Page 18 - YB1900

Returning to Westrniuster, the young doctor at once secured a large practice, the growth of which, from year to year, made such demands upon his health and strength that he was about to retire in 1867 aIHIremove to Virginia, when, fortunately for the town, the caehiership of the Union National Dank was offered to him and accepted. This posi- tion he still holds, and although his financial duties have withdrawn him from the regular practice of medicine, Dr. Hering has never lost interest in his old profession or failed to keep step with irs progress, and as consulting physician his services have been in constant demand. In the work ofthe Methodist Protestant Church.orwhich in early life he became H member, Dr. Hering has always tilken an active, and, by vir-tueof his abilities, a conspicuous part, and the estimation in which he is held by that body is best shown by the tact that in 1.892 he was elected presi- dent of its General Conference and reelected in 1896, being the only layman ever chosen for that office and the only person eve]"reelected to it, Though always a Democrat of a somewhat pronounced type, Dr. Hering withstood the solicitations of his party to stand as candidate for office until 1895, when, to enable it to pluck success out of the jaws of defeat, he reluctantly accepted the nomination for State Senator and was, of course, elected. Equally, of course, he became, cluriug his legislative career, the acknowledged leader of his party in the Upper House. and thus became so widely and favorably known thoughout the State that in 1899 his nomination and election as Comptroller followed-also as a matter of COurse. Dr. Hering's reputation as a financier had previouslybeen established, not only by the successful management of his bank, but by an address delivered before the State Bankers' Association in 1898, which won him the presidency of that -:·10 -1-