The Republican journal., 1897-07-15

"These fifty golden links, to-day
Again we thank the Giver.
God lengthen out its span. we pray,
This side the silent river
But when at last beyond Earth's strand
In his fair home you gather,
There still that chain, golden band,
Will link your hearts together
Letters from distant friends were read,
followed by remarks by Rev. Seth H. Beale
Ice cream and cake were served and
pleasant social hour enjoyed. Contributions
from friends abroad amounted to about $50.
Mr.. Wilson was born in Union, Maine,
April 20, 1918. At the age of "a he was
licensed to preach and at 80 he joined the
Maine Conference. So far as known, he is
the only one of the class now living. When
the Conference was divided, he became a
charter member of the East Maine Confer
ence. His father and grandfather were local
preachers his only brother, Rev. Otis R. Will
son, was beloved member of the East Maine
Conference for twenty-five years; and
cousin, Rev. W. l.. Brown, is at present an
efficient member. With ministerial ances-
try it is not strange that he found his wife
in Methodist parsonage. Sedela R. Fol-
lett was sister of the wife of Rev. David P.
| Thompson with whom she made her home
until she became the wife of Mr.. Wilson,
July 10, 1S47. Although for so years she has
! been the wife of minister, and in much of
the time that position meant almost yearly
moves from one parish to another, often
over rough roads for long distances through
the wilderness, she now declares that if she
| hnI how fn +, "a
marry a Methodist minister. 1t may be
owing to this cheerful view that both her
daughters are the wives of minsters-Rev.
II. W. Brown and Rev. c. 81. Smith of the
New England Southern Conference. She
confesses that her greatest hardship has
been to leave dear friends and go among
strangers her greatest comfort in being "a
co-laborer in building up the church, and in
the possession of so many friends wherever
she has lived. Beside the daughters above
mentioned, two others are waiting "beyond
| the river"
In the family connections of Mr.. and Mrs.
Wilson there are, or have been, twelve
ministers or local preachers; and as there
are three grandsons, the family trait may
| w PSA PSp.tooSo' "A SiiAi1''S VI 4Ai' w AlooA
early struggles and victories may be given
in his own words as reported in the current
issue of Zion's Herald
my work at Belfast 1851 is one of the
| most interesting to me. After four weeks of
revival effort with but little success, few
earnest friends gathered in the parsonage to
| spend the whole night in prayer. just as
the first beams of the rising sun appeared,
the light of victory flooded our waiting
souls, and we We're sure that we had pre-
vailed with God. That very night sinners
were at the altar, and for weeks the tide of
| salvation rolled on.
| Every church in the city gathered from
that harvest, but enough remained to over
| flow our house of worship, and it was soon
decided to build a new church. That meant
the tug of war. All went we'll until enemies
| tried to instl spirit of distrust among our
| workmen, and strike was threatened. 1t
was reported that the whole enterprise was
about to fail, and the brick walls, nearly
raised, would be left as monument to the
| failure of Methodism. With my sub
scription list 1 canvassed the city to collect
| enough to pay the workmen in full on Sat.
urday night. At four o'clock that after
noon, in spite of the most strenuous efforts,
I lacked one hundred dollars. A man stop
| ped me on the street and gave twenty-five
dollars, but felt that if l lacked dollar
| the scale would tip against me.
| 1 stood in my door and watched the
men on the building, while my soul cried
out, % Lord, must this work stop for the
want of a few dollars? What shall do?
Something said, Go to the post-office.' l
dashed the tears from my face and hurried
down the street. In my box was letter
| from Boston. | opened it with trembling
hands, and 10! it was from Jacob Sleeper
and contained a check for one hundred dol
lars. Saved l looked again to make sure
that L wasi not dreaming, then / she uted
| Glory to God,'
! The bank was closed, but got the check
cashed and went to the church. People had
gathered to see that great Babel FAIL and
the workmen We're ready to leave without
| warning. One man said, 'Mr. Wilson, I'll
work as long as you wish and not mention
wages till the church is done. Thank you,
my man. said l, you shall lay the last
| brick
| Great surprise was manifested when I
| paid every bill, and the men, promising to
! make no further trouble, were glad to con-
tinue the work AS they We're dispensing l
took the twenty-five dollars which l had
cashed in small bills, and suddenly wound
them through my fingers so that they pre-
| sented a striking appearance. Immediately
a loud-spoken Irishman exclaimed: BE
| jabers an look at his fist! Sure an he
could pay us all over again an have some
lift'
From that day we had ali the credit we
| needed. The work was accomplished and
| the church still stands, to me monument
of that day when the hand of the Lord turn.
ed the tide of battle"
| Mr.. Wilson was an active worker in the
| temperance cause and on one occasion, in
| Ellsworth, plan was laid by his enemies to
take him from the pulpit and tar and feather
! him. His friends heard of the scheme and
rallied at the church in such numbers that
the attempt was not made. We quote
f,,r% %bar
| change of climate being necessary for
his wife's health, Mr.. Wilson went West in
65, joining the West Wisconsin Conference.
| After three years he was transferred to the
| Wisconsin Conference, Of which he is still
member in the superannuated relation. For
| four years he was a missionary in western
| Nebraska. He organized many new circuits
on the frontier, riding from point to point
over desolate praires, sometimes liz danger
| of attack from the Sioux, who were then on
| the war-path. A buffalo hunt was an epi.
| sode that proved him able to bring buffalo
| to his knees, as we'll as sinner. That be-
| ing in the grasshopper years, the settlers en-
dured many privations. Mrs Wilson prov
ed her ability to live on pioneer fare, and
shared many of the long prairie rides; but
| being partially restored, they returned to
| Wisconsin. Later it again seemed neces-
| sary to change climate. Mr.. Wilson took
superannated relation, and for several years
served as a supply in the Dakota Confer
| ence. His presiding elder wrote of him: