New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-24
glowing, overpowerng desire TO become phil


osopher.
At Edinburgh McCosh fell under the influence
OF Dr. Thomas Chalmers, then professor or the-
ology in the University. But he worshipped at
the shrine Of other lntellects, Scott. FRANCIS
Jeffrey, Sir John Leslie John Wilson CChristopher
North and Sir william Hamilton. with the
memories Of Dugad Stewart and Brown.
l relished Scott because Of his exhibition OF
Scottish character. which in most cases was per
feet. In all cases his pictures OF men ana Womb
were transformations and healthy, ana the -! ~
was simple and pure. ] was never introfuceu ~
him. but / could get quite near view OF mn
when he occupied his place as Clerk OF tne Ioui
OF Session As he sat there he had at times Ht'le
or nothing TO do and his countenance' thoufh
pleasant. was then somewhat heaVy ana uuii
But the young barristers were prouu 10 nay We d
brief talk with him. and 10 near stoly H""
him. He was always willing TO gratify thefn' ana
as ne reused himself his countenance was llghted
up like the morning sky. In his works the plc,,
ures Of scenery and Of life and character are all
natural and expressive.
Christopher North usually came into the class
room fresh, as x he had Just dropped from tho
lakes and hills of Cumberland, where he had
lived at one time and the students always re-
ceved him with loud burst of applause.
Sir William Hamiltons philosophy made a
powerful impression on McCosh. though In later
life he differed with him in some points Speak
Ing Of Chalmers McCosh ranked him as the
creates: he had ever met.
To us he was one of the great teachers OF MS
age he was certainly the greatest ever studied
under He was methodical in his class arrange
ments and in the examination OF his Students
but his grand excellence lay in the enthusiasm
which was knded from the fire OF his own
heart and propagated among all the young men
under him. 1t may be allowed that he was n0'
minutely erudite scholar. and that his eXposl-
lions of Scripture were not always crltlcaly
correct, but he unfolded great principles, whlch
became the guides of opinions and of our
lives.
But though intending to enter the ministry, NC
Gosh did not give himself wholly to theology. lie
attended Jamieson's lectures natural history
and studied Lyell's "Principles Of Geology. He
found the study Of science and natural history
not only delighted In themselves. but also OF
great assistance to him in defending Christianity
MANY years after" he says. Il did a little Ser
vice in America to the doctrine Of evolution.
which much doubted and suspected by the
religious public. I may claim to have been the
founder Of a nice little school Of natural history
in Princeton College. of which Professors
Macloskie Scott and Osborn have been the able
instructors But my taste all along was for men
tai philosophy which sometimes studied when
I should have been attending to theology"
He had decided on the ministry largely to
please his parents and without any special
sense of being called thereto Moreover. II was
a question whether he ought TO abandon the
pursuit of mental philosophy, for which he had
such an aptitude But he was finally ordained
and began as a ministerial supply. 81 preached
all around both in town and country. but
chiefly in the country. | had a good horse. and
set out on the Saturday. with my sermons in a
saddle-bag behind me- preached twice on the
Sabbath. and returned home on the Monday. the
minister on one occasion giving HIT to me
by telling his servant to boil two eggs for me.
as I was about to travel" Then he was settled
over Abbey Chapel. Arbroath, which is thought
TO be the Fairport of SCOTS novel. THE Anti
quarry" There were about 1000 people In his
parish. and the young philosopher confronted
by the many-sided problems Of flesh and blood,
men and women. soon became a devoted and
sympathetic pastor In 1898 ne became minister
of Brechin near Arbroath. 1.-THE parochia sys-
tenn of Scotland" he says. was most power
full means Of sustaining and diffusng religion
in the country. There IL. unfortunately. nothing
like It in America There should be some substi
tute devised When the disruption Of the
Church OF Scotland came, this method had TO
be given up, and / cannot tell how much l re-
GREETED 1t. The congregational system cannot
possibly serve all the purposes Of the parochiai;
It leaves gaps which are not filled up. 1t would
be desirable to secure. among the numerous de-
nominations II. America, a modified system. a
Federation OF Churches, under which the minis
ter would be responsible for every family in
certain district though having no power of ex-
Guiding any other form Of Christianity from
entering it. 1t IS only thus that according TO our
Lords command. the gospel can be preached 10
every creature"
Brechin was one Of the happiest memories In
McCoshs life. While there he married his wife.
tha
niece of the Rev. Thomas Guthrie The union
was an ideal one, and DR.. McCosh frequently
testified that he owed nearly everything to his
wife But pleasant as his life was. duty
greater, and McCosh was Of the five hundred
ministers who left the Established Church, and
organized the Free Church of Scotland. OF the
fourteen hundred members OF his parish, eight
hundred went out with him.
But the call to the chair Of logic and meta
physics in Queens College. Belfast. Ireland
which he accepted, took him from a pastoral
career 10 a work for which he was emnently
fitted. During the same year, 1870, "The Method
Of Divine Government. Physical and Moral"
was published. a book which even to-day Is re-
garded as standard authority. 1t was written
to enlighten thoughtful laymen and assure them
that the Christian faith reasonable.
/ As teacher, DR.. McCosh at last found his
true sphere One OF his old pupils, Sir Robert
Hart describes him at this time follows:
/ have a very vivid recollection OF DIR. Nc
! Cosh's first appearance at the Queens College
Belfast In 1851 His name was already on peoples
lips and the large classroom In which he
to deliver his Introductory address filed to
overlooking. everybody having hurried there to
welcome the arrival. and show listers
sympathy with Scotch learning ! can See him
| az he passed up the hall 10 the desk In the cor
ner-a tall, broad-shouldered man, with fine
head and handsome face. somewhat bent for
ward, and q general look that was more clerical
than professional.
Professor Macoshie. of Princeton, who was
also one of his pupils. speaks thus Of him:
He was not good at defamation in public:
iphf n