Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-04-24
Resignation of Rev. J. E. Booker.

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THE FIFTH STANTON PASTOR RESIGNED
WITHIN A YEAR.
The changes in the Staunton pulpits
within year past have been remarkable
for town this size. During that time
Rev. VIM. E. Baker. of the First Presby-
terian church. Rev. J. M. Frost, of the
Baptist church, Rev. Allan Curr, of the
Baptist church, Rev. John Croll, of the
: Lutheran church, and Rev. ]. E. Booker.
of the Second Presbyterian church have
resigned; Rev. r. Smithson, of the Metho-
dist church moved to new station, and
Rev. Jas. T. O'Ferrall, assistant at st.
Francis Catholic church moved to new
station. Pastor John McVerry, OF st.
Francis church. and Rector ". @. HULL
hen, of Trinity Episcopal church, are tho
only ministers in Staunton filling the pull
pits they filled a year ago.
RESIGNATION OF REV. J. e. BOOKER.
Rev. J. E. Booker who, on Sunday last,
resigned the passionate of the End Presby-
terian church, to accept call to Charles
ton, Kanawha county, W. Va, came here
on Sept. 2sth, 1878, taking the place Rev.
McDuff Simpson, its first pastor. who went
to Scotland. Of the three Ruling Elders
of the church who were Office bearers
when Mr.. Booker came-Chas. D. Mccoy,
VIM. Jordan and James W. Morrison, the
first named Is dead and the other two
moved away. The Elders now are, Maj.
Jed. Hotchkiss, Capt. T. c. Morton, Jas.
M. Lickliter, ESQ.,, and Capt. Hugh W.
Henry.
THE INCREASE OF THE CHURCH UNDER
MR.. BOOKER.
When Mr.. Booker took the passionate
in 1878, there were 43 communicates.
there are now SO; there we're Al children
in the Sabbath school, there are now 100;
the total annual amount raised by the
church was $942, it is now LIS; the Sab
bath school contributed SO, it contributed
this year Sis.
HIS RESIGNATION.
On Sunday last, after service, congre-
gational meeting was held at the request
of Mr. Booker. On motion of Elder L.
C. Morton, Elder Jed. Hotchkiss was
elected Moderator, and Capt. T. s. Doyle
Clerk. Elder Hugh W. Henry. Clerk of
the Session read the following letter from
the pastor:
SrAuNroN, April 18th, 1885.
Capt. Hugh Henry, Clerk Of Session;
DEAR BRoTHER-I write to inform the ses-
sion of our church, that am in receipt of
communication from the Rev. Mr.. Barr, Pas
tor of the 1st Presbyterian church in Charles
ton, W. Va, in which he states that 1 have
been unanimously elected as Co-pastor of his
church.
As this subject has been before me for some
time, Give weeks) hope it will not appear to
our session, or our church, that have hasti-
ly decided to accept this call deem it my
duty to do SO, and if had received any posi-
ti0e information that the call would have
been made out. 1 should have mentioned it to
the session before this. Nothing definite was
before me previous to this morning and L
thought it best to say nothing to any one
about it.
The letter from Mr.. Barr states that they
will prosecute their call before Lexington
Presbytery next week. / ask therefore that
the session take action as soon as possible IN
calling congregational meeting to unite with
me in request to Presbytery for dissolu-
ton of my pastoral relation with the I'd
church.
hope the people of our church can unite
with me in this request, as l am decidedly of
the opinion that it is my duty to accept the
above call. It is hardly necessary for me to
say it gives me great pain of heart to ask for
dissolution of ties which for seven years have
grown stronger every year. strong sense OF
duty forces me to ask it. Please bring this
matter to the attention of the session soon
as you can SO that any step which it may
deem necessary to take may be taken as soon
as possible.
With prayer that the Great Head of the
Church may guide us all in what is right, am
Very fraternally yours,
After the reading of the letter the fol-
lowing resolutions presented by Elder
Henry and seconded by Elder Morton,
were unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, Our beloved pastor Rev. j. E. Booker,
has informed us that he has received a call from
the First Presbyterian church OF Charleston, west
Virginia and that after prayerful consideration,
he considers it to be his duty to accept the call be-
cause he believes that in this new field of labor
there will be opened to him larger sphere OF work
and usefulness in our Masters service, and be-
cause he is persuaded that the Head of the church
calls him to enter upon that work and service;
and whereas, he asks US to unite with MIN IN re-
quest to 70 bs eh 1ne as
pastor and people; therefore
Resolued. That we, the members of the Second
PRESBYTERIAN church of StauntOn, do hereby unite
with our pastor and request Lexington PresDytery
to dissolve the relations existing between the
Rev. j. e. Booker and the Second presbyterian
church of Staunton.
Resolued, That in joining in this request we de-
sire to make it known, that we do SO, solely be
cause we are assured that our beloved pastor has
prayerfully sought TO know what the Lord would
have him to do IN this at r. and hat ne is Rerd
of greater usefulness and more abundant laDors IN
the Lords service. We therefore yield Our wills
to his convictions OF duty to the great Head OF the
church.
RESOLVED That we cannot permit the strong ties
of Christian love and sympathy which have bound
US to our pastor for the past seven years, to be
broken without expires Of our testimony to tne
he has discharged his duties to the flock. over
which Christ the Lord placed HIM as Bishop, in
RI in the Mora and Ia IN re-
the weak, in sympathy and consolation to the al
nicted. in the good.exampe OF blameless life,
in his IaborS prayers and watchingS for the saving
of souls as a true minister of Jesus Christ. and
to how well he has kept all that was committed to
ResoIued. That if it should be the will OF the
Presbyterv to dissolve the relation between our
pastor and our church we will part with him With
sincere affection and regret we will pray that He
who calls him to go from us may endue MIN aDun-
sponsibty, and bless and own his work with
great and rich rewards. and grant to him thous-
and fold. for all that he leaves in going from
us. the Affection sympathy and hearty cooperation
ofahe people to whom he is called
On motion of Elder Z. G. Morton, it was
resolved that the Elder or his alternate
chosen to represent this church at the
next meeting of Presbytery, be empowered
to act as commissioner for the church to
make presentation of this action of the
congregation to the Presbytery.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
A Lawyer Before the Court.