Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-07-04
EARLY coNeRseAIloNAlIsIs.

Paper. "kAriy ministers Of The Oxford ConGre
gs1onal Conference ~ I remember them read
adversary Of the conference as Rnmford Point ]
Rev. John Elliott Vas pastor OF the
Coneregatioualist church In this town
ls79,-twenty and one-fourth years. His
birthplace Was nottingham, n. II. The
date Of his birth VAS Oct. 9Th, 1901.
Three years later he moved with his
parents 70 Newcastle, Ne.
He received . good academic educa-
ton, attended school at Lincoln, Cor
ham and Pennington. One Of the great
disappointments OF his life Was his
fAilure to enter college. The cause Of
this disappointment Vas III health. /
hrst saw him In June, 1874, twenty-five
years ago. To me the meeting Was Q
happy one. seem to see him nov, his
white hair like . crown Of glory cover
ING his head, his body erect, . smile
resting upon his face, pleasant words
flowing from his lips. All this condrm-
ed the reports had heard OF him that
he Was . man Of God. From that day
until the day OF his death it WAS my
privilege 20 meet from time TO time Bro.
John Elliott, and never without profit to
myself. We visited each Others homes,
exchanged pulpits and trust were olest
with the assurance we were one 10
Christ. For more than twenty years he
walked the streets OF this pleasant VIII
hse, for one-ffth OF century he stood
behind this pulpit and preached the Cos
pei Of the Son Of God. He WAS often
called 70 speak words Of comfort 70 the
afflicted. He could and did tell them OF
. God and Saviour that loved and pitied
them and he could and did enter into
their sorrows, and bear their burdens.
He Was greatly beloved by the people Of
Rumford. well remember the sorrow
that entered the hearts Of the people
here when Il Was announced on the
morning Of March 18th, 20, that be had
gone from this TO the Heavenly Country.
His wife Was an elect Christian lady.
Rev. Calvin Chapman. first met him
In Andover In ISIS. He was At that time
acting pastor Of the CongregationAlist
church In that town. His pAstorate
there covered only the space Of two
years. He Was = good preacher, an ex-
celleut scholar, pleasant neighbor, and
. kind hearted man. He has since enter
ed the rest Of the faithful.
Rev. :. W. Pearson, who for i've years
was = member OF this conference, was
Mr.. ChApman's successor and served the
church In Andover faithfully and weh.
i know Of no minister or lsyman who
lives nearer Christ than Bro. Pearson
did and does to-day. His home Is in
Brunswick.
Rev. David Garland was thirty-eight
years pastor OF the Second Cougregs-
tional Church in Bethel. IL Was my
privilege 10 meet him In 1874. As l con-
versed with him I learned his early
home Was New6eld, Maine. also
learned he MAS q graduate from Amherst
College and from Andover Theological
Seminary. In his early life he served
the Congregational churches In South
Salem and Sweden, Maine. He also
preached one year in Burlington, Mass.
He commenced his lAbors in Bethel In
1919, Mr.. Lsphsm in his history Of
Bethel says Of him: During his pastor
ate In Bethel be attended seventy ses-
sions Of the county conference. united In
marriage one hundred and ninety couples
and ofiiciated at five hundred funerals"
i knew him TO be faithful minister Of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
He impressed me as q man that pos
sessed large amount Of the greatest and
best OF al the Christian graees, which 10
charity. He Was loyal to his church,
believed her doctrines, loved her polity,
but besides all this be loved all that were
the image Of his Master.
Iwen remember the thick pail Of dark
ness that rested upon Us when the uews
spread over Maine and New England
that Father Garland's redeemed spirit
had ascended from the church In Bethel
TO the Paradise OF God. To him sudden
death WAS sudden glory. His widow
still lives In Bethel.
G. B. HANNAFORp.