addresses you, would not in all human probability be occupy. ing this sacred place." Being thus descended from a pious parentage his covenant relation was recognized and he was early consecrated to God in baptism., He was not only the subject of many prayers, but had set before him from infancy a godly example, was brought up under the private and public means of grace, was the subject of many wise and affectionate counsels, and of a loving and firm parental government. His parents being faithful to their covenant engagements, God was faithful to fulfil to them His most gracious covenant promise: "As for me this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever." As was to have been expected of one thus born within the covenant and trained in covenant faithfulness, he openly assumed early in life the vows which had been taken in his behalf. His conversion doubtless took place under the ministry of Dr. Paxton, who became his pastor when he was sixteen years of age, and resided in the immediate vicinity of where he was born. We have no account of his religious experience at the time he made a public profession of religion, further than that in speaking of the exercises of his mind during the first communion service upon which he attended he has been heard to say, "I shall never forget it, it was like heaven begun on earth."

His experience was such at this time as to decide his future. course of life. Having dedicated himself fully to God, and recognizing the truth that he was no longer his own, but had been redeemed by the most precious blood of the Son of God, he felt bound to serve and glorify God with body and spirit which were his. And as he was led to feel that the way in which he could do most for the glory of God, and the advancement of the kingdom of Christ, was in the work of the christian ministry, he felt himself called of God to prepare himself to enter the sacred office. His father had died when he was sixteen years of age. With the approval and benediction of his pious mother, he entered upon a regular course of clas sical study under the instruction of the Rev. Mr. Dobbin, be

fore spoken of as a thorough classical teacher, in Gettysburg, Pa Here he prepared for college, stopping at intervals and engaging in teaching in order to procure means to aid in the further prosecution of his studies. He entered Dickinson College, then under the presidency of Dr. Nisbet, from whence he graduated with distinction in 1798. It is related of him that his appearance on commencement day was extremely youthful, but that he acquitted himself so handsomely in the speech that he delivered, that he excited the admiration of the whole assembly and was greeted at its close with unbounded applause. Having completed his college course he returned home and pursued his theological studies under the superintendence of his pastor, the Rev. William Paxton, D. D. He was licensed as a probationer of the gospel ministry by the Presbytery of Carlisle, in A. D. 1801, and having preached acceptably to the churches of Upper and Lower Path Valley he was called to become their pastor and was ordained and installed pastor of these churches in the spring of 1803. Besides preaching to these two congregations, he also preached a part of his time to the people in Amberson Valley and in the vicinity of the "Burnt Cabins "

He is represented as having entered upon this field of ministerial labor "with all the energy, freshness and buoyancy of early manhood, and to have made here full proof of his ministry." As a preacher he is described as having been "instructive and persuasive." His manner and style of preaching are said to have been characterized by naturalness and simplicity," adapted to please and attract, to instruct and edify all classes of hearers. He is said to have been in style and manner in the exhibition of divine truth, remarkably similar to the venerable Dr. Archibald Alexander. As a pastor Mr. McGinley was indefatigable in his duties, visiting and preaching the gospel from house to house.

As a man he possessed in a remarkable degree the power of personal attractiveness. He was exceedingly courteous and bland in his intercourses with his people, making all classes to feel at ease in his company, and winning the confidence and esteem of all with whom he associated. They came to him

for counsel in things temporal and things spiritual, and this confidence he was most careful to improve to their spiritual as well as temporal good.

The

The labors of such a minister, so faithful both as a preacher and pastor, could not fail to be crowned with success. great promise, "Lo, I am with you always," was most graciously fulfilled to him in his ministry. The divine presence seemed continually to be with him, so that while he was eminently successful in teaching and edifying believers, he was no less so in winning souls to Christ. As an evidence of his continued usefulness he was enabled to write to the author of the Churches of the Valley as follows: "During the time intervening between 1802 and 1831, there was a regular increase in members. In 1831 there was an addition to the communion of the church of one hundred and twenty-seven members, and in the year following sixty members were added. Those who at one time were in communion with us are numerously scattered over the western country from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Two western churches which are now comparatively flourishing, would never have been organized, had it not been for the number and influence of our people who emigrated thither. By removals to the west, we have lost in one year thirty-five communicating members, and five were removed by death the same year. Notwithstanding our severe losses we still have as many members as at any previous time." Mr. McGinley's experience in this respect is one with which all our pastors in the rural districts of Pennsylvania are familiar. There has been a constant drain from these congregations to the fertile lands of the west, and to the larger cities and towns of the east. In the year 1802 Mr. McGinley was married to Miss Annie Blythe. To them were born six children, three of these died early, and the remaining three and Mrs. McGinley survived him. In the year 1849 Washington College, Pa., conferred on him the honorary degree of D. D.

Dr. McGinley, during his time, was among the most active, useful and influential members of his Presbytery. He was wise and judicious in counsel, a firm defender of the faith as set forth in our standards, and took a decided stand in the

controversy which resulted in the division of the church.

At

the same time he was most courteous and conciliatory towards all with whom he differed in opinion, and conciliated their respect and esteem. Few men in the ministry maintained a higher ministerial standard as to character and usefulness, or exhibited uniformly a more consistent christian spirit and life than Dr. McGinley. For nearly fifty years he was permitted to preach the gospel to the same people, having declined overtures from Philadelphia and other places for his ministerial services. He spent his declining years among the people whom he had so long served, and by whom he was universally revered. In the spring of 1851, on account of his advanced years and the infirmities of age, and his inability longer to perform the duties of his office, he requested Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relation which he had so long sustained. He continued as a stated supply until the following October. He remained among the people to whom he had so long and faithfully ministered until the year 1856, when, as the result of a gradual decay of all his vital powers, and after only a few weeks' illness, as the result of a cold contracted in February of that year, on the evening of May 1, 1856, he passed peacefully away, aged seventy-five years. During his last days he expressed himself as wholly resigned to the will of God. His trust was entirely in the merits of Christ as his redeemer. He was enabled to say he knew in whom he believed, and felt in his mind a holy peace. His last intelligible words were addressed to his beloved wife, requesting her not to weep for him, and for his family to meet him in heaven. His farewell message to his people was that they should cling to Christ as the only hope of a lost world. The remains of this man of God and servant of Christ lie in the burying ground of the Presbyterian church near Fannettsburg, Franklin county, Pa.

Rev. Henry Rowan Wilson, D. D.

This earnest, laborious and faithful minister of the gospel, and father of the late Henry R. Wilson, D. D., was the son of David and Jane Rowan Wilson, and was born near Gettysburg, in Adams county, Pa., August 7, 1780. His father was an