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TITLE: "SERMONS"
"Delivered in Louisville, Kentucky"
***** Please see pictures for table of contents *****
AUTHOR: J. W. McGarvey (see brief bio sketch below)DATE PUBLISHED: Originally in 1893. This edition is not dated.
BINDING: Hardcover
PAGES: 339
CONDITION: Good+ Clean/clear text. No marks. No previous owners name.
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John William McGarvey
1829-1911
Born: Hopkinsville, Kentucky, March 1, 1829.
Died: Lexington, Kentucky, October 6, 1911.
Few
men among the Disciples have obtained a more enviable reputation, and enjoyed
more generally the confidence of the brethren, than the subject of this notice.
Blessed with more than an average amount of practical common sense, and having
faithfully done his duty in all the positions he has occupied, it is not
strange that he should now be regarded as one of the safest and truest men in
the Church of Christ.
JOHN
W. M'GARVEY was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, March 1, 1829. His father was
born in Ireland, and, when grown, came to America, and settled at Hopkinsville,
Kentucky, where, with a small capital, he went into the dry-goods business. His
mother was a Miss THOMSON, of old Virginia stock, and was born and reared near
Georgetown, Kentucky. In 1833, his father died, and, some time after, his
mother was married to Dr. G. F. SALTONSTALL.
In
1839, the family removed to Tremont, Tazewell County, Illinois, where he was
trained to industry by his step-father, and thoroughly instructed in primary
and academic branches by Mr. JAMES K. KELLOGG, a successful educator of that
place. In April, 1847, he entered the Freshman Class of Bethany College. While
at college he made the good confession, and was immersed, by Professor
Pendleton, in April, 1848. So soon as he became a Christian, he determined to
devote his life to the preaching of the Gospel, and it was not long before he
gave very conclusive evidence of fitness for the work. In July, 1850, he
graduated as one of the honor men, delivering the Greek speech, and receiving
marked tokens from the faculty of their high appreciation of his scholarship.
Meantime,
his family had removed to Fayette, Missouri, at which place, soon after leaving
college, he taught a male school for ten months. In June, 1851, his step-father
died of cholera, while on his way to attend the commencement of Bethany
College. He was a warm friend of the college, and gave it twenty-five hundred
dollars while living, and left it a child's part in his estate.
At
the call of the Church in Fayette, Brother M'GARVEY gave up his school, and, in
September, 1851, was ordained to the work of the ministry, and afterward
preached for the Church at Fayette and neighboring county churches until
February, 1853, when he removed to Dover, Lafayette County, Missouri. In March,
1853, he was married to OTTIE F. HIX, of Fayette.
He
resided at Dover nine years, and, during this period, he spent about half of
the time at home, and, the remainder, preaching extensively over the State of
Missouri, holding five public debates with various religious parties; he also
collected money to erect a boarding-school in his village, and conducted the
school two years.
In
the spring of 1862, he accepted the pastoral care of the Church in Lexington,
Kentucky, where a large field of usefulness was open to him. During the same
year he published his "Commentary on Acts," which had occupied all
the time he could devote to it for three and a half years. This is a work of
decided merit, and at once fixes his reputation as a fine Biblical scholar.
On
the removal of Kentucky University to Lexington, in 1865, he accepted a chair
in the College of the Bible, with the understanding that only a small portion
of his time was to be devoted to teaching, such as would not materially
interfere with his labors in the Church. Under his ministry, the Church had
reached a remarkable degree of prosperity, and his labors were highly
appreciated by the entire congregation. But, finding that his whole time was
needed in the university, in 1866, he resigned his charge of the Church; but,
as the Church has not succeeded in obtaining the regular services of a suitable
man, he has not yet been relieved. President Graham, however, now shares the labor of preaching
with him.
Brother
M'GARVEY is a little below medium size, has dark hair, light hazel eyes, and a
very youthful appearance for one of his age. He is very strict and regular in
his habits, and this fact explains why it is that he has been able to
accomplish so much mental labor without impairing his health.
That
which most distinguishes him as a writer and speaker is clearness; there is
never the slightest confusion in his ideas. He has very little imagination, and
relies almost exclusively on facts for effect. His mind is well stored with
these, and, in the construction and management of an argument, he uses them
with great ease and success. In debate he is one of the safest and ablest men
among the Disciples, and not the least source of power here is his remarkable
coolness--he is never thrown off his guard.
As
a teacher, he has very few superiors. Knowledge is what a student needs; hence,
the matter-of-fact man is always the best teacher—all other things being
equal. But Brother M'GARVEY is also an excellent preacher, and, as a pastor,
has been eminently successful. He has a kind, generous nature, but is not very
demonstrative. He attends strictly to his own business.
Text from Moore, W.T. (editor), Living Pulpit of the
Christian Church. Cincinnati: R. W. Carroll & Co., Publishers, 1871. Pages
325-326. This online edition © 1996, James L. McMillan.
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