THE REV. EDWIN J. HERMANS

The subject of this memoir was born in Potter, N.Y., Dec 20, 1832, and died in the township of his birth on Nov. 7, 1896.  He was the son of James Hermans, M.D., one of the early settlers of the town.  His mother survives him at the age of ninety-one.  His father, as was then often the case with country physicians, carried on a farm, and this, with the intellectual culture of the home, gave the boy and then the man that robust manliness which ever characterized him both in body and spirit.  Early in his life divine grace came in with its endowments and accomplishments.

His education beyond that of the home and the country school was acquired at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary.  In 1854, under the labors of the Rev. John H. Day, he was greatly and specially blessed and commenced to exhort; soon he was licensed to preach.  At the early age of twenty-three he entered upon his life work as a Christian minister and was appointed to Orleans, where he remained two years.

During this period he was married to Miss Adelia S. Wyman, daughter of George D. Wyman, of Potter, N.Y.  To them were born three children, Carrie A., Mary A., and Hattie M., the latter preceding both parents to the better land.  On April 10, 1887, his wife died, and after the lapse of eight years he married a sister of his former wife, Mrs. Charlotte S. Voorhees.

His pastoral charges, following Orleans, were: 1857, Chapinville and Manchester; 1858-59, Branchport; 1860-61, Painted Post; 1862-64, Hedding Church, Elmira; 1865-66, Alexander Street, Rochester; 1867-68, Potter; 1869-71, Clinton Springs; 1872, Waterloo; 1873-76, Troy District; 1877-80, Geneva District; 1881-83, Corning; 1884, Skaneateles; 1885-90, Elmira District; 1891, Centenary Church, Elmira; 1892-93, Ithaca District; 1894-95, Geneva District.  It will be seen that for eighteen years he occupied the responsible place of presiding elder.  This he did with the loving care for the interests of the Church and with wisdom and great executive ability.  He was a delegate to the General Conference of 1880 from Genesee Conference, and to that of 1892 from Central New York.

As a man he held to a high ideal; he despised shams, sought not his own, but another's good, was unsparingly diligent in his ministerial office, loyal to Methodism in the highest degree, and ever ready to give a good and sufficient reason for his conduct, official and unofficial.  As a preacher he was highly scriptural, clear, cogent, and sometimes eloquent.  As an administrator he was judicious, careful, and reasonable.  While he had no formal theological training in the schools, it may be said that he had that knowledge which schools seldom impart.  He knew men and he knew God.  Therefore he was well endowed with tact as a manger of men, was fertile in resources, and uniformly successful in his ministry.

The last year of his life was one of constantly increasing weakness and suffering.  His disease was beyond both the skill and knowledge of the best physicians.  His massive form wasted until there was scarcely a physical indication of his former self, but the inward man was renewed continually.  He had great pleasure in the conversation and prayers of his ministerial brethren who called upon him.  Notwithstanding his condition, he kept up his oversight and thought for his district work down to the session of the Annual conference, a month before his death.  The new pastor, E. A. Baldwin, a longtime friend, said to him a few days before his departure: "You have tested the Gospel under many different circumstances, but never as you are testing it now."  His reply was, "It stands; the Gospel stands."

His funeral was held from the church in Rushville, and was attended by about forty of his former comrades in labor.  His body was borne to Nettle Valley Cemetery and laid by the side of his kindred, but his influence and the sweet savor of his life will long linger to bless those who survive him.

M. P. BLAKESLEE