Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-08
REV. DR. LESTER L. WEST
 ExERTED WIDE INFLUENCE
Writer in The Consresationaiist Pays Tribute to Former Norwich Pastor.

E. In the current issue of The Congre-
 gatfonaIist an admirer who signs him.
 self J. F. T. pays an ardent trlDute 70
 the late Rev. Lester L. West. ID; D.,
 formerly of Norwich, who died at
 Santa Ana, Cal, Dec. 21th, 1S16. The
 writer says:
 For nearly 40 years Dr. West had
 been minister of the gospel in our
 Congregational churches, having had
 pastorates in the middle west, the far
 east and the far west He was
 preacher of a rare and notable type
 he had something about him or the
 old Hebrew prophetic spirit; he dream
 ed dreams; he saw visions; he cher
 ished ideals of the noblest sort-ideals for the individual for the church. He
 was a seer, and that which he saw, the ideals he cherished, the dreams he dreamed, he wrought into his own lire and sought to impart to others. The one intense reality of life to him was Christ. His personal devotion to the personal Saviour was like the de- votion of the mystics. It was his one aim in the pulpit so to interpret the message of Christ, so to portray Christ Himself, that men should see Him with his own sympathetic vision and spiritual insight.
 As a preacher he was without any thing of the personal push that crowds self to the front. He was modest, un- assuming, unpretentious in manner; but when he spoke the words were winged with flame Many of our Con- gregational preachers may have been better known, but few of them have equal1ed him in the power to grip the conscience to stir the heart, to inspire the noble purpose.
 He was gentle sympathetic, friend iy He had the gift of friendship, the power of giving himself, and the yet greater power of grappling to himself the very souls of his friends Men loved him sometimes almost with a
 passion-a word which in describing Christian experience was frequently on his lips. He was always the best loved minister in his ministerial cir cle. For 10 years a group of kindred spirits in southern Minnesota met quarterly in his study. He was the guide, the inspiration, the life of the group. Any of the number who may read these words will agree that some of life's richest experiences were had | in those occasional club meetings. Dr. West had four notable pastor ates. He began preaching in Fort Dodge Ia, and for 12 years poured out his soul in brilliant but always spirit ual sermons. It was for that time and place a new type of preaching, and It | is remembered by many to this day. His second pastorate of II years | was in the important church of Vino | ma, Minn- After a year of travel in Europe he was called to the pastorate of the Second church of Norwich, l Conn, where he remained for seven years.
 In his last pastorate in Everett, Wn., he continued for five years, until failing health compelled him to resign and to give up the active work of the ministry. His last years were spent in Southern California He loved to preach and in spite of physical weak ness he found strength for frequent pulpit ministrations. During the last year he preached nearly every Sun day. On Dec. 17th, five days before his | death, he preached at Redlands, thus fulfilling his dearest wish that he might die in harness.
 MT West was born in Pewaukee, Wis, April IS, 1851. He was a grad uate of Tabor college and of Chicago Theological seminary Nov. 24, 1874. | he married Eleanor Osborn, who sur wives him.. They had five children, | three of them preceding him in pass ing to the life beyond. Two daugh- | ters, the oldest and youngest born, are | left to comfort and to mourn with their widowed mother.