The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-10-27
DEA TIL OF DIR. PLUMER


lng' died in the city of Baltimore on the
END instant. He was born in Greers-
burg, now better known as-Darlington.
Pa, July Goth, 1902. In his early
life he revealed traits of character that
marked him as one to reach success in
any profession he might choose to enter.
Ills family moved to Kentucky while he
was yet youth. He early made up his
mind to secure a liberal education, and
this determination he was enabled to car
ry out largely by the aid of chat venera-
BILE man of God, the Rev. Dr. McElhenny
his collegiate course was pursued at
Washington College, Lexington, Virginia.
While here, he gave evidence of that
grasp of mind and force of will that were
so conspicuous in all his after career. He
was graduated in 1926. He received his
theological training in Princeton Semi
nary, and was licensed by the Presbytery
OF New Brunswick in 1926. He went to
North Carolina as an evangelist and
labored with great acceptance in War
renton and other places. He was Or
dained by the Presbytery of Orange.
He established the church at Danville,
Va, and did large amount of evangel-
lstic work through all the adjacent coun-
try. For one year he was pastor of the
Briery church, in Charlotte county, Va.
In 1881 he was called to Petersburg. and
In 1884 to the First church in Richmond.
which worshipped in the building on
Franklin street, between Thirteenth and
Fourteenth streets, now known as Metro
poItan Hall. Here was his longest pas
torate. In 1847 he was called to Balti-
more. In 1854 he was elected Professor
of Theology in the Western Seminary at
Allegheny, Pa. For some years during
the war he served different churches. In
1867 he was elected Professor of Theolo-
gy in Columbia Seminary, where he re-
NAMED until the close of the last session.
Thus in variety of fields of labor his
powers were abundantly tested and ex-
hibited, and it may be safely said that
ne was never called by the Church to
occupy any position which he did not
fill with conspicuous ability and success
lie has been called the prince of
preachers. No man of his day bet
ter deserved the title. AS a pastor
he was judicious, kind, and tender
hearted. DR.. Plumer was eminent as
defender of the faith. In thorough SYM
pathy with all the doctrines of his
Church, he was ready upon all proper &C.
caslons to maintain and defend them. In
several controversies into which his po-
sltlon forced him he earned the reputation
of being one of the foremost debaters of his
day. In the Professors chair, more per-
haps than any where else, he did valua-
BILE service to his Church. He had rare
gifts as an instructor of young men.
While at Allegheny he was untiring in
his devotion to the interests of the Semi
nary, and gave with unsparing hand
time, money, and energy that he might
make that school what he thought it ought
to be- 1t was largely through his in
auence that this Seminary attained to its
high position. The number OF students
increased the first year after his install
lation from Sc to 70, and during his
connection with the institution it rose to
1853. His peculiar habits of instruc
ton were liable to be misunderstood by
those who esteem method to be more i'm
portant than the matter of instruction
But his theological teaching was from
full and fertile mind. His reading was
extensive and his memory retentive to a
wonderful degree, so that he was always
able to illustrate his subject by the best
thoughts of others. Whilst he often re-
cited from memory long passages of au-
thors who treated of the subject of his
lecture, his teaching was never a mere
recitation of the opinions of others but
always a clear and distinct expression of
his own views.
There was something unusually stimu-
lating to the students in the freshness Of
his mode of instruction, and he taught
them a great deal besides theology. which