The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-04-27
OMr Contributors.
Rev. Robert Nall, d. D., and the
Marion Church, Alabama.

joyed very pleasant visit from DIR. Nall,
accompanied with his wife, whom he calls
his elder because he usually takes her
with him to Presbytery and Synod. He
has entered upon his seventysixth year,
and shows some signs of advancing age
yet in the pulpit there is much OF the
warmth and energy of earlier life; and
the opinion expressed by all who heard
his fine sermons in our church during his
late visit to us, is, that he never preached
better. There is more gentleness per-
haps in his manner, and less compass of
voice than formerly, yet his simple ex-
positions of Scripture brought home to
the conscience by fervent and tender ap-
peals, made impressions that will not, it
is hoped, be transient.
The passing away of that patriarch of
the Synod of Alabama, Rev. N R. Nor
gan, who died few weeks ago, aged over
ninety years, leaves DIR. Nall at the head
of the Synod's roll His entire minis
terial life has been spent in connection
with this body, which he served as Stated
Clerk about thirty-fve years. 1 learn
from him that he has never been absent
from the meetings of his Synod except on
two occasions, once on account of quar-
antine, and once from sickness in his
family. His labors as evangelist within
the bounds of his own Synod, and for a
while in the Synod of Missouri, and par
ticularly his subsequent work as evange-
list at large, have made him widely
known. Frequent and extensive revivals
have accompanied the protracted services
IN which he has borne part, and as re-
suit thousands of souls have been brought
into the fellowship of Gods people.
The interest the people of Marion, and
the Marion Presbyterian church feel in
DR., Nall is peculiar, and enters as an i'm
portant factor into the hearty welcome
they delighted to give him, as he talked
and prayed with them around their fire.
sides, and as he in his old age delivered
to them on two successive Sabbaths, and
on the intervening Wednesday night, the
messages of life.
While yet a youth, his widowed mother
removing from North Carolina brought
him, and four other children, to the town
of Marion, a town then only in name, for
it had Just been selected and laid out in
the wilderness, as the county site, and
not dwelling had been erected Being
the first emigrant to the new town, she
pitched a tent and dwelt in it tempo
rarily, near the spot where the first church
building of the Presbyterian church was
afterwards located He remembers to
have grubbed up stumps on the ground
now occupied by the court house HAY
ing had some experience in printing, he
worked as journeyman for about two
years in Cahaba, at that time the State
capital. He was employed for while
at the same trade on paper called The
Miscellaneous Herald conducted by Rev.
James Hillhouse, at Greensboro, Ala.
After a few years, impelled by fixed
desire to become a minister Of the gospel,
though as yet not professor Of religion,
and having accumulated, by working at
the printers trade, sufficient means for
the prosecution of classical course he
pursued his studies at Centre College,
Danville, Ky, until he was ready for the
senior year. He completed his collegiate
education at Miami University, Oxford,
Ohio, where he graduated in 1881. His
conversion while at Danville, presents
some striking features. He says he knew
but little Of Presby terianism, having been
raised chiefly under influences adverse to
it. Stumbling at the doctrines of divine
sovereignty and mans free agency, and
wishing to reconcile them by reasoning,
yet feeling it to be his duty and privi-
lege to make public profession of reli-
gion, he talked about his difficulties with
some Of his fellow-students, and also with
Nathan i. Rice, then princieel Of the
Preparatory Department; but the APP
parent conflict of the two doctrines was
not removed from his mind. He con-
sented, at some friends suggestion, to lay
his doctrinal difficulties before DR.. David