Smyrna times., 1903-05-06
BISHOP RANDOLPH S. FOSTER DEAD.
Noted Divine Who Spent a Winter Two Years
Ago 10 Smyrna Died at His Home Newton
Center, Mass, After Lingering Illness.


ago 10 Smyrna Died at His Home Newton
Center' Mass, After Lingering Illness.
Bishop Randolph s. Foster of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, died Fri
day at the age of eighty-three. Death
was due to breakdown following a
stroke of apoplexy sustained last De-
cember. He had been in feeble health
Tor several years. Two years ago he
spent the winter in SMYRNA. His
daughter, Mrs. Fl. P. Foster, who has
been staying at the Smyrna House
with her mother Mrs. Plttman, receiv-
ed the sad intelligence Saturday morn
ing and left Monday to attend the
funeral which took place at Green
wood, n. T., yesterday afternoon. The
Bishop while in Smyrna made num-
Der OF warm friends. He is survived
by the following children: T. W. Fos-
ter, Esq, Mr.. Fred Foster, East Orange.
n. j., William Foster, Esq, of Boston,
Mass, Mrs. William Foster, Boston,
Mass, Miss Eva Foster, Newton Cen
ter, Mass. Mrs. H. P. Foster who has
been staying in Smyrna, is the widow
OF Randolph L. Foster, the Bishops
son, who died several years ago.
Sketch of His Active and Useful Life.
Randolph Sinks Foster, D. D., one
OF the Board of Bishops of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, was born in
Williamsburg, ClermOnt county, Ohio,
Feb. %, 1920. He was educated at
Augusta College, and at the early age
of seventeen entered the itinerant min
lstry of the Methodist Episcopal
Church of the Kentucky Conference.
he was soon afterward transferred to
the Ohio Conference, and after few
years of circuit riding in the days of
saddlebags he became pastor in Gin
cinnati. In 1850 he was transferred to
the New York Conference, and he
preached for six years in New York
City and Brooklyn. He was elected
president of Northwestern University,
at Evanston, ILL.,, in 1856, and remain
ed there three years, then returning to
pastOrates in New York City and at
Sing Sing, n. Y. In 1868 he was cleo
ted professor of systematic theology
at Drew Theological Seminary, Madi-
son, n. j., and the following year he
was made president of that institution,
to succeed DIR. John McClintock, He
remained there until 1872, when he
was elected bishop by the General
Conference, which met in the Acade-
my of Music in Brooklyn. From tn at
time until 1896, when by reason of age
and infrmity, he was retired as an
effective bishop, he performed the ar
duOus duties of general superinten-
dent of the great Methodist Episcopal
Church, visiting and presiding over
conferences in all parts of this coun-
try, and going as the representative of
the Board of Bishops to Norway, Den
mark, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland,
Italy, India and South America. He
made his home as bishop in Cincin-
natl and Boston. After his retirement
from the active work of the episcopacy
he lived in Roxbury, Mass.
The Author of a Number of Books.
Bishop Foster was regarded as an
able and eloquent preacher, digniied
executive officer, and a writer of much
ability. He published OBJECTIONS to
Calvinism, christian Purity, ;" ''Min-
istry for the Times" Centenary
Thoughts for the Pulpit and Pew of
Methodlsm," f." Beyond the Grave"
"Studies in Theology" PHILOSOPHY
of Christian Experience" and "Union
of Episcopal Methodism. Ohio
Wesleyan University gave him the
degrees of A. NJ. and D. D., and
Northwestern University that of LII.
d. Bishop Foster was converted at
the age of twelve, and licensed to ex-
hort at the age of fourteen.