REV. S.F. FOWLER
PEN PICTURE OF ONE OF MADISONVILLE'S MOST POPULAR PASTORS
Excellent Likeness of the Rev. Samuel F. Fowler, Pastor of the Christian Church
of This Place--Sketch of His Life and Career.
We present to our readers this week a most excellent and striking picture of
the Rev. Sam F. FOWLER, pastor of the Christian church at this place.
He was
born on a farm in the parish of Springfield Co., Province of New Brunswick,
D.C., on the 26th of July, 1844, and is consequently in the 52d year of his
age. His early educational advantages were quite limited, as he attended a
subscription school in the winter months, walking through the snow five miles
each day in order to get to the place where learning was dispensed. His parents
were of Scotch Irish descent and were of the Baptist persuasion. At the age of
twelve the young man joined the church of his parents and very soon expressed a
desire to enter the ministry. In this he was encouraged by his parents and
others.
When Mr. FOWLER was sixteen years of age he taught a subscription school, the
only kind of schools that were taught in the province at that time. About that
time the church called him to conduct religious worship and he preached his
first sermon. In talking with this divine he said that for his first effort he
took the text, "Adam, where art Thou?" He divided it thus: "Whence comest
Thou?" "Where art Thou?" "Whither goest thou?" While the young man did the best
he could, yet the probability is that his first sermon was not one of any great
importance except to himself. He continued to preach and teach until 1865,
receiving from the former kind words, socks, mitts and occasionally under
clothing. The idea then prevailed that the gospel was free to all. The idea
still prevails to an alarming extent in many places.
In April, 1865, Mr. FOWLER was married. About that time he held to views that
were not in accord with the church to which he belonged. He then united with
the Christian church in St. John, New Brunswick. After taking a special course
in biblical study he was called to the church at Lord's Cove on Deer Island, in
the province in which he was born. After spending two years at that point, was
called to serve the church at Letcete in the same province. From there he went
to Boston, Mass., where he spent a year in study and preaching. Since then he
has served the church as pastor in Massachusetts, Pennysylvania, Ohio,
Maryland, Virginia, Indiana and Kentucky. During his pastorate at
Charlottsville, Va., he became an American citizen; this, he says, he regards
as next to citizenship in the kingdom of Christ. During these years he has held
an average of six protracted meetings per year and during his ministerial
career has seen over five thousand persons take their stand with the church.
Rev. FOWLER has had charge of the Christian church at this place for the past
two years and has been engaged for the third time. The Board has employed him
for another twelve months and at an increased salary. He is to give his whole
time to the church at this place with the exception of two months which is
allowed him for evangelical work.
The people of Madisonville are glad to learn that Mr. FOWLER is to be with them
for another year. He is a splendid speaker, plain and practical, logical and
yet frequently eloquent. He is zealous in the work of the Lord and commands the
respect of the people without regard to church or creed.
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