Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-03-21
Rev. william II. Lord, ID. ID.

March 18th, a little after the day had begun
to dawn, he ceased from his labors and en-
tered into rest
DIR. LORD was born in Hanover, N. H.,
March II, 1924. He was the fifth son of Rev.
Nathan Lord, d. d., President of Dartmouth
College. He entered college at the early age
of fourteen, and was graduated in the class
of 1912. During his senior year he gave his
heart to Christ and took decided stand as
a Christian. He Immediately formed the
purpose of devoting his life to the preaching
of the gospel, and the next year entered the
Theological Seminary at Andover, where he
was graduated in 1916.
On the LIST of January, 1Si7, in compliance
with an invitation from the First Congrega-
tional church in Montpelier, he commenced
preaching to them. When invited to be-
come their pastor, he hesitated to do so, as
his own health was not good, and there
were in this church and congregation, several
educated men of marked ability, to teach and
edify whom he felt would require hard work
on his part. He, however, preached during
the winter and spring, and after resting
through the summer, by the advice of his
honored father, returned and was ordained
and installed pastor of this church Septem-
Der 90, 1Si7. His entire public and minis
terial Understanding over period of thirty
years-has, therefore, been given to Mont
pelier and Vermont. Only three pastors in
the state in active service have been settled
longer than he was.
DR. LORD received several pressing calls to
other and larger churches. Two or three OF
these he took into careful consideration. But
he was man of very strong home and local
attachments, and had no ambition to be pas
tor of a city church. lie loved the place
where his children were born he loved his
church and congregation with strong and
tender love; he loved the freedom and
fellowship that prevails in our Vermont
churches he loved the green hills, the run
ming brooks and pure air of his adopted state,
and delighted, when worn with study, fish
ing rod in hand, to follow up the mountain
STREAMS W lhell very heauo III Puiouie VI
the silvery trout and natures health-giving
breath he loved the old familiar faces,
those whom he had often met at the prayer
meeting, at the table of the Lord, on the
streets and in the places of business, and
valued highly those bonds of affection and
constantly multiplying and strengthening
lines of influence that Increase the settled
pastors power for good. He knew well that
his church and parish were strongly attached
to him, and he did not feel that the Mas
ter called him to sunder all these sacred ties,
to cast away this power of influence among
his people which had been the growth OF
years, and begin work anew among strang-
ers. And so with a glad heart, he continued
his ministry to the end, with the church OF
his early choice.
At the beginning of his ministry he was
impressed with the conviction that the
preaching of the gospel was the great work
of the minister, and he determined to give
his chief effort to the preparation of his ser
mons. He had high ideal of what a ser
mon should be, and aimed in every sermon
to reach it, This became his fixed habit. HI
never "ro'e i'uoien'iy vi oa'eies''y' ''"p''
10 geo through WIN .ie TASK ne gave III
oeS' '"ous n' anu all '"e energy "e 'o"''
command, to each sermon. The consequence
""' '''.'' ""' 's ''','',, ''"'9 pO"e y
eAp'eSS'oi "'u ina'Aeu i"evo'i'"' gus III
se'i''oNS "e'eoi ""'s' o'uei' ineY were ne'e
ooii'l'o'Pi"oeoi 'eno"''on"'' ou' i'e'"' 'V'o'l
anu Impressive ms "iue ieau'ne anu GU
'i'a'eu .'s'e 'iiaue MN oho'ce Ill MS u'c''o
anu u's''nsu 's"eu MS se',"on' anu prayer
ior 'he apP'opria'eneS', oei'cacy' ioroe an
beauty Vi .ne language III "hicn 'ney wer
cio'neu' inous" ne couiu no' oe oa'ieu vi
piihu ioiio"ei vi uiscipie Vi any man III Ill
'neoios'oai ''e"'' nc was j." 'he hha'n'
via 'cnoo' 'neoios'ar' III 'ne view hneian
use Vi 'ha' 'erni lie srasPeu hrhiy I'll
great doctrines Oh grace OF whlch ohris
ana ms cross are 'he centre lie loved
hoiu this up 10 ms people, ana oleeh ala
WIN power a'iu a'' eho.'oh Una. was DOT
Vi ms own ueeP ooh'i'.'ohS' ne 0e''e'e'
anu therefore he spoke WIN earhes'hess an
erect MS serihohs were wei adapted IL
.he Periec''ns Vi 'ne sSii''s anu ior 'he eu
lying Vi 'he oouy Vi ohi'S'' ne was AWAY
loyal 10 MS iuea oi the preachers gre'
WORK. ana never allowed anything 10 stan
IN the way OIL MS preparation ior MS pulp
When al home' ana IN ordinary health, evei
oaooath morning iound MN with fresh pre-
aratioh lor the services oil the day. l.
loved 10 write ana loved TO preach l.
never TOOK MS pen I'LL MS sermon was tho
oughly IN mind, ana then he wrote 1t OF
WIN great rapldi'y ana often under stror
leerhg, MS sermons consequently were oil
uhguished ior UNITY onward movemer
warmth ana increase OF interest TO the en-
ihough hoe eAceiiing as alogician' MS the
ough preparation, MS quick perceptions al
the mental excitement under which
wrote maze MS discourSes well Jointed'
lec'lVe ana convincing lie not only wro
rapldiy' out accurately lie seldom re-wro
dlscourse' OF maze any Out shght vern
changes IN IT, Ills people were never
wei pleased as when they saw their ov
pastor IN the desk In MS later years
was lea 10 ieel tna' ne nad PROBABLY deVot
700 nt'ie Vi MS 'iihe ana s'rehgth 10 pastor