The Portland daily press., 1900-01-29
ON REV. DIR. FIELD.
His Life and Character Subject Of
Lecture ny Rev. DIR. Fem.

His Life and Character Subject OF
Lecture ny Rev. DIR. Fem.
Rev. DIR. Fem lsotared last evening
at the High street church on the life and
character Of Rev. George ". Field, ID.
D.. Of Bangor, who was we'll known
and much beloved In this city ~ he was
throughout the state. He said that there
WAS . peculisr charm about DR.. Field
~ Q preacher, which It 10 difficult to ex'
plain. Many men were more able, but
not 90 charming. Many were grand, but
did not possess the fascination which CHAR
acterized him. Some women are beauti-
full, but they do not possess this qualiaca-
tion which plain woman may have.
DIR. Field was thoroughly unsslish.
"None whom have ever known" said
DR.. Fem, "were at all like him. He
com bined some Of the most contrary ele-
ments In his character. He was weak In
person. In health and In looks, but he had
q peculiarly strong frame and iron quail.
ties. He was feminine to degree. yet
masculine and strong. He was appar
emily ohildlike and easily deceived, yet
he was Infinitely shrewd, subtle and
| wise. He appeared to be utterly artlsss,
yet he was a student Of the human heart
and exceedingly artful. He was gentle
in character and soft In speech, yet at
times he was eIoesdingly brusque In
manner. He was charitable to o fault
and at other times he could scarcely re-
strain himself when he spoke Of crime,
injustice or wrong doing. He was q man
Of thin voice apparently, yet at times
he Numbered forth his eloquence.and
bis voice rang true. and pealed with in
finite power.
preached on until he was 20 years Of age,
and Was sick but few months before
the end. Men regarded him az trans
parent, yet he was entirely inscrutable.
He looked to DO antique In his last days.
ana yet no preacher in this state was 80
progressive al up TO date as he. lie
was as wise as serpent and as harm less
as dove. What combination Of para
doxes was to DO found In him?"
He was sensitive to his defects and
was hurt by consciousness Of his own
imperfeotion. He had that kind OF hui
NOR which made him aware that he
could see himself as others saw him, and
yet he could make every one OF his i'm
Projections oo.efflcient and make his
weaknesses play for him. He loved the
beautiful In literature. was 10 aster OF
French and loved the language for its
refinement. He WINS q master Of rhsto ic
and II any man could fulfill the art OF
putting things SO as to make them tell,
DR.. Field was possessed OF IL.
His great power lay in the pulpit. He
loved nature and was never ashamed TO
build up spiritual truth on this foun-
dalton. He wss humorous yet he never
used 1t in the pulpit in an unssemly
manner. He was q master OF irony and
as highly possessed Of 1t as any man
l have ever known. His sermons We're
uholeso without sentiment and rang
true. He was liberal and rejoioed In his
liberty. He was liberalizing as well, as
the wonderful address he delivered before
the Theological school at Bangor on the
relations OF the Old Testament to the
New will prove. In handling u subject
he would approach the lodge and the
gates would open to him. He would
pause to play with the children, to ad-
mire the flowers and the doors OF the
house would fly open of their own &C.
cord to him and you would enter with
him TO sit down to feast OF reason and
flow of soul. His prayers were rs 70 mark
able as any other parts OF his power. he
talked with God and rs he talked the
gates opened and you went with him be-
fore the throne and you heard the Voice
as plain as ever man spoke.
Dr. Fsnn spoke of q wonderful prayer
of DR.. Fields made at political con-
ventiou at Bangor, when the state wa 3
In grave peril. "And as he prayed men
who were not accustomed to pray listened
to him were touched by IL and liste ned
with heads bowed and the sense of their
responsibility thrust upon them" And
at the conclusion Of this memorable pray
or the audience burst forth In applause, so
overcome with emotion were the astute
politicians and men not accustomed
to the influence Of prayer.
"Such life Is well worthy OF stu dy.
said DR.. Fem In conclusion. 1--WE shall
have great preachers come among us
from time to time to the end OF the world.
We shall have great evangelists, thou ght-
full theologians and men who will live
and do good. We shall have learned men
to lead US as captains, but never In this
world will you or / see man like his.
His like will never again be seen, The
mould was broken after he was made
and his mantle nobody will ever re-
oeive."