Rev. John F. Brant was the next to serve us as pastor, coming in April, 1875. He was from Ohio, unmarried, and just completing his studies at the university. He remained with us one year and did good work. During the summer he visited his Western home, and then was inaugurated the union vacation service with the Congregational Church, which was continued until the last summer. This proved helpful in various ways, removing some prejudices that needlessly existed. Up to the close of Brother Brant's ministry with us seven more had joined us, making our membership twenty-one in full connection and several on probation.
During this year we thought it advisable to sell a portion of our land, thereby reducing our indebtedness about one thousand three hundred dollars. At Conference, in April, Rev. William Full was appointed to this charge. He was a member of Conference and a native of Nova Scotia, and immediately came to live among us.
Brother Full put in some energetic work, as did also his wife, as far as her health would permit. The hard times were being seriously felt and our people were discouraged. One of our trustees tells of one occasion when only he, his wife, and the pastor were attendants at the mid-week prayer meeting. During the early autumn the West Somerville pulpit became vacant and the two churches were united under Brother Full's care, and the next year he was appointed to that charge. During the year seven new names were added to our membership from probation and by letter.
The conference and church year of 1877, beginning with April, opened with discouragements of the deepest kind. The clouds of the business world, dark enough before, were growing blacker. In its material concerns
