The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-18
patrons Of the Methodist and Episcopal

patrons of the Methodist and Episcopal
churches OF Richmond, whose purpose
was to ennrbe them respectively. to re-
celve and hold bequests In addition TO
those permitted by the law. II was said
to have been reported fnvornbly by tho
committee In charge OF tho House of
Delegates for lts action, when the people
generally sounded the alarm, until 1t
spread from congregation to congresn-
ton, and reused the pulpit to battle. Tho
Rev. DR.. Plumer Illuminated the thundcrs
OF his church so persistently night after
nIght--urgcd such potent objections to
the bIll--as to arrest any hasty action
supposed by some to be already within
the contemplation OF the legislature. The
First Presbyterian Church WAS thronged
as never before by its own members, as
we'll as by those out, OF the church, who
trooped thither from every respectable
quarter of the city. The parson might
have gone before the committee with his
protest and his arguments, but he chose
no ito do so. The committee, mt length con-
cluded to invite him, and the counsel for
the churches, Messrs. Lyons and Macfar-
land to discussion in the Hall of the
Delegates. When this had been printed
abroad everybody of intelligence expect
ed, and some predicted a woeful defeat
for the parson. who said, would be rs
a pigmy in the hands OF two lawyers who
not only knew law but how to chop logic
with the smartest.
Long before the appearance Of the de-
bates the house was crowded to Its ut
most by the elite of the city. The pres
cnce OF ladies in large numbers lent a
sweetness to the shifting atmosphere or
the over-crowded hall.
The clerks desk had been loaded down
early in the day with what were sup
posed by many to be the law books of
counsel for the churches. But when the
parson took his stand behind them, some
one near me remarked: "They are the
parsons law books. Now, let us see II
he can handle them like the lawyers"
The event proved that he did handle
them-they were mostly theological his
tories-in such a way as not only to sur
prise the lawyers, but Others not SO well
informed. The main points of DR..
Plumer's argument may be briefly stated
thus:
The principle OF the statutes OF Mort
main is found in the reply of Jesus to the
Pharisees: Render to Caesar the things
that are Caesars, and to God the things
that are Gods" The separation of
Church and State springs from this root,
and by enactment is as old as the English
Church itself. 1t Is true that little harm
may come to either of the two powers so
long disjoned should the bill become
law, but the whole history of the print
tive church tells us how little by little It
a1nassed immense wealth until at length
1t became a power in the State greater
than the State itself. Upon the conclu-
sion of the Doctors speech. or sermon.
whichever you will, all OF the assembly
seemed to be OF one mind-he had won
his case.
Mr.. mcfarland was dumfounded. Not
SO his associate. who, unhapply for him
SELF rallied his opponent on his likeness
to Don Quixote. The reverend gentle
man reminded him OF that famous knight,
who. mounted on RosInante and squirrel
by Sancho. went hither and thither in
search OF adventures, not caring whom
he attacked. so that the person or thing
happened to be in his way. Twas now
a flock of sheep, which he mistook for
an army, and now windmill he fancied
to me huge giant, etc. etc. The par
sons repartee to this was as felicitous
as any moroccan that ever fell from NOR
tai lips. Rising up very meekly from his
seat at the clerks table, he said the COM
parison SO facetiously suggested by the
learned counselor is not altogether of the
fancy. My figure. like that of the re-
doubtable knight, own, Is lank and
lean; my Yisage possibly as sorrowful;
my temper as irascible and urgent when
wrongs are to be redressed. The horse
l sometimes back when taking the coun-
try air is as sorry beast as Rosinante.
and only lack squire. like Sancho, to
complete the fanciful picture
So striking is the verislmiltude suggest
ed. so pertinent, indeed, that I trust 1
shall not be deemed too cencorious IL I
own that when came here and looked
upon the formulate array Of counsel for
the two churches, expected to encounter
the giants of the law. and 10! my lance
has been broken upon the windmills!
This sally was received with laughter
and cheers by the audience; the bill was
no more heard of in committee. or in the
Legislature.
The Rev. w. s. Plumer. D. D.. LID.
professor of pastoral and casnistic theol-
ogy In Columbia Seminary. died at an
advanced age In 1850.