The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-01-20
OBITUARY.


Rev. GAVIN RILEY MCMILLAN, the subject
of this obituary, was born in Fairfield dis
trict South Carolina, on the 9th day Of De-
cember, 1924 When seven years Of age his
/ parents emigratedto TO this county, and in a
short time settled two miles north of Cedar
vile, where the mother and part of the fami-
| " still reside With the exception Of about
nine years, this county has been the home of
Mr.. Mcmillan, his whole lifetime. Here, with
/ Rev. II. Mcmillan, his uncle, lie commenced
the study Of the languages; and here he spent
a part of his early life in teaching. From
Xenia he went To the State University of In
diana, at Bloomington. After a short time
spent in the college there, he went to Miami
University at Oxford, where he completed his
collegiate education About this time, by q
public profession, in the old church, near
where his body now lies buried, he gave his
heart to that Savior whom he now beholds in
the flesh. In Autumn, 1847, with his cousin,
Rev. J. Mcmillan, of Allegheny, he set out on
horseback for South Carolina, TO visit the
place of his birth. From Charleston he sail
ed to Philadelphia, where he spent two years
IN the Theological Seminary of the R. P.
Church, a year intervening, which he spent
in teaching school in Wilmington, this state,
the early home Of his wife Here the disease,
which fingered so long, began to develOpe it.
self. In the spring. of 1850 he was licensed
to preach, by the Philadelphia Presbytery,
and travelling over the church for short
time he received "calT' from a congrega-
tion near Newcastle, Lawrence Co., Pa,
where he was soon ordained and where he
remained eight years, preaching the Gospel
with remarkable success-with the exception
Of four years which he spent in Vicksburg,
Miss, for his health. His words fell with
power upon the heart and many of the most
profigate and abandoned were reclaimed and
brought into the church through his instru-
mentality. Resigning his charge there, he
went to Brooklyn n. Y, to take charge of a
congregation there, where he remained eight
months. During all this time his health
seemed to be falling him: while the lamp of
eternal life and light burned more brightly
within, the physical frame grew rapidly old
and unsettled. With his departure from
Brooklyn, his labors in the pulpit were
brought to q close; from that time the condi-
ton of his lungs almost forbade his speaking
in public. Coming home he repaired to Kan
sas, where he spent the winter with his eous-
in Rev. Ligget, at times, in very critical
state Of health In the Spring reviving and
becoming much stronger, he was sent to Ia
Dor as a missionary in Minnesota, where he
spent a month or two, and then returned to |
Xenia. While here, though really unfit for
labor Of any kind, still he was unwilling to
remain idle, and he gave his services for one
year to the Union School, In September 1862 |
he was called to act as Assistant Principle |
with Prof Ekin in the Union Female Semina-
ry Of this place. The next year, and until !
his death this year, he had the whole charge |
of the school, and how well he filed his post /
let the large circle of young ladies who have
received his instructions, TESTIFY. About the
1st of December, he began to sink very rapid
ly, but when his head should have been ly-
ing on-thg pillow, and his mind perfectly at
rest, he would 60 to the chapel and invoke
Gods blessing on the school, and then to the
classroom and hear 'ehis boys" reading Greek
and Latin.
But at length his strength failed him, q, d |
be was removed from the noise and confusion
of the Seminary to the quietness of his moth
er's home, where he fingered for a short time
going, going rapidly, until at o'clock on
Monday morning, January 9th, with calm,
sweet smile, assured that all was well, he was
taken up to his home on high.
The cup of consolation, SO far as mortal
could accomplish anything, was Increasingly |
ministered to him during his last days, by |
his affectionats wife, who is now left weep |
ing widow, and as far as the family is eoncer'
ned, alone. God OF mercy, teuderly bind up
the painful wound. R. Nc.