One professing religion. This canting use of the word comes down from the Elizabethan period, but is obsolete in England.
1597. Both two having bin professors in time past, were not the backwardest in that action.—Beard, ‘Theatre of God’s Judgements’ (1612), p. 93. (N.E.D.)
a. 1603. I say of Professors, as Paul said of the Iewes, He is not a Iewe that is one outward.—‘Otes on Iude’ (1633), p. 102.
1636. Cakes on the hearth not turn’d, certaine dow-bak’d professors, which have a tongue for Geneva, and a heart for Amsterdam; their pretence for old England, and their project for New.—Humphrey Sydenham, Sermon ad clerum on ‘The Foolish Prophet,’ at Taunton in Somerset, June 22 (Lond., 1637, p. 271).
1714. Give warning to professors, that they beware of worldly-mindedness.—S. Sewall, ‘Letter-Book,’ 17 Aug. (N.E.D.) [The N.E.D. also cites Rutherford (1634), Bunyan (1684), Scott (1814), &c.]
1748. Noah Hobart published at Boston ‘A Serious Address to the members of the Episcopal Separation in New England: occasioned by Mr. Wetmore’s Vindication of the Professors of the Church of England in Connecticut.’
1789. I have read your bible formerly, and should have thought it divine, if the practice of the most zealous professor had corresponded with his professions.—Letter purporting to be written by an Indian chief to his friend: American Museum, vi. 227/2 (Sept.).
1823. [He explained] his reasons for joining no Society of Christian professors.—Nantucket Inquirer, Dec. 2: from the N.E. Galaxy.
1826. Each professor seemed pertinaciously to exact, that the peculiar usages of his church should be adopted.—T. Flint, ‘Recollections,’ p. 112.
1829. [The] good examples of some of its professors [i.e., Roman Catholics.]—Mass. Spy, Dec. 30.
1840. He had been a professor for a good many years, but he didn’t seem then to have neither faith nor hope.—Mrs. Kirkland, ‘A New Home,’ p. 36.
1845. The luxurious living of our rich professors troubles his soul.—‘The Cincinnati Miscellany,’ i. 54.
1850. A common ‘professor’ was not to be encountered without emotion, but ‘the minister,’ all in black, was a terrible bug-bear!—Knick. Mag., xxxv. 82 (Jan.).
1856. The Prosecuting Attorney thus addresses him: ‘Mr. Parks, state, if you please, whether the defendant, to your knowledge, has ever followed any profession.’ ‘He has been a professor ever since I have known him.’ ‘Ah? A professor of what?’ ‘A professor of religion.’—Id., xlviii. 208 (Aug.).
1869. I ain’t a perfessor of religion. I guess I could be a perfessor if I chose to do as some folks do.—Mrs. Stowe, ‘Oldtown Folks,’ ch. 20.
1878. “Isn’t he a Christian man?” “He’s a professor, ef that’s what you mean; but he ain’t a practiser, an’ there’s the hull world betwixt them two sorts.”—Rose T. Cooke, ‘Happy Dodd,’ chap. xxix.
1891. He got round her the cutest way a man can get round a woman—makin’ of her talk religion to him, for he was n’t a professor.—Rose T. Cooke, ‘Huckleberries,’ p. 71 (Boston).
