He began his ministry 47 years ago. Sunday will be his last day in the pulpit, as a fulltime preacher. Rev. Boswell has spent the past 14 years at Montgomery Memorial Baptist Church in Gainesville.
You might think that the low point in his tenure at Montgomery - and maybe his career - was the arson fire several years ago that destroyed the sanctuary. But he says "no, no. That was one of the high points."
How so?
"Well, the church burned on a Saturday night or Sunday morning and I went home to rest a while and when I came back they had a tent set up...300 chairs and I preached just like it was in the church."
Rev. Boswell says out of the ashes, the church has a bigger building and a larger membership "so, I guess it, it turned out to be a blessing."
How has being a minister changed over the past 47 years?
Boswell says the people are just not as church-minded as they were in "the olden days." He says "there's too much other stuff going on at the same time we're having church," adding there are now just too many things outside the church competing for a congregation's time, "like ball games" and school activities.
What are churches having to do to adapt?
"We just do what we have to do with the ones that do come."
Just because he is retiring, don't think you've seen the last of Rev. Boswell in the pulpit.
"I'll be available for supply (pastoring), interim, revivals - all that kind of stuff."
He is 87-years-old. Why has he waited this long to retire?
"I'm still in pretty good health and the Lord just gave me a place," Boswell said. "When I started preaching, I told Him if He'd open the doors, I'd go through them and He's still opening them."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/9/85655