The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-05-18
alumni and a large audience, by the
REV. NJ. D. HoGE, D. D.


When the many friends of Union Theological
Seminary and of this eloquent and most esteemed
Christian gentleman are informed that to-day ne
was equal to himself and the occasion, they will
appreciate his compliance with the request OF the
official corps to deliver the address as the repre-
sentative man OF the alumni.
No report can convey to the reader the lmpres,
sion made on an audience by an address delivered
by DR.. Hoge; but the following notes will present
an outline OF his thoughts:
The speaker taking as the theme of his discourse
the chief proposition OF the Rev. DR.. Hall on the
preceding evening-viz. that Notwithstanding the
assumptions Of those who were perpetually COM
plimenting the present age for its advanced
thought" we never needed the Bible more than
now to bring up the 10Th Century to the high
standard of the lst century proceeded to discuss,
with great variety of illustrations, the following
points,, =.
lst That the humanitarianism of our time,
as represented by such writers as Dickens, Kings
ley, and Sseley, pluming themselves as they
do upon their superior regard for the poor, and
neglected, and uncared-for classes of society, had
not begun to reach the standard of the humanita..
rianism established by the very earliest writer's OF
the Old Testament Scriptures; for even under
that ancient dispensation the tenderest consldera-
ton was enjoined for the birds of the air and the
beasts of the held for the poor and the widow and
the orphan, and the stranger, and the afflicted,
and the friendless. The exquisite tenderness OF
some of these provisions under the old Hebrew
Commonwealth has never been equalled by the
"humanltarlans, par excellence, OF our day.
I'd. We need the Bible now as much as ever to
guard us against the assumptions of men of "ad-
vanced thought in science, as represented IN the
school of Tindall and Huxley and (save the mark
Mr.. Darwin.
Sd. We need the Bible now as much as ever to
teach us what the Church Isl In what Its true lie
consists and how it is to be extended through the
world That splendid fragment OF ecclesiastical
history, the Acts of the Apostles unfOds the only
true theory of missions: and st. Paul was the in
carnaton of what was nobest in the Christian life
of that era, and the model for the minister and
the missionary for all time. He was the most sue
cessful of all the Heralds of the Cross who
have ever lived; and the advanced thought OF
our day on the subject of missions has never yet
overtaken him. His unparalleled efficiency in
evangelistic labor was due
First. To the holy enthusiasm with which he en-
tered upon the missionary work.
Second. To the courage and constancy with which
he prosecuted it from the time he commenced 1t to
the time when he assembled to receive the MISSION
airy S and the martyrs crown
| Third. To the consummate wisdom he displayed
in establishing churches in the chief cities OF the
world, such as Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome,
which, by their commercial, social, or clinical re-
ations were centres of influence to the surround
ing populations and
Fourth. Because wherever he preached, whether
in communities barbarous or civilized his theme
was ever the same-"Christ and Him Cruclhed y
The speaker then insisted that the same enthu-
siasm-faith prayer, love, and labor-woud pro-
duce similar results now. He proceeded to demon.
strate the intimate connection between the spiritual
life of the minister and the people of his charge.
When he is baptized afresh with Heavenly lntiu-
ence, and goes into the pulpit with trembling
soicitude for the salvation of souls and an awful
sense of his responsibilities as an ambassador OF
God, then the people Immediately feel and respond
to his quickened spiritual life This was illustrated
by incidents in the histories Of Baxter, Whitfield,
and other eminent and successful men in modern
| times.
DR.. Hoge concluded by feeling illusions to the
present revived state Of the churches in the Synod
OF Virginia, and to certain solemn testimonies
uttered by such sainted men as Drs. Archibald
Alexander and Jno H. Rice, with regard to the
great mission of the Church-testimonie which
were to be held in perpetual remembrance as H.
centives to holy living, and to the most earnest
and unfagging efforts in the service OF the once
crucifed and now glorifed Redeemer.
So successful and pleasant has been the expert
ment in 1871 to give additional interest to the an
niversaries of the Seminary that the Professors
were again instructed to select an alumnus to dc.
liver the address at the May meeting in 1872