Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-06
REV. N, D, HOGE DEAD,
CONTINUED FROM FIFTH PAGE,

Davis. With an sbsulng CONVECTION y.
the Justice OF the Soutn cause anu 90
tnter<o admiration for the heroic oeNo-
tion az Mr.. Davis. he spoke In no I'M
certain tone: vet the address was chafaS-
terized by such perfect taste. eio"ine
win such lofty sentiments OF PATRIOTISM
thar ono never heard OF an ADVERSE cri..
c.srn. even from the bitterest enei'''''
Of tho Confederacy's CHER hxecue'so.,
At the commencement at Nasnl"e ~. ""
and Lee University about 1900 nc We"
the orator of the occasion ~ "as : ~.
crahio event. being the first time that
General Lee had presided. with match-
less grace and dignity he introduceo .no
srcaker. A vast audience OF representa-
tive people from all parts OF tho county,
was nresent. Dr. Hoge was In splenu,e
forn. and for more than an hour ne heIu
,ba great assembly spellbound WIN the
w,toherv OF his matches power. Oiie
vbo was reporting that speech Tor
Richmond paper says OF II: Il foilo"eo
The speaker for awhile with my notes,
hut rave up the undertaking IoVAos
around. the other reporters hao u'opp-u
tbeir pencils. l said 10 one OF one ~
WHY don't you report the speech re
replied: I can't report the su'e''e
mountain torrent ~.. ~
one OF the most
Dr Hoga was in 1876, at the centennial
celebration OF Hampden-Sidney Cohege;
He was on his old tramping- GROUND anu NJ
The friends Of his boyhood He gave 'ge
"reminiscences OF the old college. me ae-
orcss was intensely interesting spaIh-
ling glowing and facetious. He reiated
Great many amusing things. In speahlhs
m The changes he told how old MI.
Ritchis of the Enquirer, had announced
in his paper as a startling piece OF new
ina, n steamboat was approaching l'lch7
mond at q wonderful rate OF speed-seNsn
miles an hour up stream. He sald IN GU
times when the General Assembly OF 'iIO
church met I'm Philadelphia, Dr. Aiexan-
der was always sent as deieSate liVn'
his presbytery, because he was tie ohiy
member Of the body who knew the way.
ORTHODOX; NOT sEcTARIAN.
DIR. Hoge was thoroughly orthodox. NO
member Of the Westminster Assembly
was more so. nor more devoted 10 tno
Presbyterian polity, but he had ho'i I,.s
of the narrowness Of sectarlah' l ne
christianity was broad enough TO embrace
oil vcho love Christ. As a consequence
he was beloved and admired by al oe
nominations. and members or otner
churches were constantly found among
his CONGREGATIONS His success as
preacher was due 10 a variety on causes
nJ Of which conspired 10 make MN d
great pulpit orator. His profound chris
ttan experience and his thorough kHo"l-
edge of the human heart enabled MN 70
suit the Gospel message TO every class VI
sinful humanity. It.
HIS mind was eminently logical, but ms
reasoning was overlaid with an exquislte
rhetoric. which, while It detracted hothins
from It's strength. impaired 20 1t never
falling charm. -, a,--
A ripe scholar, he enriched ms uls
courses with treasures gathered III ever
field OF knowledge, but whatever Pdsseu
through the mint Of his mind came out
impressed with the stamp OF ms genius;
His unerring Judgment and taste enapled
him ~ select for his quotations the best
thoughts OF the best authors, and his IL
lustrations beautihed while they illumi-
rated his subject He kept fully abreast
of the times. and invariably recognized
and attacked the mutiform foes or a
pure Christianity. whether open or covert
HIS POWER OF DESCRIPTION
DR.. uoge exceled in his powers OF de-
scrlptjon. With a few bold strokes, anu
with the hand Of an artist he could bTlns
ont his plctures with wonderful distinct
ness and power, and added the shadlns
with delicacy Of touch which bespoke
the master. He usually spoke without d
manuscript, and this gave fuil play 10 F"
voice and action which were exactly SUIT
cd IN be vehicles of his eloquent thougnts,
His preaching satisfied both the intellect
ana the heart, however enlarged tLey
might be. 20 ,,,s
No more conclusive evidence or his
mower as an orator could be gwen IMAM
the eagerness with which the people
among whom he had always mllhstereu
crowded 10 hear him. They never treu
of his preaching. and no stranger WI.
might occupy his pulpit, however gred'
his reputation, could draw the eNuaoI'
binary congregations OF the pastor
IN POSITIONS OF HONOR.
DIR Hoge had often been appointed 10
nositions of honor and responsibility pS
tho Southern General Assembly OF th'
Presbyterian Church. In $50 ne was
unanimously elected to the moderator
chair in the assembly, which met IN St
Louis. In 1876 when the assembly con
yensd in Savannah Ca. he advocated an'
osrr,ad NV overwhelming majorities tive
measures, greatly opposed at that tim'
nv some OF the most distinguished mem
hars These were the establishment o.
ofraternai relations'-nOt organic
union"-with the Northern Presbyterian
Church. and the sending OF commission
ers 10 represent the Southern Church II
alliance of the reformed churches or ths
world. In 1877 ne was q delegate TO the
Pan-Presbyterian Council, which met II
Edinburgh.
CONWAY'S GRAPHIC LETTER,
very graphic letter was written b.
~ and extensively
published IN this country, describing DI
Hoge's appearance and the effect Of
speech he delivered in the council, espe
cially the impression produced when n
spoke OF the old Bible which one of hi
family ancestors, fleeing from persecu
ton. had carried to Holland-the Bib
often wet with the salt spray of the sea
and the salt tears Of the sorrowing exiles
its leaves yellow with age, and the name
OF the family register faded and dim, bu
bright, as the speaker believed, in IN
Book OF IAfe.
DR.. Hoge was also delegate TO IN
meeting OF tho Evangelical Alliance
which met in New York in 1873, In whio
he made an address in vindicadon OF IN
civilization Of the South. He also attend
ed tho Alliance OF the Reformed Churche
of the World, which met in Copenhage
I'm 1884, and made there an address, whic
obtained for him an invitation TO Wis
the Crown Princess OF Denmark at III
Palace
He was sent as a commissioner 10 tn
Alliance OF the Reformed Churches. whic
convened in London in 1888 and his sui
1ect before that body was '"rhe AntagC
nisms OF Society and How TO Reconoi
Them"
His last mission OF the kind was eigt
years ago. when. at the Conference {