The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-05-29
DIR. HoGE,s LECTURE.

1t is known to many of our readers that the
Presbyterians Of Manchester, under the pastoral
care of the Rev. VIM. A. Campbell are making
strenuous efforts to erect church edfce.
DR.. Hoge of this city having been invited to de-
liver lecture in its BEHALF at our suggestion, the
evening of the first day of the sessions of the As
sembly was selected as a time when the members
would be least occupied with business, and when
many strangers would have an opportunity of at
tending
A gentleman, who withholds his name from pub.
LEGATION, authorized the Moderator to tender to all
the members of the Assembly tickets presented
by him. and the courtesy was accepted and ac-
knowledged by unanimous vote of thanks.
An arrangement was made for having this lec-
ture delivered in Lynchburg on Tuesday evening,
the 2Sth inst, for the benefit of the I'd Presbyte-
ran church REV. Mr.. Hooper's) now undergoing
valuable repairs.
1t was our purpose to prepare sketch for our
readers. but finding the following letter of a cor
respondent of the Macon (Ga. Telegraph, it will
better describe the impression produced on the
OCCASION 1t was, no doubt, written by member
of our General Assembly.
'RIoHMoND, VA, May II, 1872.
"The lecture of DR.. Hoge, of which wrote in
nv note of yesterday delivered last night to an
audience of at least 200 people-so much as indi.
eating the intellectual status of Richmond. The
title of the lecture was AN Arabian Nights Enter
tanment,' and have seldom listened to popular
lecture of higher standard than this reached. 1t
is impossible to give in brief sketch anything like
an idea of its brilliance interest 1t was COM
bination exhibiting the resources OF no common
man-ius rated by facts from natural science every
day life and popular literature, and clothed in lam
guage beautiful for its simplicity nervous and ele
CANT which held the attention of the audience by
a spell No wonder that the Second Presbyterian
Church is crowded every Lords day listen this
eloquent teacher, and that The hold he has on this
community is soipowertul.l The docioris in the full
maturity OF his powers has an agreeable presence,
fine delivery aud mind stored with the best OF
information on ali subjects.
He told the story OF the three sons of an Eastern
monarch, the youngest and most beautiful, exciting
the jealousy of his royal father who required him to
show himself worthy of confidence by doing things
which seemed impossible of being accomplished
One of these was 10 produce pavilion so small as
to be held in the hollow OF his hand, and yet capable
of such expansion to be made TO cover his entire
army With the aid of his fairy wife he succeeded
in his task and produced canopy which answered
the demand of has father. This was the platform on
which DR.. Hoge proceeded to build his illustration
of the law of evolution, and show no" TINS was man
iiesting itself in nature in science and every de-
partment of human life. The handful OF my seeds
produced the blades of grass, aud these creeping up
to the eternal SHOWS OF the mountains hold last the
soil and bind together what would otherwise be
shifting mass. They furnished food for the animals
which again were required tor the maintenance OF
human lfe Then he showed that In the science OF
numbers, the simple unit expanded till 1t covered
the whole of mathematics and influenced the wide
realm of reasoning. He amused his hearers by
starting from the simple dress of mother Eve,
speeding which he wondered what name Adam gave
it; and arrived at the Dolly Vardens OF to-day, with
all the mysterious invoutons and revolutions OF the
perfected toilets of Ewes fair daughters OF modern
times. Thea to law, he showed how from the
few simple principles which were adopted in primi-
tive times had sprung the wonderful elaboration
which had grown to be the necessity of society in
civil law, tempered in its application by that of
equity in laws ecclesiastical and International
Added to this was divine law, which led him to the
question of questions to whether the revelation
of the Bible required further developments in order
to meet the needs of human life in its continued
progress and changing circumstances. Most elo-
quently and forciby did he show the falacy of the
rationalistc and humanitarian reasoning which finds
favor in the present day, and demonstrated that the
principles of the Word OF God were found redun-
dainty sufficient for every present or possible phase
of human experience or mortal need and that in
the manifestation of the Christ, the God. man. we
have the highest and grandest idea of perfected hui
manity and in his simple sayings the declaration
of those principles, which, when fully applied, will
restore to their highest level the true relations of
man with man. The highest and best and noblest
bond which can accomplish this being that grand
utterance, One is your father and all ye are breth
rem "