The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-10
stephen Symonds Foster.

Mr.. Stephen Symonds Foster, well known
for his earnest and long continued efforts as an
agitator against slavery, in behalf of temper
ance, and in favor Of woman's rights, died at
his farm in the suburbs of Worcester Wednes-
day night. Mr.. Foster was born at Canter-
bury, N H., Nov. II, 1902 and was, therefore,
in the seventy year of his age. He was
brother of the late Newell A. Foster of this
city, the founder of the Portland Daily PRESS.
Graduating at Dartmouth College in 1888, he
entered upon the study of theology, but for
sock it to take part in the great antislavery
struggle, in which he participated shoulder to
to shoulder with William Lloyd Garrison,
Wendell Phillips and such men. He was
thoroughly earnest in the cause, and has been
spoken of as one of the "sappers and miners
of the anti-slavery army. Courageous in his
opinions, he could withstand friend, be mi
nority of one or face mob, as the case might
be. Even those who opposed his opinions con-
coded his honesty and candor. Earnest and
sincere, he had great power over an audience,
and with many he was popular as speaker.
His GOODNESS in the presence Of a mob is said
to have been phenomenal. 1t will be remern-
bered how, in 1S43 in the old City Hall he was
mobbed by an excited crowd, and how Mrs
Lydia bennett and Mrs Ruth Morrill, stood on
either side of hin to protect him; how he was
hustled off to the house next to the First
Parish church and saved. He was also
mobbed, though not so violently, later in the
old Pearl street meeting house. The follow
ing humorous description of him is from the
pen Of James Russell Lowell:
Smiles the reyiled and peted Stephen,
The unappeasable Boanerges
To all the churches and cierges
The grim sGCGnt, who, to complete
His own peculiar cabinet,
Contrived to label with his kicks
One from the followers of Elias Hicks;
Who studied mineraogy.
Not with soft book upon the knee
But learned the properties of stones
By contact sharp of flesh and bones,
And made the eTl1erimeatana crltcis
With his own body's vital juices
A man with caoutchouc endurance,
A perfect gem for life insurance.
A kind of maddened John the Baptist
To whom the harshest word comes aptest,
Who, struck by stone or brick i'll starred,
Hurls back an epithet as hard,
Which, deadlier than stone or brick,
Has propensity to stick.
His oratory is like the scream
OF the iron horses frenzied steam
Which warns the world to leave space
For the black engines swerveless race
Mr.. Foster was author of book entitled
no DfObheI41OUu 1ul6NSS, d 1rue 1lCbur6
of the American Church and Clergy" and
also wrote a number of articles for various
periodicals. He married Abby Kelly, a kin
dred spirit, December 81, 1915, and has lived
many years on the farm where he died. Mr..
Fosters death was caused by nervous prostra-
ton.
The Worcester Spy says he only stayed one
year at the Union Theological Seminary,
when young man, because he would not re-
nounce his anti-slayery views, and therefore
could not get help from the trust fund of that
Institution. Que Of his first public acts was to
introduce resolution at the American anti
slavery meeting in New York criticsing the
American church and clergy on their position
in regard to slavery. He was most genial and
kind hearted His refusal to vote and nav
taxes resulted primarily from his extreme
views on non-resistance, objecting to the vol
untary support of government of force,
which rests on the military arm for support
He also objected on the ground that women
could not vote on the same terms as men.
Both these objections to supporting the gov
eminent were equally strong with him on con-
scentious grounds. He was great horticul-
turist
He leaves a wife and daughter. A me-
mortal service will be arranged to take place
in Worcester soon.