People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 27-25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1896 — REV. M. R. PARADIS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

REV. M. R. PARADIS.

The subject of this sketch was born in Montreal, Canada, and when very young moved with his parents to Kankakee county, 111., and lived on a farm until 1865, when, at fourteen years of age,.he enlisted and spent one year in Georgia as a soldier, going over the ground of “Slier-

man's march to the sea.” When his time was up, he received' his discharge in Savatiah, Gi., and returned home, where he spent two years going to school. Then he wended Iris way back to Canada, and took his literary course in Knox College. Toronto, and hi.s theology in Montreal. From the latter place he was delegated to establish missions in the maritime provinces, where spent three summers, visiting almost every city and town of New Brunswick. Novia Scotia, Prince Edward Islands and Cape Idreton. It was during those pilgrimages that he met the young lady who afterward became his efficient wife; His college course being ended, Mr. Paradis settled at Grand Palls, N. B , for six years, undertaking extra work to the extent of preaching four times,

driving fifteen miles, superin tending and teaching in a Sundayschool, every Sunday, without dinner, and that in a cold temperature, which at times reached thirty degrees below zero, his health gave way. and ho had to resign. After a few months recuperation on Prince Edward Islands, he received (but declined) a pastoral cal 1 arid started for the inviting field of Manitoba. But though his books and effects went to Winnipeg, Providence stopped him j-n Illinois, and instead of a two days' visit in St. Anne, he remained two years. From thence to Turner' City, where he was pastor for two and a half years; thence to Urbana, where he spent nearly eight years, as pastor of the Presbyterian church, and professor in

the State University. During I those years Mr. and Mrs. Paradis visited Kentucky, the principal cities arid places in the east as far as Nova Scotia; went to Manitoba. from which they crossed the Rockies twice, and as far as Victoria, Vancouver’s Island. I hen crossed the Atlantic and spent seven months in Scotland, England, Belgium, Germany, f ranee, Switzerland and Italy; from Venice to Mount Vesuvius. Nearly three years ago Mr. Paradis health was in such a condition that a change of climate was necessary, and a year was spent in Minnedosa, (the beautiful,) Manitoba, where he and Mrs. Paradis made a host of friends, and accomplished a good work. They became so interested in that field, and the bracing climate enticed them to enter heart and hand into the work. Accordingly, for months Mr. Paradis preached three times aud drove twenty miles every Sunday, once with the thermometer registering forty-four degrees below zero." But that was not what the physican had advised, and the climate nproved too severe for Mrs. Paradis; and the order was, “stop! and go south. In obedience t.o instruction they left the beautiful scenery, with Rensselaer as their objective point, where they had made arrangements to spend a year or two very quietly on their farm, north of town. But hero, as elSwliere, there was not much rest in store for them. The second Sunday after his arrival here. Mr. Paradis was invited to til! the pulpit of the Presbyterian church, and has done so ever since, now being the pastor of that congregation. An illustration of their pretty country home on the banks ol the Iroquois appears in anothei place.

H. J. DEXTER'S NEW GROCERY IN ODD FELLOWS’ TEMPLE. See sketch

RESIDENCE ON FARM OF LUTHER STRONG, OCCUPIED BY WALTER PONSTER. (SEE SkETCH.)