CLASS OF 1860
After a long service of twenty-three years, Dr. Arthur Little has retired from the pastorate of the Second Congregational church in Dorchester (Boston), Mass., and has removed to Newton. The following resolutions passed by his church are inserted here without the Doctor's knowledge:
The Second Church of Dorchester, having accepted with profound regret the resignation of their pastor, Dr. Arthur Little, now desire to record the grounds of their grateful and enduring affection.
Called without a dissenting voice to this pastorate in 1889, Doctor Little retires from a united church in 1912, his twenty-three years in this field rounding out a half century of distinguished service. He found a membership of four hundred; he leaves a membership of twelve hundred.
This remarkable growth we believe is due to the evangelical character of his preaching. Christ has been lifted up and has drawn men unto him. Doctor Little's central theme has been the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. But while the gospel message has been his chief concern, in the more than two thousand sermons preached by him to this people, Doctor Little has handled a variety of themes, notably present-day problems, local, national, and world-wide.
This versatility and range of interests have brought to him many calls to social service. Their acceptance has been limited only by his time and strength. Education, philanthropy, home and foreign missions, the temperance reform, Sabbath observance every phase of civic righteousness have been advanced by his persuasive voice. From the moderatorship of the National Council to the dedication of a country church; from a plea before the legislature to a visit to an excise board; from a baccalaureate at, college to an address at a public school; from a sermon before the American Board or the American Missionary Association, to a gospel talk at -a bethel, or personal work in the Moody or Chapman meetings; from an address to the Grand Army Post to a flag raising at a village school—what worthy cause has missed his aid? This largeness of spirit and readiness to-cooperate have made him a leader in the community, and especially in the sisterhood of churches.
But it is "as pastor that Doctor Little has forged hooks of steel. No council can dissolve his personal relations to his people. As pastor emeritus he abides in their hearts. The bonds were strong before the fire, but that tried and proved them. Doctor Little's conduct of the church through that crisis in its history is beyond praise.
Nor can we speak without emotion of other ties. Many of us he brought to Christ or knit more closely to him. In baptism, in communion, in marriage, in burial, in sickness, in festivity, he has been at our call.. No task too lowly, no person too humble to claim his cheerful service. "E'en children followed with endearing wile And pluck'd his gown to share the good man's smile."
Doctor Little came to us in the meridian of his powers; now in the serene evening of life, after a long, unclouded day, he lays down his work, endeared to his people, to the community, to the church at large, not only by a fruitful and blessed ministry, but still more by a singularly modest, noble and transparent character and life.
Secretary, Rev. Arthur Little„ Newton, Mass.
