The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-10-22

OCTOBER TERM TAPLEY, j., PRESIDING.
MoNDAY-Tenh Day-The case Of Maybury &
TX vs. Town OF Standish is still on trial The testi
mony TOR Plaintiff is not all in. t8 t9iEufi5i
In the afternoon the new docket called. 81, Il
/ ysdi Ecclesiastical Council. .-.. 81.
The Ecclesiastical Council called by the
State street Church and Parish to advise in
regard to dissolving the pastoral connection Of
Rev. George L. Walker, convened on Monday
at the Vestry of State street Church The
churches represented in the council were the
I'd, Sd, 4th, High street, Bethel, Central, st
Lawrence and West Congregational of Port
land; list Falmouth; LIST Yarmouth; and the
Congregational Church in Brunswick. ts, Il.
The Council was organized by choice of Rey
John z. Adams, of Falmouth, as Moderator
and Rev. George A. Tewksbury, of West Con
gregational Church, as Scribe Prayer was
then offered by Rev. George A. Putnam. Of
Yarmouth. LYi'le ioil 9alhi Yflt
Hon. Woodbury. Davis, in behalf Of the
Church and Parish, read the letter sent in by
Rev. Mr.. Walker last winter, and stated the
proceedings of the Church and Parish, which
resulted in Mr.. Walkers consenting that i'm.
''S''''o "Soioii upoh lcbtcE lu1SDb De DOSl-
poned.g He then read the following communi-
cation from Rev. Mr.. Walker to. his Church
and Parish on Sunday, 18th Instant.
g KEN assr friends Of the STATE street Church ana
Six months of absence. now added tn nipe
months previous separation from you, have
brought me to a welcome privilege and to an
nnwelcome duty. The DrioiIege Is the being
once more with you; the duty is the reiterat.
,s my ;regaesr shat yen would look to me as
Perhaps, appearing asaI de) after SO LONG
ana patent waiting on your part, it is unnec-
essary 1or me to say a word. Coming still dis
abied, sui dependent on cruteh and cane for
every stepI take, and with eyerylprospect Of
yet long continued infirmity, it is probable
that all your minds have already recognized
not only the expediency but the necessity ol
the action ask for. fiq ,,,.-,F =
When l left my resignation (by your reoues q
un:tcted ON in your hands, last March IL was
with some hope. amid much doubt, that tie
summer months might bring such benefit as
would make the withdrawal of my letter pos
sible and wise -
But the summer has gone, and the diigent-
~ sought Improvement has not come.
A winter Of confinement similar to nv last
orot absence in more genial cline is obyi-
oasly before me. Aud beyond that lies an un-
certain tract of time, Of which the most that
can be said is that it may hold in it distant
Meantime an immediate and increasing neel
y upon you. Your affection for me, proved rs
1t has been, cannot blind You to the fact that
Your need OF a.regular minister is both great
anu 9ut OF my power to supply, Permit me to
say that it is my deep conviction of your wai,t
OF some one, TO do what cannet do. which i'm
pels me to ask that separation which can omen
the way to the coming of stronger and better
man. a ishaf sHaf} l8Q3 s ~ -, = -
de sneh a Pan belieye yo9, ,will have, Yoa
need will not be forgotten by Che Master Hus
6andnan, who says to one laborer, s.eo,Y and
ne goeth, and To another, COME" and he com
eth, as He sees best for His garden ground III
Let me urge you to look to Him, and to the
Servant He will send you, and to the Future
in which you viii labor together for Christ -
There is work to be done; there are cbmino
days to be provided for; there is a noble his
tory for you to make.
And now, beloved friends, in asking gain
Tor action ON my letter of last spring, by the
call of council to effect the dissolution of our
ecciesiastlcal connection be assured that the
sentiments of gratitude and affection them
expressed, abide with me in unabated vigor. i
It IS these sentiments which impel me to Law
down trust i cannot usefully sustain. + m,
not seeking myself. Il have no plans; and the
future Is all obscure But the interests of thi,
congregation constrain me- -'' '''1'7' s''7f
Absence has not dimmed and can never dim
tiie pTeelousness in my eyes of a relationship
"
and mine. This is my home in a sense no other
spot can ever be. ff8TEao lssalfaz al II -,
Experiences have been met here which do
not IN this life bear a repetition l wish /
could believe that the connection between us
had been profitable to you in any degree equal
TO It's happiness and everlasting memorable-
ness to me. ga ga ft-i ?. ts1s77lla1I ~
With grateful affection Law down the tru 1t
winch nine years ago this day was committed
70 me. And commend you to God and to the
la has nttt,. afnsl \
Will be with You and bless you forevermore.
for Your affectionate friend,
GEO. LEON WALKER.
