Newell Dwight Hillis

Born in Magnolia, Iowa, in 1858, Newell Dwight Hillis became a well-known American minister, lecturer, and author. He studied at Lake Forest University and McCormick Theological Seminary, was ordained in 1887, and built his reputation through pastorates in Illinois before moving to Brooklyn.

Hillis is especially remembered for serving as pastor of Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn, a famous pulpit once held by Henry Ward Beecher. Alongside his church work, he wrote widely on religion, character, public life, and personal conduct, reaching a broad audience in an era when sermons and lectures were a major part of American cultural life.

His writing is direct, earnest, and often motivational, reflecting his belief that faith should shape both private character and public responsibility. He died in 1929, but his books still offer a vivid glimpse of the moral and spiritual concerns that animated many readers in his time.