The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-05
A GREAT LABOR OF LOVE
THE WORK OFDR. HOGE dMONG THE
POOR AND FORSAREN.
uov Rc Eyangelized One of the WORST
sIums of MISUNDERSTANDING "orA
of n Great Life.


ment. TO a simple Sunday story. one
snring afternoon-it seems years ago
lolling as a youth through the great IL
hrarv of the University of Virginia, l put
my hand. in the most desultory KIND OF .
NAV upon a book, wrinkled ana worn
with the years. In the most desultory way
fingered It down from the Shelf, ana IN
the most desultory way l opened Tins
same aimless spring afternoon-so 1uil OF
dreams.
II was a book Of Ponuc legend; the
mage told of St. Giles, he who fed 10
the mountain as hermit and maze
80 for himself. and who lived in much
meeknsss and love with all Goa clea-
lures that even the animals of the forest
knew him. one day a hind was beinb
nlrslfed by the hunters, and instructive
10 IL fled pantingly TO the cave or 81.
Giles into the arms Of the hermit FOR
refuge. The arrow that finally pierced
the heart of the hrlpmate hlnd nIsl
MERGED the hand OF the hermit.
Another spring afternoon, not many
wears after. in the shadow or a sweet
sabbath afternoon, L struggled INTO
church in Richmond. l had been there
before. | knew the man who was the
nreacher WILL. lie was telling, I'm his
ola wav. the old story that he had been
telling for nearly ffty years. only TINS
particular afternoon he was telling
something more.
An announcement rather startling
broke the still chant of the twilight OF
that church OF dreams 10 me.
Rev. DR.. Moses ID. Hoge was telling his
congregation that he was going 10 take
nm a new work, that his mornings and
afternoons belonged TO them, but that
his nights belonged to himself.
He was going every Sunday night 10
preach at Old Market Hail. The old
place away down i'll the bottom between
Shockoe Hill and Church Hill-away
down I'm the bad part OF the town. Floods
from the river had throbbed there, the
surge of the army that swelled into Rich
mond on emancipation day had stopped
in tumult there; political harangueS dur
ING stormy days had been listened TO
from the front, and the gold Of Zeb
Vance's eloauence had been among its
eIories: the boys of Shed-town and Navy
Am and Church Hill had gathered
there to make the plan or rock-Datties
thar came In the wake OF the volley or
the muskets of their fathers. Night was
more restless here than anywhere else
g. Pichmond. and wickedness, II more
reckless was yet more pathetic than IN
opv other section Of Richmond. The po-
Iice court was full OF those who came
fro,, about old Market Hall. Hope had
,,arassed the fevered brow OF this dis
tr,ct until the hand OF Hope had be-
come wrinkled and palsied and hopeless
with sorrow. ,,, 80
lie was. In the locality OF his church
and i'm the personnel Of his listeners. He
was an orator.
Rut. better he was poet, ana better
stiIl. he was a man of the people, bronz-
ed and nervous and tall and more of the
neople than they knew-this man OF clas-
sic dignity.
He went.
n il the story of his going that / wish
10 tell OF. He went some years ago.
Nobody tells Of 1t, and 1t must not be
untold.
have Ionged to tell of it from that
spring afternoon, but have faltered be-
cause il were better not undertaken by
another.
So very recently heard the story from
the llps of the Doctor himself-he having
been drawn into the telling quite uncon-
sciously, | may say.
"How did | do it?" DR.. Hoge asked
mainly in reply to my question.
II went down TO the Old Market Hall
that Monday morning. and saw Major
Poe, the chief OF police. and told him
| wanted to hold meetings in Old Market
Hall every Sunday night. He expressed
surprise, and urged that the place was
full OF plaster and rats and dust and
webs and what not.
81 then went TO a man who consented
to have the place cleaned out: then /
wen TO Mr.. Innman Parker and asked
him for several thousand feet OF lumber
fit for seats; then l went TO the Masonic
Hall, and got the loan OF hundred
stools on which TO rest the plank lumber.
Not many days. and II was all done, and
my Old Market church was ready for my
Old Market congregation.
1T was not long until SUNDAY night.
and felt some misgivings; but put an
invitation Ia the paper TO all the people
to come to the services, though l spe-
cially asked my congregation TO keep
away. I wanted 70 be With those alans