The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-07-30
A PASToRATE CLOSED.
Rev. w. B. Matteson Preached his Last
Sermon and has left for Red
Bank, N. !.


Bank, N. ].
The present week closed the four years
pastorate of Rev. w. b. Matteson, of the
First Baptist church in this city, and has
taken from the city one of the brightest pull
pit orators who has ever been In charge OF
an Owosso congregation as well as one of
the most clear sighted students of the social
and religious problems of the day. Witty,
aud full of enthusiasm in his work, he was
a man whose influence for progress and i'm
provement in social and religious work has
been great, and wider than will probably be
known for years; an influence which owing
to these qualities OF the man has been felt
among large list of friends outside OF the
members of his own congregation.
The services Sunday were not in the ma
ture Of farewell address but two strong
sermons were preached which were an in
splration to the large audiences which heard
them. In the morning the individualistic
phases of Christianity were presented under
the subject "The Upbuilding of q Man,"
and in the evening its social phases received
attention under the subject "The City of
God" The subject of the morning address
he said at its close expressed his aim In
Owosso and while he had made many mis-
takes he had done the best he could.
A reception was given Monday evening
In the church parlors to Mr.. and Mrs. Mat
teson and nearly the whole membership
and large number of outside friends were
present in spite of the stormy evening to
bid them goodbye and to wish them success
and happiness in their new home. The
parlors had been handsomely decorated with
flowers, rugs and easy chairs. Light re-
freshments were served.
The work of Mr.. Matteson in the city,
judged from purely materialistic stand
point alone, has been one of unrestricted
success. Four years ago on taking the pas
torate of the church here the condition was
discouraging in many respects. The church
building was badly in need of extensive re-
pairs and entirely unequal to the carrying
on of any aggressive work. To think of
building, however, seemed almost presump-
tous and yet after long and careful planning
1t was attempted and carried out as all know
with the result that in May, 1896, one of the
handsomest and most conveniently arranged
church buildings in the state was dedicated,
and that too, free from debt. The church
building cost complete little less than $780,
900. The membership has increased from
about $50 to about $50 during the pastorate
while about $26, 900 has been raised and ex-
pended for various purposes.
The church to which Mr.. Matteson is
called Is the strongest in point of member
ship and wealth of any in city of about
6000, Red Bank, n. j. These figures, how.
ever, do not give any just idea of the rea
size of the place for the surrounding coun.
try is so thckly settled that there is practi
cally population of 90, 900 which looks tC
Red Bank for church accommodations. The
city Is only about twenty-five miles from
greater New York and is delightfully."- situ
ated, while the fact that Mr.. Matteson is al
eastern man by birth, was educated in New
York and will be among those who were
friends of his father In years past, will
make the new location still more pleasan
and the possibilities for greater work still
more sure.
Their many, friends In Owosso wish boil
Mr.. Matteson and his charming wife ever
greater success and happiness than they
have had in Owosso. They left Tuesday
afternoon for their new home.