Alexander grad­u­at­ed from Prince­ton Un­i­ver­si­ty in 1820. Or­dained in 1827, he served as pas­tor of the First Pres­by­ter­i­an Church in Tren­ton, New Jer­sey (1829-1832). He be­came Pro­fes­sor of Rhe­tor­ic at Prince­ton in 1833; pas­tor of Duane Street Pres­by­ter­i­an Church, New York, 1844; Pro­fes­sor of Church His­to­ry at Prince­ton, 1849; and pas­tor of the 5th Av­e­nue Pres­by­ter­i­an Church, New York, 1851. His works in­clude:

• Gifts to the Af­flict­ed
• Thoughts on Fam­i­ly Wor­ship
• Sacramental Dis­cours­es (New York: An­son D. F. Ran­dolph, 1860)
• Breaking the Cru­ci­ble and Other Trans­la­tions (post­hu­mous) (New York: 1861)

• Erickson, p. 235
• Hatfield, pp. 10-13
• Julian, pp. 38-9, 1706
• Nutter, p. 387
• Taylor, pp. 234-5

1. Jesus, How Sweet Thy Mem­o­ry Is
2. O Sac­red Head, Now Wound­ed