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

1
| Rev. Or. Plumer was buried on Sunday
afternoon In Hollywood. the funeral SER
vices being bed in the First Presbyterian
church. Of which the deceased was once the
dearly-loved pastor, and which was appro-
priately dressed in mourning. To say that
the church was crowded would not fairly
| describe the congregation, which filed
every available seat In the sacred building !;
and after the church was packed the SUM-
dsy-schooI room, on the Broad-street side
OF the church, was thrown open, and all
the available space there was soon occupied.
THE SERVICES.
There were present In the congregation
a number OF ministers OF the several religious
denominations in the city, and among those
who occupied seats on the pulpit stand
were Rev. Drs. Hoge, Preston, Scott, DR..
Hszen, secretary OF Committee OF Publica-
ton, and Staples, OF the Presbyterian
Church; Drs. Edwards, Brown, Judkins,
and Sledd, OF the Methodist Church, and
Rev. J. l.. M. Curry, ID. D., Of Richmond
College, representing the Baptist Church.
As the remains were brought into the
church the congregation rose and the organ
played a solemn requiem. When the re-
mains had been placed upon the table ar-
ranged for that purpose, the choir sang
"Abide With Me-"
ADDRESS OF DR.. PRESTON.
At the conclusion OF the familiar hymn
DR.. Preston addressed the congregation.
He said that DR.. Hoge and himself had
been appointed by the Synod OF Virginia
in session at Martinsburg 10 represent that
venerable body In the funeral services.
He spoke OF the grief OF this Synod, and Of
all the Synods for the loss Of such man,
who had never negligently or indifferently
done the work committed to him by the
Church, but always with eminent success.
| He alluded to the fact that DR.. PlumeI's
longest pastorate was with this church, and
that very many OF those who were intro
duced into the church by his ministry had
preceded him to the heavenly rest.
lie mentioned how DR.. Plumer strove TO
be like his Divine Master in comforting
those that mourn, and said that it was pos
slble that his most important work was in
this ministry TO the suffering.
The Church mOurns, he said, only be-
cause he was taken away when he had
reached maturity, ripene.s OF experience,
that fitted him eminently TO serve the
Church by his counsels.
OTHER SERVICES.
DR.. Preston having concluded his re-
marks, the choir sang the 17lb Psalm
" What Sinners Value | Resign" &c. and
the Rev. w. f. Judkins, pastor OF Trinity
Methodist Episcopal church, read the 18th
chapter of First Corinthians; and Rev.
John f. Edwards, ID. d., offered an appro-
PIRATE prayer, at the conclusion OF which
the choir sang the G90th hymn.
DIR. HOGR's ADDRESS.
Rev. DR.. Hoge, who had been assigned
the duty OF delivering the funeral dis
course, at the conclusion OF the hymn,
spoke as follows:
have witnessed many affecting scenes in
this church, but none combining so many
elements Of solemn and tender impressive
ness as this. The memories of years long
gone by come freshly back and ill this place.
The name that has been on so many lips to-
dav in connection with this funeral service
is linked with the associations and tue recOl-
lectlons OF the whole lives Of many here
present. To large number OF this congre-
CATION that name has been household
word, and the form Of the man Of God who
bore it familiar TO them from early child
hood. The look he wore-the tones OF his
voice-hls slow and measured step-the
strange power Of his presence to arrest at
tention and to awaken iDteIe>t-these can
never be forgotten.
Aud there are others who remember him
with q still more sacred regard, because
bound to him by the tie which conects the
saved soul with the instrument Of its saliva
| tion-the Christian child with the spiritual
| fatber-fOr there are those among the older
members OF this church who will ever bless
| God for the awakening sermon and the pas
toral counsel by which they were led to re-
| ceiye the cOnsecrated emblems OF their first
communion at his hands. Here also are those
who, IN the bereayemens and various forms
OF trial through which they have passed
| long since his connection with this church
| terminated. have been comfOrted by the AS
surance of bis sympathy and love by the
| letters which it was the custom OF his whole
| life 10 write to those who were in any trou-
BILE that he might "comiort them with the
comfort wherewith he himself was CON-
forted OF God"
Moreover, there are few OF those here
present to-day who have not seen and
heard him in the pulpit. That was bis
throne. There he proved himself the. mas
ter OF assemblies, and whenever 1t was
known that he would officiate in any
church in this city, that was the signal
and the assurance OF an OverflOwing au-
dience. Those who did not care for the
ordinances OF Gods house, and rarely at
tended any church, came when 1t was
known that he would be the preacher,
while those who loved the sanctuary and
proved their devotion by their regular at
tendance, and who had heard him oftene>t,
were among the most anxious to bear him
again whenever the opportunity was af-
iorded them.
Thus when we remember how he was
linked to this community in the many ways
by which he lndelbly impressed himself
upon our people, we cannot wonder at the
affecting demonstrations OF this hour, now
that all who can have crowded within these
walls to pay the last sad tribute OF respect
and affection to the man aud tne minister,
the friend and the father, whose hand we
shall not clasp again until "this mortal
shall have put on Immortality" and whose
voice we shall not hear again until 1t min
giles in the anthem which the characters OF
Heaven sing TO the glory OF the King Of
kings.
1t is not true that out OF the funess OF
the heart a ready utterance always comes.
There ale times when the fulness OF emo
tion makes silence more natural than
speech and to-day feel that my more APP
propriate place would be among those who
weep beneath this pulpit than among those
who speak from II; for when look upon
this bereaved family, upon this vast mourn
ing assembly, and remember whose dust 1t
is which this coffin encloses, feel how in
competent am for the duty assigned me-
duty assigned to me only because OF the
peculiar relations i so long sustained to
him.
Rnt for DR. Plumer / would not have