"Spring was the oldest child of the politically well-connected Reverend Samuel Spring. He attended grammar school in Newburyport, but he was also privately tutored by Chief Justice Parsons. At the age of 15, he entered Yale College, where he became the class-mate of John C. Calhoun, and was one of the oldest graduates of that celebrated institution, delivering the valedictory address at the Commencement exercise in 1805. He did not then appear to incline toward the Church, and on leaving college pursued the studies of law in the office of Judge Daggett, in New Haven... Spring spent one year at Andover Theological Seminary, and was ordained in 1809... he was invited to the pastorate of the old Brick Church on Beekman street in New York City, and during the sixty-three years of his pastoral care of that church he was regarded as second to no preacher in this city. Sping was appointed to the Board of Princeton Theological Seminary in 1814. He was an industrious author."