The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-05-23
Two Noted CIerqymen.

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STEPHEN THURSTON, D. D., AND J0NA-
THAN ADAMS, D. D.
One of the interesting addresses at
the recent Maine Congregational con-
ference in Portland was that of Rev.
Smith Baker, D. D., on personal recol-
lections of the secretaries of the Maine
| Missionary society. Two of the sketches
were of local interest, and are as fol-
lows:
STEPHEN THURSTON, D. D.
The third secretary of this society
was Rev. Stephen ThurstOn. His faith
er moved from Rawley, Massachusetts,
and would have settled in Bangor, but
there was no orthodox preacher there
then, and he moved on to Sedgwick,
where he found Congregational church
The pastor of the church soon after be-
came Baptist, and took nearly all the
members with him, but the Thurston
family refused to follow, and joined the
Congregational church In Bluehill, six
miles distant.
Stephen Thurston was born in Sedg-
wick in 1897, and united with the church
in Bluehill in 1916. He graduated from
Bangor seminary in 1925, was at once
ordained as pastor of the church in
Prospect, now Searsport, and continued
as such for 3S years. He was moderator
of the Maine Conference for three years,
trustee of the Maine Missionary society
for 81 years, trustee of Bangor seminary
for 80 years, president of it's board of
t,,1c for vino nrncilanf of
the American Missionary association
for Is years. He was elected secretary
of the Maine Missionary society to sue
coed DR.. Gillett in 1919, but declined,
and was again elected in 1868 to succeed
DR.. Tappan, which office he held for IL
years. The above record is a sufficient
testimony to the superior endowments
he possessed, and the high esteem and
confidence in which he was held by the
ministry and the churches. He was a
pastor of sea captains and was himself
a natural captain. Every part of his
personality represented strength, firm
ness and frankness. Conservative in
his theology, and radical in all ques-
tons of reform, he was tower of
strength to the churches, and in all
matters of civic righteousness leader
among men. The erectness of his body,
the firmness of his STEP the seriousness
of his face, the flash of his eyes, the
earnestness of his voice, represented
the strength and character of the man.
Sometimes there was an impression of
sternness, but there was never a man
with warmer grasp of the hand, eyes
that sooner filled with tears, or more
tender heart. He could engage in stories
and pleasantries, but rather as though
it was condescension; and no young
man, in his presence, ever ventured to
take liberties in that direction.
Conscience was the center of his pri-
vate and public, social and religious
life. Was thing true? Was it right?
Such the deciding question with him.
Hence, he was radical reformer, with
but little room for compromise. He
was sensitive at little deviations from
propriety, and faithful in rebuke. AS
a preacher, he was instructive, solid,
always interesting and frequently very
eloquent. Several times called to pas
torates in Boston and other large CON-
munitieS, he chose to remain in Maine.
On the platform he was serious, in
tense, pathetic. powerful. He loved
debate and argument, sought the bot
tom of questions, wanted to know why.
| have heard him discuss for half an
hour the question whether the truth
was truth because God made it, or
whether God made it because it was
truth. His conversations were sug-
gestive, and like his sermons, made one
think. His preaching was not dogmat-
ically cold, like so much Of the doc
trinal preaching of that time, but al
ways full of tenderness and passion.
As secretary, he was general COM
handing, with wide knowledge of the
churches, and a high idea of the work
to be done, deep passion for souls,
warm sympathy for the poorer
churches, a positive judgment of men,
a keen sense of the greatness Of the
mission and great tirmness of will. He
sometimes appeared to dictate when he
only sought to lead; and such was the
earnestnesS of his nature that his opin-
ions seemed law. He was always a
gentleman, never knowingly Wronging
a weaker brothers feelings, and full OF
tender sympathy for every hard work
ing missionary and every struggling
church. He died in 1884, at the ripe
age of 10 years, a strong and earnest
man, yea, a man of superior ability, a
leader in Israel, and conscientious
servant to Christ, a Puritan of the
Puritans.
JONATHAN ADAMS, D. D.
The fourth secretary was Jonathan
Adams, D. D. He was the St. John of
| the secretaries. The son of one of
Names most honored pastors, a gradu-
ate of Bowdoin college and the Bangor
seminary, pastor at New Sharon and
| Searsport, he succeeded DR.. Thurston
as secretary. A cautious, conservative
and wise man, solid in character and
thought, who commanded the respect, adj
miration and love Of all who knew him.
To see him once was to see him ever
Firm and decided in his opinions, but
gentle and tender in his sympathies as
a woman, with no excitement, no af-
fectation, but with kind, strong, rea-
sonableness, conscientious as the ten
commandments, prudent in his speech,
he was man to be trusted and loved.
He would rather suffer than injure an
others feelings, the very incarnation
of Christian charity. He was not a
general in the field, but a secretary of
State, keeping in touch with the mis-
sionaries and the churches, real
father adviser. No missionary ever
left his study without feeling he had
met friend, firm in the truth, and
| LOVING az ha WAS firm HE narsono tv