Stephen Haskell was described as being a large, slow-moving man who was very deliberate-yet somehow irresistible in speech. He had a flowing beard, a shovel-tipped nose, and his hair, which became gray and then white as he aged, was described as a luxuriant mane. Those who heard Pastor Haskell speak said that, in manner and speech, he was a typical old-fashioned New Englander. His English was not always perfect, and his Yankee dialect never left him, but his earnest, kindly smile always made friends. A fatherly figure, Haskell earned the affection of thousands of spiritual children. He grew with the years-alternatively serving as a preacher, executive, author, and publisher. But most importantly, Haskell was a lay leader for the church, using his talents for literature, correspondence, and personal missionary work. An accomplished organizer and administrator, Pastor Haskell served for years as a conference president within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. At one point, he even served as president of the New England and California conference simultaneously! In 1889, Pastor Haskell heard a talk given by Ellen White in which she admonished ministers that there should be more teaching and less preaching in Adventist camp meetings. After considering the counsel, Pastor Haskell developed a method of Bible readings which came to be known as fireside preaching. The idea caught on like wildfire, as Christians around the country undertook training to hold home Bible readings. One institute in Battle Creek grew rapidly by studying the Bible Reading Plan. Under the leadership of Pastor Haskell, began with 300 students and ended with 1,000. Today the Bible reading plan continues to be one of the most successful means of winning people to the truth. Today, that book is published as the Bible Handbook. Haskell's other works include The Cross and it's Shadow, The Story of the Prophet Daniel, and The Story of the Seer of Patmos.
