Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-16
DR.. MOSES D. HOGE.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE cELEeRA.
TON or THE FoRTv-rlFrh YEAR
OF HIS pASTORATE-
yases~phicai sketch Of This Distinguished
Cisrgymsn-some Account Of
His TAbcrs.

On the 9th Of February Rev. Moses ID.
Hoge, ID. D.. viii have been the pastor OK
che Second Presbyterian church forty
eve years.
He IL the only pastor this churcn ever
had. II was his first and only church
When he came 10 Richmond, direct from
The Theological Seminary. the lot on which
his church now stands was vacant piece
of ground. He gathered the little .congre-
cation. which first worshipped IN lecture
room and which grew until u became
necessary to erect the church whicn was
built IN is4s and greatly enlarged IN 800
Few churches in tho city nave q me'noer.
etip 40 large; none. probably, have sent
ont more branches. aud not many have
eoualled II In its contributions TO the gene
~ causc of spreading the Gospel at home
and abroad.
ANOTHER CHARGE.
Dur;nr all these wears Of compli-
Gated labor his health and strength
have been wonderfully spared HIM,
despite a most prodigious amount OF
work. Besides the performance OF Amos,
knnumerable but often unnoticed pastoral
duties he breaches regularly twice on sun
dav and every Wednesday night; often is
found officiating al funerals and marriages.
attends many board and committee meet
incs. and yet finds time TO answer scores OF
letters Indeed, he has distinguished nm,
eelf almost az much as writer OF notes anu
letters-a difficult aTt--as by preaching:
Not one man in 10000 can se'ze pen anu s
papcr and on the instant hurry on
such a graceful note rs Dr. Hoge. THESE
he writes in great numbers. Thousands OF
people hold them as precious treasures.
They are at once models and memorials.
HOME LIFE.
DIR. Hoge's residence is at the northeast
corner Of Main and Fifth streets on lot al
ioining his church. The house was long years
ago the home of Ma or Gibbon, Revo-
lntionary soldier who led the foriorn hope
nj Stony Point. 10 is a fOur-story brick,
with snacious back porches from which
the James river is in plain view as IT winds
through fertile lowlands and fringes OF
woods until IL disappears beyond historic
Drewry's Bluff.
The Doctors study is in the ballroom of
The Third floor. Every night between IL
and O'Clock as the newspaper reporters.
printers. telegraph operators, and other
late workers climb the Main-siTeet hill 90
ing 10 their homes up town they LOOK MP
70 the window Of this room. and II, as Is
generally the case, they see light burning
there, some one VIII very likely say wen.
we are better OF than DR.. HOge-he isn't
through his work VET"
HOURS OF STUDY.
He is late worker. In the far hours OF
the night when callers no longer ring the
door-beIl when the hurry OF travel IS over;
when the stTeet-car horses and drivers
even have gone 10 rest when q solemn
hush holds the city and the people are IN
dreamland, he sits down to study ana
finds that quiet and privacy denied him IN
the day: but what is wonderful. he seems
70 rise with the sun. At any rate about
z O'Clock he Is seen on horseback gallop-
ing along country roads or through by
paths in the woods drinking IN inspiration
FOR those soul-refrcshing thoughts that
illumine his discourscs. These are ms
studies for pictures OF the sun dawning
upon the earth; OF birds beginning their
morning carols. and OF the music and per-
fume that come from nature when the
murmuring brooks first break the days
silence and the dew lies sparkling upon
the grass, studies which will be used IN
some glorious Thanksgiving 10 the Lord,
or in words of comfort to those who have
strayed into the dospond of sin.
IL Is, indeed, as comforter that the
Doctor greatly excels. His illustrations
come from the Bible and from Nature and
his language coois the aching heart and
refreshes the fainting wayferer. This abill--
ty to comfort Is one of his great gifts and
he can exercise it in giving out hymn, III
kclecIlOu> from SclipNNltS' ~ VI 'tAut ~
ttions, in sermons. and in his quiet talk
no matter whether he meets one IN our
crowded streets or in the dim light OF the
sick room.
srRIgING FIGURE.
Whether on horseback or afoot. DR..
Hoge's is striking figure. He is full SIX
feet in height. straight and 1.-the, without
Q pound OF surplush flesh. de has the
bearing of military man, with the air OF
gentleness substituted for stornness. His
head is poised high above the shoulders.
His complexion is dark. and for many years
he has worn "a closely-trimmed moustache.
The face is notable one, blending plety
and intelligence, sweetness Of tempera-
ment and delicacy of feeling.
The good wife, who was so long the JOY
of the Doctors life, has been living IN her
grave at Hollywood more than dozen
wears, and he makes his home with his
daughter. the wife Mr.. NJ. Nj. Gillian. His
eldest son. Moses d., Jr., Is doctor of
medicine, and the younger, Hampden, Is
In business employment.
THE ANNIVERSARY.
There is no more unostentatious man IN
Virginia than DIR. Hoge, and 1t was only by
persistent persuasion that he could be
brought TO agree 10 the coming celebra-
ton; but that point passed, he looks for
ward, as is natural, to the 27th with the
liveliest interest. Well he may. Congratu-
lations will be showered upon him from all
quarters of the globe. Bishop Randolph
for the Episcopalians, Bishop Wilson for
the Methodists. DIR. Curry for the Baptists,
and other equally prominent men for
other denominations and for other bodies
of Christian workers will say that evening
how beautiful has been his ministry.
This anniversary celebration will be held
at the Mozart Academy of Music on the
night OF the 9Th. and will last about two
bours. after which DIR. Hoge will receive
his friends in the lecture-room of his
church-distant three squares. To make
the room suitable for the occasion the
ladies have set to work with great zeal.
Altogether the occasion will no doubt
prove landmark in our local annals.
Biographical.
Rev. Dr. Moses d. Hoge was born in the
county of Prince Edward, Virginia, and is
descended on his fathers side from anccs-
tors who emigrated from Scotland and set
tied in Frederick county. Virginia, III 1885,
on the domain of Thomas Lord Fairfax, of
colonial memory. His grandfather was DIR.
Moses Hoge, president of Hampden-Sid-
new College. one Of the best men who ever
lived and one OF the most eminent among
great and good ministers who have so rich
" blessed the Presbyterian Church in Nir-
glnia. John Randolph says in one of his
he ever heard in the pulpit or out of it.
MISIsrERIAL SONS.
Three of his sons became ministers of
the Gospel-viz.: DIR. James Hoge, of Co
luInbus. o.: John Blair Hoge. of Rich
mond, Va. and Samuel Davies Hoge. presi-
dent Of Athens College, Ohio. The last
named died early in life. leaving two sons,
who became ministers Of the Gospel, the
younger of whom was the late Rev. W. j.
Hoge, ID. d.. and the elder is the subject of
this sketch.
On the maternal side DIR. Hoge is de-
scended from the family Lacys who emil
grated from England to Virginia iii early
colonial times.
OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI.
His grandfather was the Rev. Drury
Lacy. ID. d., president Of Hampden-Sidney
College, a minister Of great eminence and
worth. Two Of his sons became minis
ters--the Rev. William \. Lacy. of Louisi-
ana, and Rev. Drury Lacy ID. d.. formerly
president of Davidson College. and now of
Raleigh. n. c. Many of the remoter de-
scendants of both Dr. Hoge and DIR. Lacy