Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-04-05


We stated last week that Rev. j. NJ. 2.
OTIS, of Tennessee, had declined the call |
to the West Presbytefien ChErch OF this |
city. The fact was officially announced |
to the congregation on Sunday, and the |
following letter from him was read -
COLUMBIA, TENN, March II, 1873.
To The Session of the West Prssbytsrian
Church, Wilmington, DEL:
BRETHERN;-I felt II to be my consclen-
tious duty to send you Geographic dis
patch this night, saying Unjust stay here.
am led TO this conviction, not because
| consider the salary you offer insufficient
for comfortable support, not because
consider the West Church In any respect
an undesirable field of labor, not becsusu
of any fact or circumstance whatsoever
pertaining to your Church or your people
or your locality, but altogether because
of circumstances existing in my present
charge which will be made known to you
by the enclosed paper. l know of 10
field, North or South, in which the pros
pect for enlarged usefulness is brighter
and more encouraging than that now open
in the West Presbyterian Church.
know OF no pastorate, considering al the
circumstances and advantages In tn,
field, mole suited to my own tastes aud
aspirations than the Church of which
you are the ofiice-bearers, and to which
must say, through you, its represents
tives-Dear bIethern, il does not seem to
me to be the will of the Lord Tor me IT,
come TO you in answer to your unanimous
call, which has made such deep and
solemn impression upon my mind and
\ heart Were II not for the Circumstance
in my present charge made known in the
enclosed paper aud forced upon my con
sideration, / would have no hesitation
Whatsoever IN accepting your call. COuid
/ feel at liberty rs minister OF the Cos
| pei, TO follow my own pleasure and Will,
| would leave here and begin my labOfs
among you in less than three weeks, but
my conscientious conviction of duty as "a
faithful and self-saeritlelng minister OF
Christs gOspei uoes not allow me TO dis.
regard aud disobey what seems TO be the
will and pleasure Of the Master 90 mani
festly made known In the Circumstance r
now developed around me. As | said III
the second sermon ! preached In youl
pulpit, the essential element In practical
Christianity is, self-sacrifce after The
the example and out Of love to the Lord
Jesus who gave himself for us" l feel
that there is at present a divine NECESSITY
, LAID upon ne to give up that VII eli
have sought, and sought with earne-l
desire for T., and, for tie sake of hris'
and the good Of his cause in this place
to remain here for the present time anC
wait upon the pleasure Of tue Lord.
Dear brethren Of he session and con
gregatiou Of the West Presbyterian
Church, my heait's sincere desire an,
+ earnest prayer TO God for you is that II
will speedily send to your church faith
ful minister or his gospel-one full Of th
Holy Ghost ard Of zeal for Christ-a ma
blessed in the endowment Of practice
. sagacity, sanetiifed unto the worg of H.
Lord-a mau chosen Of God aud sent q
do the great work that il 10 he done "a
. the glory Of his name and the salvaiio
OF souls in the West Pes byterian Church
AtIettiouateiy Yours
lu Christ jesus,
j. NJ ?. OTIS.
The following letter was directed I
Mr.. OTIS By his present congregation
, asking him to remain in his presel
charge:
/ COLUMBIA, Tenn, March IS, 1878.
? Rev. J. N. i. Ous-De0r Sir ;-Betoi
: and at the time you were called TO Il
/ charge Of the First Presbyterian Churc
. IN Columbia the church, owing TO variol
\ causes, was very much diyiied, aud
F. seemed almost impossible to harmonic
+. the discOrdant elements. Upon yol
!. however, the entire congregation Gel
tered and became harmoHZei. Yol
r labors have heeu eminent y successful
II every respect, and IN no respect mo
# than IN promoting and preserving n spiI
>. Of harmony and good feeling in the co
Q greeation, not ouly a, among the meI
/. bers themselves, but also in winning III
e retaini heir affection for yourself.
Il the step proposed TO be taken by YOU v
iorsee and contemplate with alarm
II relapse into the same unsettled and di
a organized condition in which you loui
us.
Such a condition would prove disa
trous to our usefulness ar church,
~ not fraught with danger to its We
y. existence.
tie We hone, therefore, you will look
e, the case from this stand point and co
10 slider il in all its bearings and cons
m quences before you come to tse fin
~ determination to leave US. The chur
has been and is bound to you az one ma
D. What would be its condition, should y
e separate yourself from us, God, In
= wisdom, only knows.
You're with affection and esteem,
A. Signed by the Ruling Elders and De
IS cons.