The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-15
DIR. JOHN HALL.
FIRST LOVE OF A PREACHER.
Romance I'm the life OF a Famous Preacher
where lie Found HIS Charming WIFE,

Fifth avenue, between rn.y -ne " ~,
ty.sixth streets, on the west sioe OF tue
fashionable promenade. inere must 9e q
powerful magnet to draw I'D OUT OF s,g..
so large percentage OF .be tnrohg. IL Is
NOT The elegant million-dollar church ed-
fee that entices In the people: Mueh
rather would they continue on to the park,
were there nothing more. Neither would
they shut themselves up on a beautliui
spring day to listen to the platitudes OF
the humdrum OF an ordinary preacher:
No. IL Is because the Rev. DIR. John nan
breaches there every Sunday.
Rack IN the twenties--to be just, on the
3Ist day OF July, lS29-John Hall became
bow. Thc event took place In the hiiiy
County Armagh, In the north OF ireland,
where the orange grows wild. lie was
horn n Presbyterian--his ancestors having
crossed from Scotland many years before.
His boybood was spent among the green
hills and wales OF one OF the pleasantest
snots Of the green island. The beauty OF
the natural surroundings impressed itseli
upon his mind as he grew into pantaloons.
By breathing such scenery his brain Kept
apace with his physical growth, which
was rapid. Nothing pleased him so much
as to get between the pages OF Greek
hook. unless 1t was 10 devour Hebrew
work. The neighbors predicted that
he would either die young or grow
ND TO be postmaster OF Armagh. lie
was offered q cIerksbip in the largest dry
goods and notion-store in the county, OUT
This he spurned. The neighbors then put
their heads together and decided that ne
wanted 10 fly too high, and expressed fears
that pride would again precede fall. But
when he declined 10 drive a iaunting-car,
the feeling against him became so strong
that his parents decided to send him TO
Belfast College, out OF harms way. He
was oyerjoyed when he heard this decision.
II was what he fondly dreamed OF ior
wears. At that time he was thirteen years
old.
In Belfast College John Hall drank
deepIy of the fountain of knowledge. That
was before the time OF excessive physical
culture, and when no student would nght
more than seven rounds at one bout.
Therefore John applied his heart unto the
pursujt OF wisdom, and his ready and re-
ientiye pride repaid him for his trouble.
Notwithstanding his extreme youth, ne
was repeatedly the Hebrew prize-man. lie
graduated with all the honors known 10
the faculty.
Before he came OF age Mr.. Hall was
licensed to preach, and he spent three
years in missionary work IN the West
OF Ireland. From the start he gave
evidence Of his future powers, and
he exerted himself as strongly in his
labors in the obscure bamlets, the
scenes OF his early struggles, as he has in
the more frlitful vineyards OF the New
Worlds metropolis. Perhaps his greatest
victory was when he returned TO his natiVe
- bn
church. known in all the country round
Gas the church with the steeple." AND
here John Hall met bis fate.
The fate was q most delightful one-a
JOYOUS ending OF bachelor existence. In
the town lived young widow, Mrs. EMILY
Irwin, with one child, boy. rms young
parson had known her when she was
maiden, therefore it was easy to renew the
acquaintance, which was not long in ripen-
ing into love. And what woman could
withstand the eloquent appeals Of the new
shepherd: The commanding position OF
the minister's wife was also an item In its
favor. The remainder OF the flock were
rather Jealous at first when they saw how
often the handsome new minister raised the
knocker OF Mrs. Twins door. And to
an unprecedented mind it did seem that the
Young widow required a large amount OF
spiritual consolation. But it was not long
before the sewing circle put two and two
together, and after that the most interested
parties believed that it would be foolish TO
waste any more time. SO they did not.
They were married.
One Sunday, some time afterward, Rev.
John Hall filed the pulpit OF the church
of st. Mary's abbey, now Rutland Square,
Dublin. That Sunday was enough. Old
church-goers who struggled in pillows
upoB which 10 rest easily while being put
to sleep by the general run OF preachers
were astonished 10 find that the provincial
pastor kept them very much awake and
sent them away thinking. He received
call from the church and accepted it.
Dublin gained good citizen by that &C
ton, one who was an earnest friend OF
popular education. Queen Victoria gave
him the honorable appointment of commits
sioner OF education for Ireland. Mrs. Hall
was true clergymen's wife. and endeared
herself 10 the Dublin people. While in
that city three boys and girl played
around Mr.. Halls knee and called him
father. The stepchild received the same
paternal kindness as his little half-brothers.
Rev. DR.. Hall was introduced to New
York audience In 1861. He was delegate
from the General Assembly OF the Presby-
terrain Church in Ireland to the churches
OF that denomination III the United States.
He preached before the Fifth-Avenue Pres
byterian church. and made a decidedly IA
vorable impression. Robert Bonner real
lied that Mr.. Hall was the man for the
pulpit. The eloquent Irishman returned
to Dublin to report to the organization
which sent him TO America. When he
reached home his wife handed him cable
gram. 1t was a call from the Fiith-Ave-
nue. church. He accepted 1t, resigned his
Dublin pastorate as soon as possible, and,
with all his household goods, was trans
planted in New York in November OF that
year.
The new minister did not disappoint
his congregation and further proved Mr..
Bonner's sagacity. The church edifice,
which bad never before been complained
OF as being small, soon became so contract
ed that many were turned away on each
Sunday. In 1874 the cornerstone OF the
present building was laid, and in due time
the largest and finest Presbyterian church
in the world reared itself against the sky.
The PASTORS salary was made commensu-
rate with the surroundings and wealth OF
the audience. But no sugar-coated reli-
gion does he feed to his flock. While other
brilliant preachers have gone outside Of
their creeds and made little religions Of
their own, DIR. Hall has hung to his
faith. He is an earnest and eloquent
cxtemporaneous preacher, and his sermons
bear marks OF great refinement and finish.
He Is In great demand when churches are
TO be dedicated. He preached the funeral
serman OF Chief Justice Chase, he being OF
another denomination. Besides the work
nc has done 10 building several chapels in
various parts Of the city, all limbs of the
present Fifth-Ayenue church, the Rev. DR..
Hall has written well.known religious