Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-28


wor,ny OF the illustrious name IL pears
ior the Visit OF the veterans or the sol
uiers' Home. for the splendid testimonial
or the Ladies' Hollywood Memorial As
ISOLATION; for the Beth Ahabas congratu-
! iation, exQuislteiy engrossed on parch-
mcnt and richly framed; TO the Governor
OF the Commonwealth and the resident
members OF his stan. and for the many
Official letters from churches and societies
containing the resolutions adopted by each.
and presented by some eminent represen-
| tative; "a the delegation from Hoge Aca-
| DENY, Nottoway county; to my ministerial
brethren OF every name. whose congratu-
| lations have made my heart happier and
my hands stronger for the furtherance
p. OF the halIowed work in which We are all
engaged; and. lastly, to my honored
| friends, who have come from different
parts OF this State and from other States
20 grace this occasion by their personal
participation In these services.
ADDRESS RATHER THAN SERMON
Had chosen to deliver a regularly-con-
structcd sermon tonight / could easily
have found more than one text in the
Holy Scriptures which could have used
rs the foundation of my discourse.
might have selected the Injunction OF
Moses 10 the people whom he had led on
their magnificent march from the land
OF bondage TO the land Of promise, when
he enjoined them 10 remember all the
way along which the Lord their God had
conducted them. and then made memo
ries Of the way" my theme; or ] might
have chosen the impressive act OF Samuel
when he took stone and set II up be-
tween Mizpah and Shen and said. "Hith-
erto hath the Lord helped u.s." for holy
remembrance OF the way along which God
guides his people eycites devout graft
tude and the monumental stone bearing
the Inscription hitherto hath the Lord
helped us" Is a perpetual acknowledge
ment of the great truth that all spiritual
prosperity Is 10 be ascribed to Divine
power and love. / trust that the spirit Of
both Of these passages OF Scripture will
pervade all that have to gay at this
hour. but the freedom and familiarity Of
an address rather than the formali.y OF
"A sermon will enable me 10 introduce top
les and personal "reminiscences OF men
and events which could not logically lie
deduced from any text. ! therefore crave
your indulgence and sympathy while ]
undertake the delicate and difficult task
OF trying 10 frame discourse fun cf per-
sonal recoliections without egotlsm or as
sumption.
AN EARNEST DEPRECIATION.
IF such a feeling were 10 arise In my
mind. all self-gratulation would be in
stantly rebUked by the remembrance OF
the accumulated responsibility incurred
by ministry Of fifty years. When ] call
10 mind the fact that ] have preached to
more souls now gone 10 their final ac-
count than are to be found in this great
assembly OF the living tonight; when i
review the imperfect manner in which
I discharged my trust TO those who are
now beyond the reach OF any influence;
when | am startled by the solemn convic-
ton that my ministry would have been
more useful, both to the living and the
dead, had preached more faithfully. ten
derby. lovingly-while the solemn weight
Of thoughts like these Cypress my sJirit,
be assured there is no room for assunp-
ton or vainglory, whatever room there
may be for penitence and tears II, then.
/ speak OF much that Is personal. / beg
you 10 ascribe II 10 the only purpose j
have In so doing. which Is the better 10
enable me TO portray the history of the
church 10 which have so long ministered.
and TO Illustrate Gods providence and
grace in His dealings with pastor and
people.
THE CALL TO RICHMOND.
II was a singular providence that
brought me 10 this city. AS | drew near
to the end Of my course in the Theologi-
'
Mechsnburg county signined It's wish to
engage me as its pastor as soon as |
obtained my license. Its attention was
called TO me. no doubt. chiefly because 1t
bore the name of both of my grand
fathers: Il was called the Lacy-Hoge
church. About that time, however. the
venerable Dr. Plumer. then pastor OF the
First Presbyterian church in this city.
made a visit to Prince Edward. and told
me I would probably be invited to this
city to become his assistant. assured
him Of my preference for a small country
charge-at least until I gained some eS-
perionce and had composed some sermons.
The Doctor requested a meeting of the
faculty Of the Theological Seminary. OK
planned his wishes TO them, and sent for
me. They united In advising me to 20
to Richmond IN case | received an invi-
tation There was another small church
In another county TO which i had been
recommended. but all prospect Of my set
Element there was blighted by an in
fiuential elder who frankly told the peo-
pie that he did not think me qualified
for the position. Thus in two instances
my desire to become a country pastor
was disappointed
l was licensed to preach at n meeting
of Presbytery in Lynchburg The cir
cumstances were without any parallel.
1t was the same church in which my
father was licensed. and what made the
event unique was the fact that his father
was the moderator of the Presbytery.
and gave the charge 10 his son. Thus
three generations of the same family
were connected 10y this strange sequence
of services In the same church.
CAME HERE IN 1874.
In the year 1874 was invited to Rich
mond by the session Of the First Pres
byterian church. The invitation was ac-
cepted. ana the arrangement made by
which | was TO become the assistant Of
DIR. Plumer until lot could be purchased
and a small building erected. with the
view Of ascer,alning whether another
congregation could be collected IN new
locality. The lot on which the building IN
which we are aOw gathered was pur-
chased. a lecture-room built, Il congrcga-
ton gathered, and on he 9Th of Febru-
AIRY. 1916. | was installed as pastor the
Rev. DR.. Leyourn preaching the ord:na-
ton sermon, DR. Plumer delivering the
charge TO the pastor, and the Rev Viii
liam Lyon the charge TO the PEOPLE. In
a few months II was found tha, the lee
ture-room was too small for the needs
OF the congregation. and plans were
adopted SOr the erection OF Il
more commodious house OF worship.
Mr.. Samuel Z. Halves. the father Of one
OF the officers OF this church. and my
self went TO New York TO obtain Il model
for the new church building. an architect
Of that city was chosen. who drew the
plans. in accordance with which il was
erected. 1t was dedicated 10 the worship
OF Almighty God IN 'he year 1913. dcdica-
ton hymn having been composed by the
late John II. Thompson. and Introduced
into the hymn-book subsequently au-
.horiZed by our General Assembly. IN the
process OF time the cdifce was found too
small for the requirements Of the con-
grgation, and II was enlarged by throwing
q transept across the eastern end, thus
adding two wings TO the building, en-
larging and beautlfying 4 at the same
time. This was done in the most satisfac-
tory manner by Mr. ieorge Gibson. the
only member Of this church present at my
who Is here tonight.
An incident connected with the early
history of the enterprise illustrates the
growth OF our city westward. When the
ulcers OF the First Presbyterian church !
proposed to purchase the lot on which |
his ediiice stands II was earnestly o$- |
'osed by an influential member on the |
round that IL was too far up town. and |
hat congregation could not be gather |
"a at this remote region. Now this |
hurch stands In the centre Of the city
quidistant from the Lee statue on The