The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-09
Member Of Maine Con-
ference II Years.
Prominent Figure in His Denom-
ination During This Time.


IL AhhnhatAy th0 NNC@tGu AtttnoblSb MIN Is
ter died here today, aged So years. DIR.
Randall has been In his usual hea IL this
Summer and last Monday attended a
meeting OF the Epwerth league at the
camp grounds where ne pronounced bene-
dietion. He was down stairs as usual
to-day, and about O'Clock complained Of
feeling tired and said that he would
TO his room and 90 to bed. He went Up
stairs wit out assistance an laid " n
An hour later he passed away very
quietly, like one going 10 sleep ThA
machinery which has been so active in
humanity's behalf for more than three.
quarters Of century ceased to move.
Rev. d. B. Randall d. ID. was born
in Hard wick, Caledonia county, VT, July
is, 1907, but In 1910 his parents re-
moved to Dsnville, and the future
preacher spent his boyhood days there.
At Is he was apprentlosd to "A black
smith. All the work was then done with
the sledRe, weighing 10 pounds, and the
boy soon broke down and was Esent to
school.
He was educated In the public schools
of the town and In private school,
made good use of his time, and at the age
of IS began the study OF the law In the
Office of William Mattocks of Danville.
One year later the young law student
attended Methodist camp meeting and
was converted, and united with the
church in Danvills.
That was the experience OF many of the
early Methodist preachers, the oampmeet-
ing being the great battlefield Of the
church. Prior to his joining the Metho-
distss young Randall had attended the
Congregational church.
His grandfather, the famous Elder RAN
dali. was the founder Of the FreewilI
Baptist church, and 1t was natural that
tine church Of his choice should think
that he would turn his attention to the
work OF the ministry.
He felt that his duty lay In that direo-
ton, ana SO his law books were thrown
aside, never to be taken up again, and
for few months he gave his attention to
the study of such books as were then Civ
en- to those who aspired to he preachers.
The work of the ministry of the
Methodist church was then exactlng,
and the reward but small. He could
hardly look forward 10 even q fair sup
port for himself.
The Methodist church in those days
had no use for man who was not will
ingsto give himself entirely to the eau
and believed that every man should
Improve his gitt.'
The young student was In tact at oncs
student. and aipreaoher, and was soon
called to the active work OF the ministry.
He was ordained before he was quite
20, and in July, 1928 Joined the New
England conference thus making him
the oldest Methodist preacher in Maine
at theti of his death.
Maine was calling for working minis.
tiers, and he was soon transferred to the
Maine conference, and has lived here ever
state could be written without giving
him high place among the distin-
guished preachers here.
In August, 1898. he attended his first
conference In Mains, and was sent to
Fairfield. his first regular charge. The
year before he Joined the conference he
travelled on the Landau, N. H. district,
and received for his services $3.50.
He knew by experience bettsr than to
look for a.high salary, but he was al
lowed at Fairfield 500 year. 1t should
be understood that, like the district
school teacher, the minister ''boarded
around.''
He was allowed sl00-that is, IL he
could get 1t. but as DR.. Randall. said
once, didn't get IT."
His first New Hampshire circuit en-
braced ~ towns, and SO he was in some
measure used to minis.ering to scatter