This is not really an autobiography, it is the compiling of notes by John W. McGarvey for his son John, Jr. It was the plan for the son to write a biography after the passing of his father. There 66 pages of handwritten notes in a composition notebook that J. W. McGarvey gave to his son. Besides the notes that he had written, he had inserted where and what he wanted inserted in to the material at certain places. It also appears that the son gave the notebook back to the father, asking questions and making observations. The son who was to have written the biography died six months before his father; and the 121 pages of notes in the composition was still in the possession of the family when this published in 1960.
John William McGarvey was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, March 1, 1829. His father was born in Ireland, and, when grown, came to America, and settled at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where, with a small capital, he went into the dry-goods business.
In April, 1847, J.W. McGarvey entered the Freshman Class of Bethany College. While at college he made the good confession, and was immersed, by Professor PENDLETON, in April, 1848. So soon as he became a Christian, he determined to devote his life to the preaching of the Gospel, and it was not long before he gave very conclusive evidence of fitness for the work. In July, 1850, he graduated as one of the honor men. At the call of the Church in Fayette, Brother M'GARVEY gave up his school, and, in September, 1851, was ordained to the work of the ministry, and afterward preached for the Church at Fayette and neighboring county churches until February, 1853, when he removed to Dover, Lafayette County, Missouri.
He resided at Dover nine years, and, during this period, he spent about half of the time at home, and, the remainder, preaching extensively over the State of Missouri, holding five public debates with various religious parties; he also collected money to erect a boarding-school in his village, and conducted the school two years.
In the spring of 1862, he accepted the pastoral care of the Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where a large field of usefulness was open to him. During the same year he published his " Commentary on Acts," which had occupied all the time he could devote to it for three and a half years. This is a work of decided merit, and at once fixes his reputation as a fine Biblical scholar.
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