Alexander Natalis. See Natalis.
Alexander Nevski, one of the saints of the Rus- sian calendar, second son of the Grand-duke Jaroslaus II, was born in Vladimir A.D. 1218. In 1238 ho was made governor of Novogorod, which he defended against the Tartar hordes, who at that time grievous- ly oppressed Russia. In 1239 an army of Swedes. Danes, and Teutonic knights appeared before the city and summoned Alexander to submit, who, however, bravely refused, and vanquished them in a bloody bat- tle near the river Neva, whence he received the hon- orable surname which was then given to him. On the death of Yaroslav II, in 1247, his brother Andrew endeavored to deprive him of the throne of Vladimir, and Alexander fled to the khan of Sarai, with the aid of whom he ascended the throne in 1252, and reigned for 12 years with great wisdom. The rest of his life was spent in the defence of his country against the Tartars, the Swedes, and the Livonians, who continued their attacks. He died at Gorodetz, near Novogorod, A.D. 1263, and was enrolled by the gratitude of his country among her saints. Peter the Great subse- quently built the celebrated monastery of St. Alexan- der Nevski on the spot where Alexander's most re- nowned victory was gained. He also instituted un-
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der the same name an order of knighthood, -which still exists in unabated lustre, and is only conferred as the reward of extraordinary services. — Biog. Univ. i, 582 ; Rose, Biog. Diet. ; Biog. Generate, i, 857.
Alexander, Archibald, D.D., an eminent Pres- byterian clergyman, was born in Rockbridge Co.,Va., April 17, 1772, was licensed to preach in 1791, and la- bored with great acceptance in his native state till 1796, when he accepted the presidency of Hampden Sidney College. By his wisdom and industry he soon imparted to the institution a more healthful and vig- orous tone, as well as greatly increased the number of its students. In 1807 he removed to Philadelphia, taking charge of the Pine Street church. Made D-D. in 1810, Dr. Alexander was chosen in 1812 to the pro- fessorship of Didactic and Polemic Theology at the Princeton Seminan-, then just organized. He contin- ued in this office till his death in 1851. As a preach- er, he was very effective. As a teacher, " Dr. Alex- ander was possessed of a combination of qualities ad- mirably fitted to secure both the respect and the affec- tion of his students, and the strongest and most unani- mous testimony has been borne by multitudes to the beneficial influence of his instructions and example in forming their religious character, in cultivating their intellectual powers, and in storing their minds with useful knowledge. Above eighteen hundred candi- dates for the ministry had studied under his superin tendence, of whom about sixteen hundred were alive at the time of his death, most of them occupied as pas- tors in the two leading branches of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, but not a few also as missionaries among the heathen. While his great talents and acquirements, his sound judgment, and his profound piety secured their esteem and confidence, his unaffected simplicity, his cordial kindliness, and his hearty vivacity called forth a very large measure of personal affection. He filled for forty years, with powers that scarcely exhibited any symptom of decay, a situation of great influence ; he was able and willing to improve fully his opportunities of usefulness; and thus he became a great benefactor to his Church and country, by exerting a most powerful and wholesome influence on the formation of the character of a large number of men who are now making full proof of their ministry, and are workmen that need not to be ashamed" (Brit. Qu. Rev. 1851). His principal works are: Brief Compendium of Bible Truth (X. Y. 12mo) : — Advice /<> a young Christian (Phila.): — Annals of the Juris/, Nation (N.Y.): —Bible Diet. (18mo, Phila.):— Christian Experience (Phila. 1840, 12mo): — Evidences of Christianity (12mo, Phila. 1825; often reprinted): — Hist, of the Patriarchs (1833, Phila.) :— Canon of 0. and X. T. (Phila. 1851, 12mo) -.—History of Colonization (8vo, 1846) :— History of the Israelitish Nation (Phila.
1853, 8vo). His " Moral Sc;ence" (12mo) was a post- humous publication. He left also many MSS., which will, it is to be hoped, be published hereafter. — Sprague, . I nrvals, iii, 612 ; Memoir, by Rev. J. W. Alex- ander (X. Y. 1854, 8vo); Brit, and For. Evang. Revietc,
1854, p. 584 ; Meth. Quar. Rev. 1862, p. 250. Alexander, Caleb, a Presbyterian minister of
the last century, born at Northfield, Mass.. in 1755, and graduated at Yale in 1777. was licensed to preach in 177H. He was instrumental in founding Hamilton College, a seminary at Auburn, and other institutions. Died in 1828. — Sprague, Annuls, iii, 406.
Alexander, James W., D.D., eldest sun of Dr. Archibald Alexander (q. v.), was born March 13, 1801, in Louisa Co., Ya. He received his academical train- ing miller .lames Ross in Philadelphia, and graduated A. IS. at Princeton in 1820. lie was appointed tutor in the college at the age of twenty, having in the mean time pursued his theological studies at the seminary under the instruction <if his father, who was appointed in 1812 first professor in the Theological Seminary of