The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-05-16

any, and total stranger to oil OF US, - can
didste for the vacant pulpit OF the rresoyten-
an church Of this place, and
Whereas, BY his superior eloquencs and aDu-
ity IN the pulpit he at once captivatsd ana
charmed all who heard him, and
Whereas, After being distinctly told that the
society was limited in number and means, ana
| that in consequence OF the humorous otner
churches in tho place, there was no reasonapie
ground for expecting any rapid increase OF our
! numbers or augmentation OF our ability ana
that If he conesnted to remain with us he must
necessarily accept small salary and preach IN
house of limited capacity, and.
Whereas, With full understanding OF these
facts. and after remaining here two or tafee
weeks he did accept the offer OF said society OF
twelve hundred dollars and agreed to preAcn
for them one year therefore, and
Whereas, said society, relying upon his said
promise and agreement, advertised the pews
| in SAID church for sale, upon the express I'M
derseanding that Mr.. Wilkins would supply
the pulpit for the year ensuing, and most IL
not all Of the pews in the church were sold and
notes gwen to the trustees for the same; and
Whereas, On the Sabbath that Mr.. Wilkins
publicly announced that he had agreed to re-
main with the society he gave specific direc-
tions as to certain alterations which he wished
made in the Interior Of the church; and
Whereas, The Trustees Immediately caused
such alterations to be made; and Whereas,
After remaining here some five or six weeks,
Mr.. Wilkins received an offer Of go, 900 year
from the congregational church In Marshall,
aud Whereas, He then requested the Trus-
tees to release HIM from his obligation; and
Whereas, The Trustees refused to acceed to
such request, stating to Mr.. Wilkins that he
would do us an ureparabe injury thus to leave
the church and
w hereas, Certain members of the society
fearing, notwithstanding the action OF the Trus-
tees, that Mr.. Wilkins would leave, proposed
to raise his salyry to 3 1900, and
Whereas, Mr. Wilkins wrote the letter here
to annexed to one OF the Trustees and the
Trustees, on the day they received said letter,
paid him $50, and guaranteed, in writing the
payment of his salary, and
Whereas, He did, on Friday, May ID unbe-
known to any one Of the Society," leave the
place, concealing his departure by taking back
street to go to the depot and made no provi-
sons for supplying the pulpit on the following
Sabbath, leaving the note herewith given,
which was not delivered to any one OF the
society for six hours aft or he had gone, and
did not notify the society Of his course until
he had been away three or four days, therefore,
Resolved, That said Rev. c. r. Wilkins has
done an irreparable injury to this society, and
abandoned us without cause and shown a total
disregard for the rules Of common honesty, |
and has violated his solemn agreement.
Cd Resolved, That neither our paucity OF
numbers or his superior attainmeuts, deprives
US OF our rights or releases him from moral
obligation.
Sd. Resolved, Tina, We have the same right |
to hold minister OF the gospel, however tai
ented he may may be, to his deliberate and
solemn agreement that we have to hold any
other individual.
4th. Resolved, That Mr.. Wilkins, attemp.
TO induce one Of the Trustees to conceal the
fact of bis desertion until after the quarters
pew rent should be collected, was a species Of
Wall steet strategy rather than an illustration
or the teachings OF t he new testament.
9Th. Resolved, That Dir. Wilkins had no
right, legally or morally, after he had entered
upen the labors Of the year, to demand the en-
largement of the church as a condition of his
abiding By his agreement.
9Th. Resolved, 1t was news to us when We
learned that there is always an implied under
standing that religious societies or ministers
may abandon their agreement whenever they
can do better.
It'll. Resolved That Mr. wilkins ia I'M
worthy the confidence of any society and that
we request the editors OF the village pa pers,
in justice to ourselves, to publish these resolu-
tons.