The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-21
BOSTON MINISTER'S MEETINe-DR. BALoH

The meeting of Monday, Jan. 8, was
wholly devoted to tributes to and memo
ries of the late Rev. DIR. W. s. Balch.
The following minute was prepared by
the friend of his youth, and for more
than half a century his co-worker, Rev.
DR.. T. j. Sawyer. 1t was adopted by
rising vote.
WHEREAS, The Ministers Meeting of Bos
ton and vicinity, hears with pain of the death
of Rev. William Stevens Balch, D. d., which
event occurred at his residence in Elgin ILL.,,
at noon on Christmas day just past, at the
advanced age of nearly eighty-two years,
therefore,
Resolued, That we take this early oppor-
tunity to express our profound sense of the
loss our beloved church sustains in the re-
moval of this distinguished and veteran
preacher and pastor.
RESOLVED, That while we mourn the de-
partnre of our veteran brother, and sorrow
that we shall see his face no more on earth,
we bow with humble submission to the divine
will, and would not fail to recognize the di-
departed friends mind and heart; in his long
and active life; in the many handed and en-
inent service he has rendered to our church
and to the best interests of society at large;
in the benign, and, we trust, lasting infu-
ences he has exerted upon his day and gener-
alton; and in the untarnished Christian char
acter he has maintained through public
ministry of sixty years.
RESOLVED, That we tender our heartfelt
sympathies and coincidence to the bereaved
family of our departed brother, with our
earnest prayers that they may be abundantly
enriched by the divine grace, and sustained
in this season of their affiiction by the con-
solutions of the gospel.
Resolved, That the Secretary transmit
copy of these resolutions to the widow of the
deceased, and cause them to be published in
the columns of the CHRISTIAN LEADER and
The UNIvERsALIsT.
Rev. DIR. Miner related reminiscen ces
Of the deceased, going back almost to his
boyhood, his first preaching, and his or
dination at the session of the New Hamp-
shire Convention. He also made men,
ton of DIR. Balch's leadership in the Dorr
Rebellion in Rhode Island, which event
greatly divided the families of the COM
m unity; but despite Of which Dr. Balch
firmly held his large congregation.
DIR. Sawyer made more extended and
informal address full of interesting rem
iniscences of the friend and co-laborer of
his youth. DIR. Baloh loaned him the
money which enabled him to go through
college. 1t was also through him that
he had the appointment to preach in
New York, the outcome OF which was his
long pastorate in the metropolis sew
eral years he was co-laborer there with
DIR. Balch.
Rev. DIR. Cushman, of Providence, q
successor of DIR. Balch in the pastorate
of the First Universalist Church, gave in
teresting "reminiscences of the deceased
in that city; during his Providence pas
torate he was instrumental in bringing
six young men into the Universalist min
istry.
Rev. s. A. Gardner made mention Of
the fact that in his youth DIR. Balch, ex-
ercised great influence over him-gave
him advice, encouraged and strengthened
him: this long before he had any expec-
tation that he would be DIR. Balch's sue
cessor in the Blocker Street Church. He