The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-02-01
On Rev. DIR. Field.
His Life and Character Subject of Lecture
BY Rev. Dr. Fem

BY Rev. DIR. Fem
Rev. DR.. Fem lectured last Sunday
evening at the High street church, Port
| land, on the life and character of Rev.
George W. Field, ID. d., of Bangor, who
was we'll known and much beloved in this
city as he was throughout the State. He
said that there was peculiar charm about
DR.. Field as a preacher, which it is difficult
to explain. Many men were more able,
but not SO charming. Many were grand,
but did not possess the fascination which
characterized him. Some women are
beautiful, but they do not possess this
qualification which a plain woman may
have. DR.. Field was thoroughly unsetsh,
| ''None whom | have ever KNOWN said
DR.. Fem, "were at all like him. He
combined some of the most contrary ele
ments in his character. He was weak in
person, in health and in looks, but he had
a peculiarly strong frame and iron quail
| ties He was feminine to degree, yet
masculine and strong. He was appar-
emily chldlike and easily deceived, yet
he was infinitely shrewd, subtle and wise.
He appeared to be utterly artless, 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 exceedingly brusque in
manner. He was charitable to fault
and at other times he could scarcely re-
strain himself when he spoke of crime,
| injustice or wrong doing. He was man
of thin voice apparently, yet at times he
Numbered forth his eloquence, and his
voice rang true and pealed with infinite
power.
| He looked to be feeble, and still he
| bo -
and was sick but few months before
the end. Men regarded him as trans
parent, yet he was entirely inscrutable.
He looked to be antique in his last days,
and yet no preacher in this State was so
progressive and up to date as he. He
was as wise as serpent and as harmless
as a dove. What combination of para
| doxeS was to be found in him.
| He was sensitive to his defects and
was hurt by consciousness of his own
imperfection. He had that kind of hui
NOR which made him aware that he could
i see himself as others saw him, and yet he
| could make every one of his imperfections
co-efficient and make his weaknesses play
for him. He loved the beautiful in itera
ture, was a master of rhetoric and if any
man could fulfill the art of putting things
so as to make them tell, Dr. Field was
possessed of it,
His great power lay in the pulpit. He
loved nature and was never ashamed to
| build up a spiritual truth on this founda-
ton. He was humorous, yet he never
used it in the pulpit in an unseemly
manner. He was a master of irony and
as highly possessed of it as any man l
have ever known. His sermons were
wholesome, without sentiment and rang
true. He was liberal and rejoiced in his
liberty. He was liberalizing as we'll, 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 a 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 accord
to him and you would enter with him to
sit down to a feast of reason and flow
of soul. His prayers were as remarkable
as any other parts of his power. He talk
ed with God and as he talked the gates
opened and you went with him before the
throne and you heard the Voice as plain
as ever man spoke.
| DR.. Fem spoke OF wonderful prayer
of DR.. Fields, made at a political con
|
in grave peril. "And as he prayed men
who were not accustomed to pray listened
to him, were touched by it and listened
with heads bowed and the sense of their
responsibility thrust upon them" And
at the conclusion of this memorable pray
er the audience burst forth in applause,
SO overcome with emotion were the astute
politicians and men not accustomed to the
| influence of prayer.
''Such a life is well worthy of study
said DR.. Fem in conclusion. ''We Shall
have great preachers come among us
from time to time to the end of the world.
We shall have great evangelists, thought
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 this.
His like will never again be seen. The
mould was broken after he was made
and his mantle nobody VIII ever receive"
Portland Press.