James Mcfarland

James Mcfarland

a Presbyterian divine, was born in March, 1800, at Dumbarton, within the present limits of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. He entered the grammar school in Glasgow when seven years old. He next passed to St. Andrew's College, and afterwards to the divinity school of the Established Church, and was licensed to preach the Gospel at the age of twenty-one. During his college course he served as private tutor to an only son of a branch of the great family of Argyle. At the age of twenty-six he became the assistant and successor of the Rev. Dr. Mushett. at Shettleston, a suburb of Glasgow. Soon after he was called to the largest and most numerous congregation in the whole of Scotland at Aberbrotheck, a seaport and manufacturing town between Montrose and Aberdeen, situated on the German Ocean. In the year 1835 Mr. McFarland came to New York, and a little later went to Delaware County, settled by Scotch people, many of whom were the associates and schoolmates of his boyhood. After a few years he removed to Ulster County, and in 1838 was called to be the pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Bloominegdale. During his ministry in that place a beautiful church was erected in the neighboring village of Rosendale, principally through his personal efforts. Unusual accessions were made to the membership, and he continued as pastor of the united congregations until the year 1844, when he was called to a large and flourishing congregation at Canajoharie. In 1848 he became the pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of English Neighborhood, where he remained seven years. After a brief visit to Canada, he returned to Ulster County as pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Esopus and St. Remy Chapel. In 1861 he relinquished Esopus and St. Remy, and the next year became minister of a Presbyterian congregation in Galway, Fulton County. From this date until his death his ecclesiastical relations were with the Presbyterian body. In 1866 he left Galway, and became pastor of a congregation at Port Washington, a pleasant summer retreat on the Shrewsbury River, Monmouth County, N. J. He died March 23, 1870. Mr. McFarland was distinguished for his scholarship. He was an excellent linguist. "As a preacher, Mr. McFarland was careful in his preparations, which he delighted in making even to the last. There was the careful use of language, brevity in treatment, and such use and application of the truth as was suited to excite the spirit of devotion, to awaken love and reverence, and to administer satisfying consolation to the penitent and mourner. His positions in the ministry attest popular qualities, his labors evince practical tact, and his success in gathering men and women into the fold attest the blessing of the Good Shepherd upon his ministrations."