The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-23


The name Of ny. PIuxER has been ian''.
lar TO us all our life long. We cannot recall
time when we were not acquainted wltn
Il. when we were not fen years Of age we
heard much talk Of sermon which be hau
nreached Al or near Hampden-Sidney Col
lece from the text, "In that day SHAH there
be upon the bella Of the horses. HOLINESS
UNTO THE LORD" For many years
mast we have seen him at intervals. We saw
bis venerable form in the Democratic Ma
tional Convention Of 1868, whose daily ses-
sions be twice opened with prayer. lie
presented the same striking appearance then
which a few years later caused Chicago
journal to compare him TO MOSES coming
down from the Mount. We have heard him
preach several times since the close OF the
late war between the States--once, we think,
within the last year. At all times, and In
all places, and under all circumstances, he
looked to be the great man that he was.
DR.. PLuMER was most distinguished
tbeologian. Yet he was Of temperament
naturally beIIigerent, and rather sought than
avoided controversy. He was match Tor
great lawyers when the subject to be dis
cussed was IN their line, as he was Tor the
sblest doctors Of divinity when the subject
to be discussed was In their line. He was q
master Of logic. He was skilled in dialectics.
Some OF his great success In controversy
was undoubtedly owing to his fine personal
appearance; but Of course not much OF II,
else PAUL had not been formidable an
tagonist. DR.. PLuxER's very voice was
fortune In debate. His powerful blows
came down with q steady, deliberate regl'
Iarity thai was terrible to the man who bad
dared to encounter him. He appeared, too,
to be the king Of the council as truly as the
lion looks to be the king OF The forest.
Among the Presbyterian divines OF Vir-
GINA DR.. PLUMER was, we suppose, tdcle
princeps is, OF course, some thirty or
forty years ago, when he had been living In
the State all bis life. We think no one will
doub! that 1t was by his efforts and infu-
ence that the Virginia Presbyterians were
anchored In the Old School denomination
when that Church was some forty years ago
severed into the New School and the Old
School divisions. The denominational or
gan here sided with the New School; but
DR.. PLUMER at once began the publication
of The Watchmdn of the South, and soon
had almost the whole Presbyterian denomi-
nation in Virginia at his back. Happily,
there is no longer any division In that
Church In Virginia; and even those who
were engaged 10 the contests OF that day, OF
whom there can be but few left on this side
of the dark river, must be ready and willing
to confess that DR.. PLUMER had no foeman
who could stand before him, however wor-
thy OF his steel many OF bis opponents might
have been.
Though a Pennsylvania by birth, DR..
PLUMER was Virginian and southron
in every fibre OF his composition. Even
the title Of his religious weekly Wdfch-
man of the SOuth-showed how ready he
always was to rush to the defence OF the
people whom he loved; and as he was in
capable OF hiding his preludices or con-
cealng his sympathies, he no doubt Offend
ed good many Of his northern brethren.
We believe that before the war, during its
continuance, and after its close, he was al
ways and everywhere an avOwed Democrat.
But nobody ever doubted his sincerity, and
nobody In this city that we know OF ever be-
came offended with him on account Of his
party predictions.
This rambling notice is, we fear, unwor-
thy OF its subject. 1t is not intended to be
anything else than sketch hurriedly
penned OF what DR.. PLUMER appeared to be
to one person-the writer hereof. Our adj
miration Of him was. we may say, handed
down to us. We inherited it. And we
could not but say few words when this
Prince OF Preachers went down TO the
grave.