After Seventeen Years

At the First Baptist church Sunday morning, Rev. Samuel Haskell formally closed his seventeen years of work in Ann Arbor. A pastor who leaves so well iked as Mr. Ha-kell is, alwayg has a chance in such a sermón to cause tears to low freely in his audience. In this case, t was r.ot only the close of his charge aere, but it was the close of his career as a pastor which has lasted 41 years. As Mr. Haskell expresses it, he has crossed the Bible terminus of life. His germon bad a' marked effect on his large audience, especially the passage in which he feelingly aüuded to his wife who 80 lately died. The sermón will probably be printed in pamphlet form. Parts of it, hearing more particularly upon the work of the First Baptist church, are extracted. During his first year here, $2,000 were paid for the land on which their church now stands. No interest-money has eaten its rust-holes in the bottom of their treasury. Revulsions in business prevented their building as soon as they expecte'd; but in 1881 their church was dedicated, having cost $30,000, and never a bilí presented that the money was not in waiting to pay ; and not a cent of contribution was asked at the dedication. The usual statements in review of pastoral and church work are: Sermons and addresses, 1718; baptisms into th'.a church, 192; other additions, 269 ; present membership, 308, of which 39 are bobresident. Seventy members have died during the 17 years. The funerals in his record number 25G. The church raised $68,000 during the 17 years, about $12,000 of which went for benevolent objects. An interesting bit of hlstory is given in his own word : "The letters dismissing from the church In Farcnington those who organized this church bear date My 10, 1828. The members were Kev. Moses Clark, Lucy and Sally Clark, Elizabeth and Nancy Brown, Benjamin Slocum, Phebe Hiscock, Charles Stewart. It i 60 years since the rootlet vine was thus biought here and planted. IC is 56 years sinc it was transplanted from the farm home of the pastor on the river bank below us to this village. Brother Daniel B. Brown and wife were then baptized, and the same day commenced hls service in the deacoa's office which he still holds. Doubtless he and his wife are the only survivors of the Utt'.e membership. The pastors who followed Èlder Clark (who by some old Fettlers is believed to have conducted the flrat rellgious service ever held in Ann Arbor, as early as the spring of 1825, and who I think was the second ordained Baptist minister In Michigan), the pastors who followed him were J. S. Twiss, Harvey Miller, W. L. Brown, Allen L. Gurnsey, Oliver Cromwell Comstock, Marvin Allen, Andrew Ten Brook, C. Deland, E. S. Dunham, Samuel Graves, G. W. Gunison, John M. Gregory, A. L. Freeman, S. Comelus, N. S. Burton, 8. Haskell." Mr. Haskell has spent his 41 years of ministry in three places, - Detroit, Kalamazoo, and Ann Arbor. In all that time he has never been conflned to bed by sickness. He has never lost time which the churches have had to supply. WbenJie was just half as old as he is now, he stood on a sinking ship in Lake Brie, but he was rescued while hundreds perished. In his whole pastoral work there are recorded 950 baptisms, and he has led about 800 funeral processiona to the erave. Of the late Prof. Olney he said : "For one to be in the yoke with Prof. Olney as his pastor for 26 years is a very rare advantage. And especially so when the interests of the church rested largely upon him. As Paul said to Philemon, we could say to each other, 'Without thymind I would do nothing.' A year and a half it was common with us to meet here every day and, from foundation to turret, from floors to ceilings, consider everything that went into this house." Mr. Haskell declares at the end of his long ministry, that if he were placed again with fair prospects before him of gaining wealth and civil honor, and had he again to choose his lot in life, it should be that of a Baptist pastor ; and if the Master pleased, it should be in Michigan, and in Detroit, Kalamazoo, and Ann Arbor.