giving his whole time to the work of teaching in the Institute. An accomplished scholar in every sense of the word, he is also a deeply spiritual Christian, and is being made a great blessing to the young people at Nyack. We believe he has before him a life of great usefulness, and he has given his whole heart and life to the testimony and work of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

1898 Graduation at Missionary Institutes

In this era of the beginning of the Bible institute movement, the 1898 graduation exercises of two were described in the pages of The Christian and Missionary Alliance. --Editor

Commencement Day at the Missionary Institute-- The commencement exercises of the Missionary Training Institute at Nyack were held on Thursday, April 28 . . . .

Mr. Blackburn was valedictorian for the class.. . . He urged the students to be true to God: First, in their daily walk with God; in their testimony, and in the ministry of prayer.

Mr. Funk presented the diplomas. This was followed by short addresses from the faculty, Mr. W.W. Clark being the first to speak. He pressed the need of magnifying the Word of God, having one Person, the Son of God, and one Book, the Word of God, exalting the person and magnifying the Word.

Mrs. Field, Mr. Warren, Mrs. Clark and Mr. Merritt each gave brief messages of encouragement and appreciation. They were followed by Mr. Pardington, who was greeted with enthusiasm by the students. . . . (May 4, 1898)

Closing Exercises of the Gordon Missionary Institute, Clarendon Street Baptist Church, Boston-- The ninth year of the Gordon Missionary Training School has been closed in gracious power and blessing.

The exercises . . . began on Sunday morning, May 22, with the usual sermon by Rev. F.L. Chapell, Dean of the school.

On Thursday, May 26, the whole day was devoted to public examinations in the various departments.

The evening exercises included an annual report by the Dean, a stirring address by the President, Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, and the presentation of certificates to the graduating class. (July 27, 1898)

By New York University
Alumni Association
Published 1894
Pub. by the Alumni
Association
311 pages
Original from Stanford University
Digitized Apr 21, 2006 

PARDINGTON, GEORGE PALMER. 692 Eighth Ave., N. Y. City.
Son of Rayner Stevens Pardington and Eliza J[ane]. (Corey) Pardington; b St. Clair, Mich., Feb. 18, 1866.
Commencement Orator. Treas. and Sec'y of Class, and Permant Class Sec'y.
Tutor in New Testament Greek, N. Y. Missionary Training Coll., 1891-3; Drew Theol. Sem., Madison, N. J., since 1893; Post-Grad Course in the Semitic Language, Univ., City of N. Y. (See bibliography.)

p279
PARDINGTON, GEORGE PALMER. 1893.
1886. "The crooked made straight." A personal narrative of recovery from an invalidism of ten years. Buffalo. Pp. 30.

PARDINGTON, ANNA DAVIES. On Sun-
  day, December 31, 1950, at 2903 S. 16th
  rd. Arlington, Va., ANNA DAVIES
  PARDINGTON, wife of the late Rev.
  George Palmer Pardington: mother of
  Arthur David and the Rev. George
  Palmer Pardington and the late Edward
  Davies Pardington.  She also is sur-
  vived by six grandchildren.  Services
  will be held at Gawler's Chapel.  1756
  Pennsylvania ave. nw., on Tuesday
  January 2 at 11 a. m. Interment
  Nyack, N. Y.

1. Angela Davies Pardington
      (Mrs. Robert Bruce Lloyd, Sr.)
2. Sarah Sims Pardington
      (Mrs. Donald Wesley Hedrick, Sr.)
3. Edward Davies "Dave" Pardington
4. Susan French Pardington
      (Mrs. James Bradley Fitzgerald / Creed Blondell Freeman, Jr.)
5. George Palmer Pardington
6. William Edward Pardington

McNEIL, THOMAS IV. On Tuesday, April
  4, 1960, at Circle Terrace Hospital,
  Alexandria, Va., THOMAS McNEIL IV
  of 1211 North Quaker lane, Alexandria,
  Va., son of Mrs. Mary Frances McNeil,
  and brother of Mrs. Osgood Roberts,
  Mrs., Florence M. Pardington, Mrs.
  Frances Besdek, William H. McNeil and
  Richard C. McNeil.  Friends may call
  at Gawler's Chapel, 2756 Pennsylvania
  ave. nw. (courtesy parking opposite),
  Services will be held at Fr. Myer
  Chapel on Friday, April 8, at 2 p. m.
  Interment Arlington National Cemetery.

PARDINGTON, FLORENCE M.
  On Saturday, August 11 1979, at
  Bethesda, Md., wife of the late
  Arthur David Pardington; mother
  of Thomas O. Nichols, sister of 
  Frances Besdek, Isabelle Roberts
  of Richmond, Va and Richard
  McNeil.  Friends will be received 
  at PUMPHREY'S BETHESDA-
  CHEVY CHASE FUNERAL
  HOME.  75557 Wisconsin ave.,
  Bethesda, Md., 7 to 9 p.m., Mon-
  day, where services will be held
  Tuesday, August 14, at 12:45 p.m.
  Interment Arlington National
  Cemetery.

PARDINGTON--On Oct 6 [1916], Eliza C. widow
  of the late Rev. R. S. Pardington, in her
  78th year.  Services will be held at Sixth
  Avenue M. E. Church, 6th Av. and 8th
  St. Brooklyn.  Monday evening at 8:30.
  Interment at Pine Lawn Cemetery.