Complex sentence: McGuffey's family had emigrated to America from Scotland in 1774, and brought with them strong opinions on religion and a belief in education; as a result, education and preaching the Gospel were McGuffey's passions.
Split into simpler sentences: McGuffey's family had emigrated to America from Scotland in 1774, and brought with them strong opinions on religion and a belief in education. Consequently, education and preaching the Gospel were McGuffey's passions.