The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-26

shy tnht ne cOulu scarcely remember INT
time when he was not the subject OF reli
glous impressions.
He was greatly affected during bis boy.
hood by some remarkable proyidences--
such as the drowning OF a near relative in q
stream which had overfowed its banks,
and by the funeral sermon preached from
the text "Thou earliest them away as with
food" and by the death OF young man
who was cut off impenitent and despairing
OF salvation; but be did not make public
profession OF his faith until he united with
the Church, while engaged in teaching at
the Kanawha Salines, in 1920.
Very early in life he determined 10 obtain
a liberal education. In his nineteenth year
he became the pupil OF the venerable DR..
McElhenney, OF Lewisburg, West Va, with
whom he pursued his studios until be was
prepared to enter Washington College (now
Washington and Lee University, where he
graduated in 1925. He often spoke OF his
Indebtedness 10 DIR. George A. Baxter and
10 the Rev. DR.. Henry Rufner, two OF bis
instructors in the college and his faithful
friends as long as they lived. Ia about three
months after his graduation he became a
student in Princeton College. He was
| licensed to preach by the Presbytery
OF New Brunswick, n. j., and was
ordained by the Presbytery OF Orange,
In Danville, Va, in May, 1927. In Danyille
he gathered and organized the Presbyterian
church OF which the Rev. DR.. Martin is
now pastor. After several years spent
chiefly in evangelistc labor in North Caro-
lins he returned to Virginia, and after a
| short term OF service in the Briery church,
Prince Edward, he removed to Petersburg,
where he held pastoral charge for four
years. In October, 1884, he removed to
Richmond and became pastor of the First
Presbyterian church. Here he labored
twelve years and three mouths. In
1S47 he accepted call from the
Franklin.Street Presbyterian church, Bal
timore, where he resided nearly eight
years. In 1854, by nearly unani-
nous vote OF the General Assembly, he
was elected TO the Chair Of Ddaclic and Pas
tora! Theology in the Western Theological
Seminary, Allegheny, Pa, and filed that
post for eight years. When he entered
upon his work there the number OF students
was fity.six, the next year seventy.nine,
the next ninety-one, and went on steadily
increasing till 1t rose TO one hundred and
sixty eight.
From 1862 to 1866 he was actively en-
ployed in serving various churches and in
preparing works for the press, when he was
elected to the prOiessOrship OF Didactic and
POIemic Theology in the Theological Semi
nary of South Carolina. In January, 1867,
he went TO Columbia and entered upon his
duties there, filling the chair eight years.
when he was transferred TO the Chair OF
Historic, Casuistic, and Pastoral Theology.
lie was twice made moderator OF the Gene
raj AssembIy-Grst, OF the General Assem-
bly, OF the Presbyterian Church North, in
1888, and then Of the Southern Assembly,
which sat in Huntsville, Ala. in 1871.
The presidency OF several colleges and
the secretaryship OF several of the boards Of
the Church wee at different times offered
him, but he never saw his way clear to ac-
cept any OF these appointments. In 1898
Washington College, PENNSYLVANIA, Lafay-
ette College Pennsylvania, and Princeton
College conferred upon him the title OF
Doctor Of Divinity, and in 1851 the Univer-
sty OF Mississippi conferred upon him the
degree OF Doctor OF Laws. In 1877 DR..
Plumer was delegate to the Council OF all
the Presbyterian churches OF The World,
which met in the city OF Edinburgh. There
he commanded the most marked attention,
and left an impression upon the thousands
who saw and heard him which will not be
forgotten in this generation.
In the review OF such life the first thing
which arrests our attention Is the amazing
industry and capacity for work which cha
racterized him. While q pastor in Rich
mond he edited the Watchman Of the South
afterwards the Waterman and Observer,
and now the Central Presbyterian, and all
his life he was a contributor to the periodi-
cal press, writing for reviews, for maga-
zines, and for many OF the religious news
papers North NOD South.
In addition 70 the larger works OF which
he was the author, such as Studies in the
Book Of Psalms and Commentaries on the
Epistles 10 the Romans and Hebrews, he
published hundreds OF tracts for the Pres
byterian Board OF Philadelphia, for the
Methodist Book Concern OF Nashville and
New York, for the American Tract Society,
for the Board of Publication OF the Pro-
te.tant Reformed Dutch Church. for the
BAPTIST Publication Society Of Philadelphia,
for the American Sunday.Scho0l Union, for
the Presbyterian Committee Of Publication
OF Richmond. Some Of these works were
republished in Europe. Others were trans
lated into German, French, and modern
Greek.
While Professor of Theology in the Semi
nary at Allegheny he was at the same time
pastor OF a church which grew in numbers,
influence, and in all that makes 4 church
efficient, while ii was under his watchful
care.
During his connection with the Seminary
in Columbia, s. c., though he had no pas
toral charge, there was scarcely Sabbath
when lie did not preach. These labors were
not confined 10 Columbia itself, but extend
ed to Yorkville, Marion, and HOpewell, and
to Wilmington and Charlotte, n. {.
During all his life he continued to receive
and 10 accept invitations 10 deliver lectures
and addresses before benevolent associa-
tions and literary institutions, and to con-
duet correspondence which, 10 most men,
would have been burdeDSome IN the eX-
trPme.
Perhaps no man OF his time not In pcliti-
cal life knew ILore people or wrote larger
number Of letters on subjects so varied and
important.
But his chief aud favorlte field Of useful
ness was the pulpit. His great success
there was due, in part, TO natural gifts; a
commanding presence, reminding the be-
holder OF some msjesl patriarch or pro-
phet, or OF the statue OF Moses by NJ.
Angelo; voice Of great flexibility and
power, often tremulous and low when he
began 10 speak, but increasing in volume as
his heart kindled with his theme until 1t
sounded like melodious thunder and
reached the most distant limits OF the great
audience he addressed. But this was
not the chief source OF his power. Ii
was because OF bis intense realization
OF the truth he uttered, his deep con-
viction OF the importance Of the message
he proclaimed, and because OF his ardent
love for the message itself. 1t was the goS-
pei, and be preached 1t earnestly and fear
10 Gig In oil liz richnnsa and Iendarness and