Putnam patriot., 1926-12-03
REV. MIR. MERRILL
 RESIGNS PASTORATE
Resignation Read Following That of Rev. Dr. George
 A. Gordon
Has Been Assistant al Old South. Bos
 ton, Five Years

Rev. Boyton Merrill. who resigned the pastorate of the Second Congrega- tional church. Putnam. five years ago. to accept a call Go become associate pastor of the Old South church. Boylston street. Boston, rendered his resignation last Sunday morning.
 At the close of the morning ser vice. al which Mir Merrill oflieiated, the resignation of the minister. Rev George 4. Gordon. was read Follow ing the reading of Dr. Gordon's resig- nation that of MT Merrill was read.
 The resignations of the pastor and his associate came as a surprise to all but the officers of the church, members of the committees. and a few close friends of Dr. Gordon.
 Pastor Forty Year.
 Dr. Gordon was installed as mini- ster of the Old South church. April 2. 1884. At that time it was his hope to round out term of twenty-five years. He IS now entering the sec ond half of his fortv=three years of service. For the last few years it has been his intention to resign at the age of 75 years He will be within three months of that age when his resignation takes affect next Oeto Der
 Associate Pastor Five Years
 Mr Merrill was installed as associ- ate five years ago He has filled his office with notable ability. eo-operat. ing with the minister in a most eff eieut manner and aeeepgabIy to the church society and the people of Che parish. When he accepted the eali of the Old South church Go be Dr Cor. dou's associate he expressed his in. tention to stay as long as Dr. Gordon should stay; 1t would seem that with the ending of Dr. Gordon.s service he fell that his, too. should end
 His resignation reads as follows
 Nov. 22. 1926.
 "To the members of the Old South Church and Society.
 "I hereby submit my resignation as associate minister of the Old South Church in Boston, with the request that it be accepted to become effec tive Oct 1. 1927.
 This IS done with the full anpro- val of the minister of the church. It Is offered and it's acceptance Is urg- ed because I am convinced that thus only will the church and society be untrammeled and unembarrassed in the duties that devolye upon them because of the resignation af the minister of the church.
 Sincerely and affectiunately.'
 "B0YNToN MERRILL
 Mir. Merrill retired from the pulpit before the presenting uf his resigna- ton. and the services were conclud ed by the Rev Dr William r. Siocum
 First Charge Was In Putnam
 The Rev. Boytou Merrill was born on July 24. 1891. at Lowell. son of Otis A. and Anna lBoYntun1 Merrill. When he vas nine years old his family moved to Peppereil. where he now lives. and he continued his education started in Lowell. From i90s to lglt he attended Mt Herman school Northfeld.
 He entered Dartmouth College in 1911 and was graduated four years later. The following fall he entered Union Theological Seminary. New York. remaining there until January, 1918, when he was appointed chaplain of the U. S & Pennsylvania. flagship of the American fleet. with l.S00 men in his charge. Two weeks after his discharge in June, 1919 he married Miss Virginia Young Worsham of Henderson, Ky They have two ehil- dren: Marian Barrett, and Boyn- ton. Jr.. year old
 He assumed his first charge at the Second Congregational church of Put nam on July |. 1919. and in October, 1921 was called to his present posi- tion. He entered the theological school at Harvard in 1925. and was graduated this year. also recei"iug degree from Union The ologieal Seminary as of 1918. He was four- der and chairman of the campaign, in which thirteen Back Bay churches participated last fall to bring children to some church. which was tremen- dously successful He is an acting chaplain of Radcliffe College and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, the Charles River Country Club and the University Club.