The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-20
Celebration Father Randsll's Iiae.
tieth Birthday
PRINCIPAL EVENT OF MONDAY At
OLD ORCHARD CAMP GROUND.
"Gladstone of Methodist Church In Maine"
Title Given Venerable Preacher BY DIR.
Bates-Brief Address BY Aged Clergy
man-Temperanoe Address By Francis
Murphy.
ESPECIAL TO THE rnEss.1

Old Orchard, July 19.-Another tenn
perance address by Francis Murphy and
special service in celebration Of the Goth
birthday Of Rev. DR.. D. BIRanda1l Of
Portland. were the chief features-.of to-
days meetings at the camp grounds.
"Father" Randall's anniversary service
took place in the grove In the afternoon.
Rev. DR.. L. B. Bates Of Boston, leader
of the present series Of camp meetings,
presided. There were seated on the stand
beside the aged preacher ten or twelve
clergymen, most Of tbem members Of the
Maine Methodist conference. The speak
ers' stand was decorated for the occasion
with bunting, flags, evergreen and flow
ers. The dates 1907 and 1891 were dis
played in white on green background
and beneath them was the scriptural
quotation, with long life win satisfy
thee" Among the floral decorations
were bouquets comprising 80 blossoms
each.
"The Gladstone of the Methodist
church of Maine," was the title Dr. Bates
gave the guest Of the hour in introducing
him. The audience heartily applauded
and the venerable man bowed his head
in acceptance Of the ovation. He made
brief address in which he alluded to
his early experience In the ministry. He
said he began his ministerial labors SO
years ago and he realized he had been
part of the history of Maine Methodism
The word Methodism he defined as
christianity in earnest The Metho-
dists were early in possession Of the Maine
field, but their doctrine is now pro-
claimed from the pulpit of every evan
gelical church. He cared not whether that
doctrine is called Methodism or Ortho-
doxy or anything else, 90 long as it is the
gospel of Christ. He spoke in the change
in the method Of preaching during his
experience. He often preached his sermons
from texts that were given him after he
entered the church. He did not take
kindly to the reading of written sermons,
but he had lately come to the conclusion
that he was mistaken and that written
sermon may do as much good as one
preached without manuscript, provided
it contains the right material. He spoke
of the old-fashioned Methodist love feasts,
the doors of which were always closed at
a given time, regardless of conditions,
and mentioned one occasion when he
came very near shutting out a belated
presiding elder.
Brief messages of congratulation to DR..
Randall were delivered by Rev. Charles
Munger, Rev. Hezekiah Chase, Rev.
Israel Luce, Rev. W. F. Berry and Rev.
6. d. Lindsay.
Francis Murphys address in the eve
ming was characteristic discourse, spark
ling with. .humor, but fun to the brim
with wholesome advice In the course
of his address he.said the law has done
all it can toward making sober, upright
men. Tho churches and individual
Christians must strive to lead fallen men
into paths of righteousness. He made
an attack on secret organizations, declar-
ing that they have eaten the heart out Of
the church; that when man has paid
his legitimate expenses and then settled
his lodge dues he isn't likely to have
much left for the church. These secret
orders, he added, are doing some good in
their way, but the church of Christ, with
all it's poverty. is doing more to feed the