The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-15
TspEcIAL TO THE pREss.]

Bath, Me, October Il. There are some
remarkable features about the career OF
the Rev. F. W. O'Brien in the city of
ship yards. MI. O'Brien's methods to
begin with are novel and apparently ssuc-
cessful, for the meetings which he holds
in the theatre are largely attended and
the contributions are said to be large.
clergyman who is the pastor Of an Advent
church and supplies the pulpit of a Free
Will Baptist meeting house. But perhaps
the most remarkable thing about his
labors here is that he has been openly
charged by Bath clergymen with grave
immortality. Mr.. O'Brien is the man
whose recent utterances on church fairs
attracted some attention and whose
harvest festivals at which people are
asked to give food, clothing and other
necessaries for the poor are just now the
prominent feature of his work. When he
hears of destitute family he prays that
they may be given barrel of -four, or
whatever they are most in need OF, and
charitable people have evidently answered
many of these prayers, as was shown by
the contributions made at his recent
meetings.
MIR O'Brien is young man. apparent
ly still under thirty. He is native OF
Ireland and lived in Dublin until about
seven years ago. Then he came to this
country. He is thick set man, with
smooth shayen face and thick black hair
He has the appearance of man VINO Is
ready and entertaining talker.
Mir. O'Brien said today to PRESS
correspondent that he had no intention OF
becoming clergyman until three or four
years ago. He said that he had done
religious work since then in Connecticut
and New York and in Maine. He began
his labors in this state by holding meet
ings in Brunswick and Topsham. From
there he came to Bath to hold meetings
in the Elm Street Baptist church and for
about-a year past has been settled IN this
city, acting as pastor OF the Advent
church and pulpit supply for the Corllss
street Free Baptist parish. Some months
ago, finding his meetings growing too
large to be accommodated IN el6her OF
these places of wor ship, he secured the
use Of the Opera house for the Sunday
evening services These services are at
tended by audiences which fill the house
and include people from all walks OF life,
but at the same time there are now as
there have been in the past, large num-
ber of Bath people who do not regard the
Young preacher as a desirable addition to
the list of the local clergy.
ssMy work is not denominational, said
MI. O'Brien, land l claim to be a
minister of the true gospel. l take no
stated salary for my labors, but l have
not been allowed to suffer. When the
Opera house was hired l believed that
means would be found to sustain the
work and we have always managed to
nav the bills from the contribution OF the
people and have something over take
nothing for myself until all the other ex-
penses have been met My people only
the other day gave me a lounge and a
lamp and recently they Thought my room
needed furnishing and made me present
of the furniture Through the grace Of
the Spirit we have been able to do great
good in Bath, converting some who have
been very bad men. The contributions
made for the use of the poor are dis
tribused by the mem bers OF the Ladies'
Circle of my church and without regard
to the creed or sect of the recipients. At
the meeting last night, there were given
four barrels of -four. fruit and clothing
and other things. AS the night was very
stormy, l shall repeat the meeting this
evening. I have jast been down town to
make the arrangements.
This statement was borne out by the
large placards hung Oh the street cars
announcing that the Middle street church
would hold a harvest festival at the Opera
house at 1880 this evening.
The clergy Of the city have objected
on two grounds to receiving Mr.. O'Brien