Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-12-25
Rev. William Frazier Peters.

TaT0OUS UtdkCT
the world needed was not new truth, but
truth illumined by being personified in a
life, A disinterested regard for the vel
fare of others calls for more emphasis OF
this kind to-day.
This seems to have been a leading prin-
cipIe in the life of the late Rev William
Frazier Peters. His father, il is said, lost
his life because of his efforts in behalf OF
the negroes. The same earnest Thought
fulness for those in whom he became in
terested characterised the son. In early
life he concluded the surest way TO make
others happy was to induce them 20 come
into harmony with the laws of God. This
conclusion led him into the Gospel minis
try. He received his preparatory training
at Cook Academy and Starkey seminary,
New York. He studied Theology at the
Christian Biblical Institute, N. T., under
the broad minded and whole-souied Or.
Craig. Occasionally Mr.. Peters suspend
ed studies to supply pulpits for short
time as at Woodstock and at Bradford, Vt.
in 1880.
In Jan. 1882 he accepted a call to the
pastorate of the Christian church at West
Randolph, VT. It became to him not only
a parish but also home and his interest
in if never tagged while be lived. In Feb
1883, h. left West Randolph to resume his
studies. In the summer he was taken
with rheumatic fever while visiting 81 the
house of DR.. Weston at Stanfordyille, n.
Y. DR.. Weston and family treated him
like a son and nursed him back to life. He
soon took up course of special studies
under DIR. and Mrs, Weston and IN Sept.
1884 entered Union College, n. y, but IN
Feb 1885 he was called to his brother who
Law diving at Los Angeles, California. His
brothers death affected him so much that
he could not resume his studies at once.
Learning this, the church at Schultzville,
N. Y, (Which he had supplied in the
summer of 1891 sought to secure him for
its pastor. As the work was light, he
remained with it for one year, during
which the attendance at the services was
more than trebled, fifteen persons entered
upon new life and were received by him
as church members while spiritual inn
petus was given to the whole community.
But his first parish had for him charm
possessed by no other and in April 1886 he
again became pastor of the church at w.
Randolph. To the readers of this article,
no statement concerning the work there
is necessary. His success, which was
marked and real, was secured in the face
of great disadvantages. Nature had be-
slowed on him strong muscular system,
a well knit frame but these were counter
acted by weakness Of lungs which was
as usual accompanied by lack of power
in the organs OF digestion. This left him
but a small stock OF vitality on which to
draw so that his spirit often had cause to
fret at the inability of his body to obey
the commands Of the mind.
People frequently spoke of the agreea-
BILE WAYS and personal magnetism Of cur
friend. Though these were marked and
strong, they had their root and strength
in his disinterested regard for those 10
whom he was drawn. Each one became
to him personal friend and he seemed
able to put himself so effectively in his
friends place that that friends trials and
joys and SORROWS became his
own for the time being. This caused pco-
pie also to feel that he was really interest
ed in them and actually desired their well
fare. His interest was not in the people
nor was it so much, as
church, that he thought OF his congrega-
ton. but as individuals having personal
Joys and sorrows which were to him
seemingly just as real as to the subjects
of them. This was especially true in re-
gard to the people OF the church at West
Randolph. Often during the years that
he was away from them did he spend ma
ny anxious hours thinking over the trials
OF some of his old friends.
He sorrowed deeply over spiritual cold
ness and was always gladdened by every
made by others. BY this
strong fellow feeling, he lived to large
extent in the lives Of his friends, sorrow
ing and rejoicing with them and for them.
Mr.. Peters had the natural qualifications
OF great preacher. sympathetic thought,
a clear intellect, very fertile imagina-
ton, quiekness OF Judgment and that rare
Of voice which by its tone en-
abled the hearer to feel the thought the
desired to express. Blended with
this was burning desire for the spiritual
welfare Of the people.
4 a. "A taNaf Aas
lack OF physical energy, for he could only
do a small share of the task he desired to
accomplish when he would be compelled
to rest. Besides, the necessity that had
rested upon him for years, of attending to
his health, prevented him from develop
ing those powers, which would bad be been
have placed him in the front
rank OF the Gospel ministry.
His sympathetic nature told heavily on
his health. The power 20 soothe and
comfort others was used at the expense OF
energy that was needed Tor existence. Yet
it reminds us OF st. Paul's Willingness To
spend and be spent for the Church at Cor
NTH. Our brother has now been called to
a higher service than fell TO his lot here
and the veil obscures him from our vision.
During his life the spirit in him could on
ly reveal itself to us in actions not always
by us. Now he has passed in
10 INT DISetHNC VI MN " lOht tAAt NAttsN
affirmed to be the God of the living and
Of the dead. We speak OF him as dead but
the life he lived among us still speaks. We
believe also that the spirit, now free from
the weak tenem ent in which il dwelt here
is able to do the will of God to the full
extent of its desire and that to our friend
is given a knowledge of Him whom he
desired others to know, that cannot be
by us till we too shall have pass
ed from the land Of shadows to that in
which the inhabitants shall not say, 81 am
sick" and "where the will of God is zone
to such an extent that it satisfies the de-
sire even of Him who is the image of the
invisible God, the first born of all crea-
tures.n JOHN McCAIMAN.
Resolutions.
WHEREAS, Intelligence has reached us