The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-11-14
FoR rHE CENTRAL PREsBYTERIAS.
"REMINISCENCES OF PRESBYTERIAN
MINISTERS.
BY AN OCTOGENARIAN.
No. 49,.
JAMES CARNAHAN.

JAMES CARNAHAN.
was well acquainted with the subject of
the present paper. Strange to say, that be
never mentioned to me his native place
From the frequency with which be spoke Of
Father Mcmillan, We suppose that he came
from the Cumberland Valley, which that
faithful minister had evangehzed. There
are several villages in Pennsylvania which
bear uneouth Indian names rather difficult to
be pronounced. But Potomac, signifying
river of swans, is very appropriate, and
Shenandoah, daughter of the stars, is pOeti-
cal, for Lord Byron called those twinkling
Orbs the Poetry of Heaven. Bards have
sung of them from immemOrisl time. Itwas
probably named by some Indians when on a
moonlight night, fishing from their canoes,
they were struck by the stellar reflection.
The writer was sitting one Sabbath among
the SOphs, in the gallery of the Princeton
church, when gentleman entered the pull
pit and took his chair BY DR. Smith He
was somewhat tall, plain but neat in his
dress, whilst his COuntensnce indicated
thoughtful piety. (which things the angels
desired to look into, was his text. He sup
posed that Peter in the passage alluded to
the cherubim on the chest of the Covenant.
They were looking downward, absorbed in
the secrets of the Mercy-seat. True; for
what was taught to Jews in shadows was to
4 be unfOlded TO the world in solemn realities,
for the New Testament was smbrOtyped from
the lustre of the Old. Bat the New declined
to reflect priesthood, because the all atOning
Priest had come whose decease rent the veil
of she Temple. The preacher then entered
into numerical statement of the mysteries
on which angelic minds were wont to muse.
The subject was then applied. The discourse
was truly edifying. ElOquence may enter
tain, bat Theology ins,ructs.
We are apt 70 ask the name Of preacher
by whom We have been pleased. Tne preach
er was the Rev. James Carnshan, who after
wards bore rule as President of Nassau Hall
He had graduated in 1900. The class was
small. The College even then had not re
covered entirely from the raVsges of the
Revolutionary War. The classes were some
times reduced to ten. Guhelmus Branch
Giles, of Amelia, graduated in class of six.
The Hessians carried desOlatiOn wherever
they went. They were hirelings and their
courage was inspired by English coin. But
they were few in number when compared
with the foreigners who joined the North in
our late civil war. They too were hirelings.
It is true history when We say that the pill
laged houses dismantled sanosusries-6red
churehes-murdered men. Talk not of Bull
garian atrocities. These aged eyes have
seen enough Of war and it's sad effects. In
that war human lives became as flowers Of
the field, gay in the morning, but withered in
the evening. Men faded like leaves, whilst
the tempests Of passion drove them far away
from God; but We are writing of those who
we're ambassadors sent forth by the Prince
of Peace
We understood from those who seemed tC
know that DR.. Carnshan was pastor of the
Presbyterian church in Udca, town i
western New York, situated on the MohawE
river, celebrated for the confluence of turn
pike roads which met at the place. But
railways have put a discount on turnpikel
and plank roads. ChntOn's canal passing
through the town to Albany has killed bu
few; but the cars seem always to demand &
holocaust. This excellent man being tsker
with bronchial affection, removed to Prince
ton. He there taught school, but my i'm
preston is that it was not successful; bu
in 1913 the Georgetown pastor, after an ab
senee of thirty-nine years, paid visit t
Princeton. In those years of absence dealt
had made awful havoc as we may well sup
pose. lie went TO the grave of WitherspOOr
once his venerable precepsOr. Being intro
duced to DR.. Carnshan, and hearing perhsp
that his school was not prosperous, be sug
gested to him the Importance of a remOVa
"Whither ?" replied the Doctor. "To Georgt
town, D. c., where there are many urchin