The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-22
body in Lowell, and perhaps in few
other places.

In May, 1S48, DIR. Miner was called
to the associate pastorate of the
School Street Church, Boston, where
the famous Hosea Ballou had long
ministered. He had the entire good
will and confidence of his predeces-
sor and senior, and he rapidly secured
harmony, won respect and attachment
and carried the work forward to a
grand degree of success. In 1851 his
people concluded it was their duty to
enlarge the church edifce, and in the
meanwhile to give their pastor
chance for rest and recuperation, an
opportunity which he we'll improved
in course of European travel. After
the death of Mr.. Ballou, in June, 1852,
DR.. Miner remained sole pastor of the
church, with which he has sustained
his pastoral relations to the present
time, over forty six years.
In this interim was founded Tufts
College; and for its establishment.
perhaps, no one did more than DR..
Miner. He subscribed literally him
self, and he inspired others, by the
contagion of his example and his elo-
quent zeal, to make generous pledges
and donations. After pledges to the
amount of 100000 were secured. the
cornerstone was laid, in 1853, DR..
Miner giving the address on the oc-
casion. Rev. Hosea Ballou, I'd, DID,,
was made its first president; and, on
his death, DIR. Miner was constrained
to take his place. He was inaugur-
ated July 8, 1868. He had previous
ly served the college as trustee, Sec
retary. and treasurer; and it was in
no small measure through his vigil
ance and skill that the moneys were
raised to meet the current expenses
during the infancy and weakness of
the institution.
Tufts College honored him with
the title of A. M, in 1861; Harvard,
with the title of LID. in 1865. In
1875 his presidency,which had lasted
thirteen years, closed. This old
School Street Church had, in 1872,
moved into Columbus Avenue, and
there, at the corner of Clarendon
Street, had built an elegant and COM
modious stone edifce, in which they
have worshiped from that date to
this. They now extended an urgent
call to DIR. Miner to resume his full
connection with them as their pastor.
He was induced to accept, and he en-
tered at once upon his new work and
with his old acceptability and useful
ness. A new era of prosperity glad
dened the old parish in its new field.
During his pastorate in Boston DIR.
Miners labors spread on all sides be-
yond his distinctively parish work.
He seemed to be everywhere needed.
and everywhere useful, and all the
time. His old associates never grew
weary of him, and his services and
offices in every connection seemed to
be increasingly acceptable and de-
sired.
His greatest service to the public,
outside of the pulpit, was perhaps his
labors in the great cause of temper
ance. On this subject his convictions
have been as steady and clear and
strong as his special theological opin-
ions from his youth up. On this SUBJ
ject he has labored in every possible
way, in the political caucus, in the
lyceum, on the platform, and at the
polls, and he never grew weary or
disgusted either with the work or the
workers. Nor was he particle of
trimmer. He was as thorough" as
Wentworth. While ready to accept
the best he could get, he sought for
the best conceivable, for the utter ex-
tirpaton of the legalized practice of
making and vending alcoholic liquors.
He has been thoroughly identified
with the prohibition party from the
first, and was its candidate in 1878
for governor of Massachusetts.
Yet DR.. Miner has never sunk the
Church in these various and scattered
labors. This he has always regarded
as the bulwark of moral and religious
truth and life, and the most firm
ground on which to build our hope
of future progress. This was one of
the secrets of his undecaying vitality.