The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-09
DIR. MILLARD,s RETIREMENT.
Plymouth Congregational Church
Regrets to Lose Him.

1
The resignation of Rev. Watson B.
| M1ilard, pastor of the Plymouth Con-
! gregatlonal church. announced from
the pulpit Sunday, while a surprise to
the public, was not unexpected by the
members of the congregation. The
| resignation takes effect May /, and DR..
| Millard regrets the facts that makes
| his resignation necessary. The congre-
| cation also Is equally sorry to part
with their pastor. In his letter of
| resignation DIR. Willard said:
| | accepted your call to become your pastor
| little over two years ago, and while | knew
something of your difficulties, did not be-
| gin to understand their full extent. During
| these two years we have worked together,
| and trust not without results Our actual
membership has somewhat increased and the
olHerent departments of work have been well
sustained. For this | cordially commend the
faithful and most efficient band of workers
i which our church contains 1t is probable
tnat some one else could have done much
better service than /, but it Is right to recog-
n1ze the great and peculiar difficulties which
| have attended our labors. The continued de-
! preston in the business world which has
| caused the failure of many kinds Of enter
prises, has been especially trying under our
peculiar conditions. This fact, added to the
! convictions of some which antidate my pas
| torate, has somewhat complicated the prob
| lem.
| But desiring, as I do, the advancement of
| the cause we love- and thinking to simpIify
| the question and to aid you if l may in the
! least degree to reach the right conclusion,
| thus resign the paStorate.
Formerly the congregation paid its
! pastor $500, but hard times caused
the salary to be reduced to 1900, and
! the understanding was when DR.. Mil.
lard assumed charge that the salary
was to be raised as soon as the con-
| d1t1On of the church warranted it,
Rev. II. H. Hart, who is a member
OF the church and staunch friend Of
DR.. Willard, said there was no feeling
in connection with the pastors retire
| ment
THE fact isl said Mr.. Hart. 1--WE
have had a $500 man for s., 500 But
the church cannot go on and pay even
the present salary of 81 500 without
mourning Indebtedness, and DR.. Mil
lard stated that he would resign rather
than that the church should go into
! debt on his account. And so the doctor
| resigned. We regret it more than
| words can tell. Dr. Willard is an able
man and one,in whom we have reposed
| the greatest trust and have the great
| est faith. But it is a step he has been
| contemplating for a long time and
Is, Of course, no surprise to his friends.
| Not a word should be said of any ill
feeling, for so far as 1 know, or any
body whom I have heard speak, DR..
! Willard had friend in every member
of the church. He has tried to get the
church out of debt, and has practical
| ly succeeded, for it only owes at this
| time $780, 1t is simply a case Of where
| the congregation was unable to pay for
| it's minister, and the minister was
forced in self defense. to leave That's
all there is to it. Everybody in the
church loves DR. Willard. There's lit
| tie question about that
| Asked if he had any call or any plans
| for the future, DR.. Millard said he
| had not.