James Madison Macdonald
James Madison Macdonald [1]
a Congregational minister, was born at Limerick, Maine, May 22, 1812. In 1828 he entered Bowdoin College, but at the end of two years removed to Union College, Schenectady, entered the junior class, and was graduated with high honor in 1832. He then spent a year in the theological seminary at Bangor, Maine, and thence to Yale Divinity School, graduating in 1835. He was licensed to preach, August 6, 1834, and ordained pastor of the Third Congregational Church of Berlin, Connecticut, known as the parish of Worthington, April 1, 1835. In 1837 he accepted a call to the recently formed Second Congregational Church in New London; in 1841 to the Presbyterian Church at Jamaica, L.I.; in 1850 to the Fifteenth Street Church in New York city; in 1853 he was installed as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Princeton; N.J., and here he continued over twenty- two years. He died April 19, 1876. Dr. Macdonald was a man of untiring industry. In a high degree his ministrations were able, varied, and evangelical. As a preacher he was solid, dignified, instructive, earnest, and tender. He published a number of his sermons at various times, also about six volumes, among which the best known is My Father's House; or, The Heaven Of The Bible. His greatest and most valuable work appeared since his decease, The Life and Writings of St. John. See Necrol. Report of Princeton Theol. Sem. 1877, page 9:
