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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
��boys' college, the printing office, and by quite an extensive course of read- ing.
Both of his parents were of a liter- ary turn of mind, and employed their pens steadily, the father in preparation of his Sunday discourses and other productions ; the mother in managing a correspondence partly in connection with her husband's, and other religious work, and in keeping a diary.
On June 2, 1808, Dr. McFarland preached an " Election Sermon " before His Excellency Gov. John Langdon,the Honorable Council, Senate and House of Representatives of New Hampshire, — a custom of those days. The great truth which he sought to present was, " The Christian dispensation more than any other system of religion, is favor- able to the true end of civil govern- ment." In part he thus addressed the Governor : " Your Excellency will be pleased to accept our cordial congrat- ulations on this new proof of the pub- lic confidence and esteem. The prov- idence of God has placed you in an elevated station, where your influence and example will have great weight in recommending to the regard of others that religion from which, we have the happiness to believe, you derive your own principles and hopes. It can not have escaped your observation that the light in which the gospel exhibits a Christian magistrate, ruling over a Christian and free people, is such as reflects great dignity on his ofiice. His authority is derived from the high- est source, and will have commanding influence over the reason and con- science of every good man. He is a minister of God for good, and there- fore ' holdeth not the sword in vain.'
" But while this gives great weight to his office, his responsibility to the Su- preme Ruler is proportionately great. The abuse of power so sacred, and de- rived from such a source, will be fol- lowed by consequences greatly to be deplored."
In May, 1820, having become fascin- ated by the printing business, and pre- ferring to engage in that, rather than
��pursue a collegiate course of study (as was desired by his parents), the son of whom we are writing was sent to Bos- ton to learn the " art preservative of all arts " under the tutelage of Nathaniel Willis, publisher of the Boston Re- corder, and afterward to John VV. Shep- ard of the Ne7v Hampshire Repository, a religious newspaper of Concord. Then he served George Hough, the first printer of Concord, and Isaac Hill, who was commencing to make the New Hampshire Patriot hot and vigor- ous. From February 11, 1826,10 De- cember 31, 1833, he was interested in the publication of the Statesman, with several partners who were not so con- stant as he in the ownership. They were Moses G. Atwood, George Kim- ball, George Kent and George W. Ela.
In October, 1834, Mr. McFarland opened a printing office for the execu- tion of book and mercantile work ex- clusively. This establishment gained early a celebrity for correct and tasteful productions, and was probably as suc- cessful as any other in the interior of New England, some of the books from this press being of so creditable a ty- pographical character as to excite the surprise of Boston booksellers, when placed on their shelves. Among these were a goodly number of law books, — the ^' Justice and Sheriff," the "Probate Directory," the "Town Officer," "Gil- christ's Digest," and many volumes of " Reports of Cases argued and deter- mined in the Superior Court." The machinery of the office increased from one hand press to three, when, in 1846, its owner was chosen State Printer. Froin July 1844 to July 1850 Mr. McFariand was the political writer for the States- man, then published by Geo. O. Odlin & Co., which ser\'ice he accomplished in hours not absolutely necessary to the supervision of his own business.
In July, 1850, Cieorge E. Jenks, of Newport, N. H., who had served as apprentice and journeyman in his of- fice, became his partner, and leaving the business in his associate's hands, Mr. McFarland visited Europe, writing thence a series of interesting letters to
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