Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1922-09-13
Life Story of Remarkable Man
Known to Many Readers.

IL Iol!OWHIS iOSoiuAiS W
Thomas Hall, we'll known to many
readers of this paper, is from the
Portland, Me-, Evening Express of
Monday, August III
Rev. Thomas Hall, who died at his
home here few days ago, over 80
years of age, was a remarkable man,
both in the scope of his work and-the
continued energy which he gave to
it. He was better known in Vermont,
yet many people of Portland and vic
nifty knew him, and he was always
heard with interest in pulpit, minis
ters' association and other gatherings.
Socially he was always enjoyed and
was the best of company with friends
and acquaintance, even ms the surf
at Old Orchard. Many paid tribute
to his life. Impressive burial servic-
es were held Thursday at Island
Pond, Vermont, where he had his last
pastorate.
Mr.. Hall was born in Ireland and
was ever proud of it, strong Protes-
tant, consequently non-conformist,
very early a teetotaler; a preacher at
10, school teacher, singing master,
and student, all in one, will give some
little idea of the early energy and
usefulness of this little, ubiquitous,
curly-haired, glib-tongued Irishman.
IN GREAT REVIVAL
In 1859, the great revival broke
out in Ireland, brought over from
America (Finney's time), and Mr..
Hall with other young preachers help
ed carry on those wonderful meetings.
In the open air and in schoolhouses
by day and in the big halls and
churches by night, crowds of people
gathered, from two to six thousand
people in an audience, and CONVEX
sions were reckoned in hundreds dali
ly. There was much prayer. One
night Mr.. Hall as he entered found
the church perfectly still, apparently
empty-but every seat was taken, ev-
eryone was on his "knees in silent
prayer"
At another great service he could
not dismiss the people. He pro-
nounced the benediction twice, but
still they stayed. Then another speak
err and another till they had closed
four times and it was nearly l o'clock
in the morning.
Before this great revival was really
over, for it lasted years, Mr.. Hall was
chosen pastor of the Kings Inn Street
Congregational church in Dublin. All
in one year (1866) he was ordained,
installed, and married, and also began
to study at Dublin university, reciting
mostly to the famous blind Professor
Hamilton. Mr.. Hall also kept on
with his evangelistic labors, speak
ing every Sunday afternoon in the
parks and preaching many week
nights in neighboring churches. He
would go into the parks or fairs on
market days -and begin singing, then
as the people gathered he would pray
and go on with the service. He could
be heard distinctly more than half a
mile.
After almost year the young pas
tor was delighted to have twin babies
arrive at the Dublin home, yet such
was his devotion to his work that he
fulfilled a preaching engagement in
about an hour after that great event.
WIFE A CANADIAN
: Mrs. Hall, nee Martha Buchanan,
was a beautiful young woman OF
Scotch-Irish descent, born in Canada,
and very fond of the new country.
The young couple hoped sometime to
come this way to live, but they hard
ly expected door to open so soon.
Mr.. Hall was preaching one Sunday
in 1868 in London in behalf of the
Dublin City Missions. Two officials
of the big Colonial Missionary Society
heard him and reported at once to
their organization. eve have found
the man we want to go to Newfound-
land" Would he go? The wife and
twin babies consented, and soon the
capital of Ireland lost and the CAPT
tai of Newfoundland gained quite a
bit of population.
And the big island, as big as Ire
land, needed just such a man. The
Congregational church of ST. Johns
was run down and was the only Con
gregational church on the island; day
schools, outside the few large centers
were a minus quantity, and sickness
drunkenness, poverty, superstition
and ignorance made up the daily life
of the many fishing settlements that
fringed the coast.
Mr.. Hall began service with the
church and in four years it had grown
large enough to require seven dea-
cons, it had a congregation of five
hundred which supported mission
airy in India; the Sunday school mum
bered 300, and children's church e1
service, meeting every, Friday night
| had 400 present there.
| These children bought Mr.. Hall E
yacht, equipped + it for him like E
houseboat, got a man and boy tt
run it, named it the Thomas Hall, anc
with this the mission work was done
along the coast. Every summer hi
would start away in the Thomas Hall
go days trip to some fishing settle
ment, run up his flag, "God is Love-
on the settlement signal pole; tn,
men would all come in with -1theil
fishing boats, and they would have +;
service often as early as 8 o'clock il
the morning. Then he would doctol
the sick (for he had been studying
n1edicine.) He would often MARI.
two or three generations and baptiz'
their children, for no one else cams
that way except an occasional prizes
or rector, and he wanted large fee
i Then he would be off to another vii
lage, often holding services as late. a.
4 10 o'clock at night, and at six or sew
en- places in day.
CALLED TO ENGLAND
So this ''little Trishman' kept a
work, laying foundations for fv
i years until he was given ga year off
i and called to England to continue hi
work for the big neglected island, tn