The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-18
Rev. DR.. Z. D. Kelsey to Be Professor
Of Botany at 0berlin
College.
Something of the Work He Has
Accomplished as a Pastor
in Helena.
I'm Addition He Has Called the Attention
of the World to Plant Life In Montana
Worlds Fair Collection.

first public intimation of the step was MADE
by DIR. Kelsey to his congregation Sunday
when at the close of the services he said:
my dear people, l have something to say
to-day which ia to me more grievous TO say
thar for you to hear. Entirely unsolicited
BY me, there has come an offer of a profess
sorship in an institution of 200 to LOU
students annually assembled. For nearly
eight wears have / toiled night and day
for this church. / have tried TO be q ten
On the other hand. no minister of
our land has had a more loyal pastor;
there can be no n~iistakinR cur mutual love-
Providence has sent me without my own
solicitation or knowledge this offer of a
professorship in Obsrlin college which
holds ont to me such a field OF enlarged
usefulness that dare not decline 1T. There
fore, despite my pain and burden in laying
down my work in this loved city OF Hell
ena, / + eel 1t my duty to resign my office of
pastor of this beloved church, and | ask to
evening, Dec. Is. 1899.
May the Divine Masters richest bless
in2s rest upon you and send You soon a
faithful and efficient PASTOR
1t WAS in April, 1885, that MIR. kelsey
came to Helena in response to a call from
the congregation he has served ever since.
He came with the reputation of nos only
being a good preacher and a faithful pas
tor, but also a hard worker III every held OF
usefulness. When he assumed charge of
the Congregational society the new church
t>z;lJ,Dx 1n Eaptnn wanna had lnSk hpen
completed, but there was a debt upon it of
some SIS, 900 or $4,000, This has all been
paid off during his passionate and, In eddl-
ton, the church has become self-support-
ing, paving Mr.. Kelsey's salary for the past
two years without calling unon the eastern
church, and also providing a par
soraee on Lawrence street. From a weak
aud struggling society the church has grown
to be the most prosperous IN the de-
nomination in the state, and Mr.
Kelsey leaves it in excellent condition for
his snecessor. In the last four years MIR.
Kelsey has had several opportunities to
ACCEPT fattering offers from educational
institutions, but he has never until now
felt that he could in justice to his Helena
congregation do so. Dr. Kelsey has
not only endeared himself to his own
church people during his eight years. resi-
depoe in Helena, but he counts warm
friends among all CLASSES and conditions of
people, He has never refused to answer a
call made upon him for help, no difference
from what source 1t might come. All that
was necessary was Tor him to know that
some one was in trouble. and without an
inquiry as to their religious belief, color or
condition in life he went to their aid and
did all he could for them. 1t is this that
has made him so popular. and the news
that he ia going away will be heard with
regret by hundreds of people who will re-
call the time when he came TO them when
there was sickness. death o. poverty in the
household, and by his work, as we'll as by
his sympathy made their burdens less hard
SO bear.
Despite she work entailed upon him BY his
duties as pastor, DR.. Kelsey has found time
during his residence in Helena to contribute
articles to the press. both in the
state and outside of it. Tie Is q teguia.
correspondent for Papers in Vermont, Mas
sachus6tts and other eastern states, and
has done as much as any private individual
Montana to call favorable attention to
the resoul ces of the state. But the work
Ne has accomplished that has attracted the
most is as q botanist. lie came
o the state well equipped in that cegard.
Jpb found that no systematic effort had
been made to classify the flofa
Montana. His ability was recognized by
.he faculty Of the College of Montana ut
Deer Lodge, and for six years past he ms
delivered lectu ea there during each teI m
IN botany. During the past two years he
las lectu ed at tho Wesleyan university.
eight years ago the study of botany as
pursued in the schools of Montana amounted
o very little. To-day there ia not in the
tate u ii ~st-class high school but has com
,etent instruction in that branch of science
nd the interest ia growing all the time.
dr. Kelsey has talked on the subject be-
the gpRnlIa- at tpaphArl' 1nptltrtas nd
v~nereyer else it would do good, and the
esult ~ becoming more and more apparent.
'alklng yesterday of his ~favotite study,
lr. kelsey said:
During my residence in Helena | haye
cquired II thorough knowledge of the fora
Fest of Helena for a distance of sixty miles,
.urth thirty miles, south twenty miles, but
My a short distance cost. When | leave
he city l will have the satisfaction of
l leave behind me some who are
q earnest in this particular line as myself.
'rof. s. RI. Merritt, principal of the Helena
ugh school, Is one who is doing, and will
% splendid work in that line, as well as in
III the sciences. de 10 d hard worker and a
'ainstaking man, and while unobt us We
vii yet make his mark III the ines / have
'utllned, or / am much Mistaken"
Dr. Kelsey has been working for several
months in the interest of the exhibit to be
by Montana at the Wo rs far. The
Doard of Nolld's fair managers approp l.
ted $500 10 pay his ex ensea in this behalf,
tut there was no CONDENSATION attached to
I. lie doctor took hold OF it with his
Usual enthusiasm, aad referring to it yes
. dav, he said: ut will take me About
hiee weeks To finish this work. and when |
cave the city II wall be all eady to shlp TO
lineage. This exn bit will e divided into
.wo classes-the scientiiio and the popular,
he hrst Will be tho most valuable. and
While 1t will not attract the attention the
after will, 1t Will nevertheless be- a draw
nR card at the far. Tho scientific display
Will consist Of about 1000 species of Mon
ANA horH, bound in volumes OF ninety
aheets. Ihe popular display Of plants and
lowers will be pressed. dried, mounted and
framed, and there Will be about a dozen
d them. each containing Il number
1I species, 10 hang side by side.
This pat of the exhibit Will he
Tor the purpose of proving that Montana is
not a desert. as some people in Europe and
the east beleYa. / hope the gentlemen who
have the matter N charge will see that the
scientific part of the display ia not do
stroVed after the fair, but that il Is leturnad
10 the state. One OF the ideas / have had
IN mind while collecting it is that it Will be
The basis for the herbaflum in the
university Montana will have after
awhile. If the collection ] have made ia
destroyed there will be nothing of the sort
when that institution opens. l know SONS
Of the plants will be injured at the fair.
If the board will send them to me after
the fair | will fix them up again. aud then
they can be put away until the time comes
wien they Will be useful"
ReIerrinR more particularly to himself
and his future plans, Mr.. Kelsey said: Il
dislike vecy much to leave Helena, but
feel will have a larger field and a better