The Rev. Lester Charles Randolph, son of Howell W., and Hannah (Bowen) Randolph, was born at Walworth, Wis., August 16, 1864, and died in Milton, Wis., November 21, 1918, in the 55th year of his age.
His childhood and youth were spent in or near Walworth. In early life he gave his heart to Christ, was baptized and united with the Seventh Day Baptist church at Walworth. He attended the Walworth district school and what was known as 'Big Foot Academy,' and in 1884 he entered Milton College, from which he was graduated in 1888.
The year following his graduation he spent in advanced studies in Cornell University, in the department of philosophy under President (then Professor) Schurman. Then he entered the Baptist Union Theological Seminary at Morgan Park, Ill. In this seminary were other young men with whom he was closely associated. They engaged in evangelistic work as quartets, and their labors together laid the foundation of Doctor Randolph's later successful work as an evangelist and worker in the field of temperance and other reforms.
During his seminary course he was made pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist church in Chicago, and this relationship continued until 1899. He then served the Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Society as evangelist for one year. In 1900, he became pastor of the church at Alfred, N. Y. During this pastorate he engaged in active work in temperance and his labors were attended with distinct success. In 1904, by the kindness of the people of his congregation he went on the World's Sunday School Cruise' to Palestine, being chairman on shipboard, of the delegation from the State of New York. After taking that trip he engaged to a considerable extent in lecture work in which he continued more or less throughout his life.
In 1910, he resigned his charge at Alfred and became pastor of the church in Milton, where he lived in active work as minister till his untimely death. In Milton he associated himself closely with the college from which he was graduated. He was always a close friend and advisor of the students and all young people. He was for many years a trustee of the college and more recently served as vice president of the board. He labored earnestly for the advancement of the college in every respect, particularly the increase of its endowment funds.
During the last few years he won distinction as a popular lecturer and as a speaker in the temperance work. His most popular lectures have been: 'That Delightful Fellow: The American Boy,' 'The Bright Side of Life on Four Continents,' and 'The Reign of the School Ma'am.'
In addition to the degree of Bachelor of Arts he received the degree of Master of Arts from Milton College, that of Bachelor of Divinity from the theological department of the University of Chicago, and the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from Alfred University. He was always influential in the consuls of Seventh Day Baptist churches, and in 1915 was President of the General Conference, held that year in Milton. He was married in Chicago, December 25, 1890, to Susan Caroline Strong, of Hebron, Conn., later of Owego, N. Y. To Doctor and Mrs. Randolph were born six children, three of whom are now living, Hannah B., the oldest child, died at four years of age; Victor S., the second, is now in the S. A. T. C. at the University of California, Berkeley, Cal.; Kenneth B., the third, died on October 9, 1918, of the influenza, at Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.; Paul P., the fourth, was lost at sea on the ill fated 'Herman Frasch,' October 4, 1918; Howell S., the fifth, is in the S. A. T. C. at Milton College, and Doris, the youngest, is a high school student at Milton.
The sudden loss of the two sons, Kenneth and Paul, and overwork in carrying on his personal labors and outside activities which have endeared him to people in many parts of this State, particularly in the vicinity of Milton, and at Whitewater, where he recently preached for the Congregational church, temporarily without a pastor, so wore upon his physical frame, robust as it has always been, that he succumbed to the influence of an infection which resulted in his death after less than a week of illness. On Sunday evening, November 17, he returned home from Whitewater, was taken ill in the night, became delirious, and after a few days of semi-consciousness passed away Thursday morning, November 21.
He was a noble and generous-hearted man, a devoted husband and father, a patriotic citizen, a faithful pastor, and an eloquent preacher. His happy, genial disposition made him a welcome guest in every home which he entered. Multitudes joined his afflicted family in mourning his sudden death. W. C. D.