Upon this communication the Church. at a
meeting held ON Monday Oct 14th had the
following action: sii95 ldl atiyrlQ 81 uou =
'Whereos, our beloved pastor, Rev. George
Leon alker, has been Providentially laid
aside from his work among us for more than !,
year past, and there is little hope of his fun
restoration TO health for a long time to come,
III consequence of which he has requested that
the pastoral relation between us may be dis
solved ;s.o 3isasalsss ssssgs q IA. g..-ssa -
and Whereds, however painful the separation
we cannot but submit to what seems to be the
Will OF God concerning MS; therefore. ,,.g d u
Resolued, That our Pastors letter of resicna
ton be accepted, subject to the advice of a mn
tnal council TO be called for that purpose. and
that, If the council SO. advise, the pastoral re-
laG u, 1e dissolved according to his request
A'So"ocoo, AHdU we tdIlDOU allow this occasion
10 pass without express sing our deep and abid-
ing affection for our Pastor, and acknowledg-
ing our obligation to him for his most faithful
ana able ministry to our people, And while
we lament the great loss which the whole COM
Inunty, in common with us will sustaip nv
his departure, our prayer and hone are that
he VIII be restored again to health and be able
t0 resume the work for which he is SO emil
nently lifted, if not here, in some other portion
OF the Vineyard, to which the Master NAV call
him.ga8 s5fagb i .gs..5f -. ~ o''i
Alta Parish meeting held on the 10th in
stant' the proceedings Of the Church were con-
cur in. Il ,,,..,,. ~ -'i
Inc Moderator then stated that he supposed
the Council had sufficient before it to come to
a result, unless some member should wish to
say something upon the matter 55 lii'-iiiiisi 3
Rev Mr. Walker said he not only regretted
that his relations to the Church and Parish
were to be severed, but also. that those BROTH
cry ana pleasant relations that had spbsisted
between himself and the elergymen in this
region were to be, sundered. His commnni-
cations with the Cumberland Association had
over been of the most pleasing nature, and he
regretted to part from his brethren. '4'iil o.
Rev. Mr.. Southworth, of the Bethel Church.
moved that the Council concur in the resolr !
tions adopted by the Church and Parish. SUM-
idering the pastorship of Rev. Mr.. Walker. 10 y
This motion called forth brief remarks from
Dea Larrabee, of the I'd Church, Dea. Libby
of the Sd Church, Rev. Mr.. Southwortb, of the
Bethel Church, Rev. Mr.. Fem, of High street
Church, Portland, and Rev. DIR. Adams, of
brunswick, each of whom expressed his re-
greet that the Church was to lose the services
of Mr.. Walker, AA 9if n'oi' "5fi1tJl 81 1daia
The motion Of Mr.. Southworth was then
unanimously adopted by the Council, and
Rev. DIR. Adams, of brunswick, Rev. Mr. Put
nam, of Yarmouth, and Rev. Mr. Fenn, of
Portland, were appointed a committee to draw.
up the result Of the Council subsequently,,
the committee reported as follows:
, 1t appears that the relation betwee the Pas
tor and the people has been eininently pleasant
throughout The Church and congregation
have been greatly attached to their Pastor,
and the Pastor, ON his part, has fully appreei-
only ground On which the dissolution of the
pastoral relation has been sought by him, and
at last, after long delay, and sorrowfully asl-
sented to by them, is his long continued bodily
infirmity. i ie,i., f,f..s =. t,,...
The Council are forced to the conclusion that
the Pastor is justified in the step he has taken
in seeking discharge, and that the Church
and Society could not any longer with propr;-
ETY. refuse his request. 10 its-el.i -
In accordance with these views we rive oup
SANCTION to the dissolution of the pastoral roll
ton between Rev. George Leon Walker anJ
the State street Chhreh and Sbeiety III -
! The Council would express their deem reoret
IN view OF the Providental circumstancas
which have made this dissolution nerpss;t'
Mr. Walker, by his talent scl,la,L: 'i'y