Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-01-05
Miseella

By yIUNsoN.

IL was many years ago, thst Parse
Eastbrook commenced preaching u.
gospel in the town Of T, = sparsel,
populated town in Maine.
lie wS man OF great native taleai
with excellent reasoning powers; and
enjoyed the reputation OF being a good
Bibliealkcboiar. a--.
The people-wiih few exceptions.
thought that f0rson Eas,brook knew
nearly everything To ,cnnld be known
about Inc Bible, and about the ~clig u
that il taught. The Parson tho. i.ght
differently. He continued studying the
word of God with care, and daily con-
f-ssed his ems and ignorance, with deep
humility
Albeit, he wa. . good man &
times. and always made ii
act up 10 the convictions
Conscience
When l first cav
than three-score
. very tall ma
and well for
world ,a.t ms~
Iii head vas bolos
clVe-fitsins white cspe -
clean.
He was . close siudent.
left his study, sstept wss
him forth. In pleasant w,
would .sbe daily walk ovs 'isI, !,
to see If everything skas yoy '2yF
He visited his parishioners out rsas.?
and had no special desire for coapaass;
He knew how to make himself .sgres
able, when his friends called 70 see him |:
but when engaged iu deep thought, .
he wished to be ''let olons.v 49,.
He was not what tho world csled !
social man; for he made bnt little talk
about business, and never named poll
tics. He was never seen at . social
gathering, aud did not attend "towp
meeting" or vote at the election Oh
State and National oficero
1t wss understood that he was Jack
son Democrat, but nothing that he ever
did. could have produced that impress
sion in the public mind. His children,
without any exception-wsre "Whigs,'
and always voted that ticket, after the
insuguratioo of the party.
As q minister of the gospel, he always
felt that it was his duty, to attend to his
appropriate work, Is he understood it.
He made no effort to give offence. nor
did he shrink from any responsibility
If preaching the truth offended his hear
ers; that, he could not help.
He was of the Congregational order /;
but, unlike his brother ministers, he
| preached "without notes."
His sermons, however, were carefully
prepared; and this was no small task,
as he usually spoke sn hour and half,
and sometimes longer than that.
His Sunday morning prayer in church,
was from thirty five to forty-ive min
utes long. The congregation would
rise. and stand in prayer time, as long as
standing was sndur0ble, and then, ihes
would drop into their seats, one by one
but few church members, possessing
''the spirit Of martyr" would "hold
out to the end"
Parson Eastbrook, was rather Anti
aomian in his faith. lie held that ga
moral man was worse than an immoral
one, and did more harm in the world -
and when infants died, it was not for
him to say, that they az wentto heaven.
He was . very temperate man, ''ior
the times" He eschewed the use of to.
bscco in all its forms; drank very weak
tea and coffee, and only drank thres
glasses Of rum day. He took his liq-
uor immediately bsfore eating, and st
no other ume. A. be did not leave the
house Of worship on the Sabbath 1t
neon, and on that day, took but two
meals, be missed gstsing the third glass,
on the Christian G61bath. :.
He did net prGoeA al the time in one
honse, and nose q TIE houses were
varnsd by Btovs q iaEnaoe.