The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-09
DIR. BOWMAN WILL STAY.
THE GALL FROM CHARLESTON TO
BE DECLINED.

The Lutheran Congregation Unani-
mously Accepts It's Pastors Condi-
tons OF Remaining in Savannah-A
New Sunday School and Mission
Church to be Established in the
Southern Part of the City.
Rev. W. S Bowman, of the Evangelical
Lutheran church, who was recently called
TO the pastorate of the Wentworth Street
church in Charleston, of which he was pas
tor for many years, has decided not to ac-
cept the call and will remain here, at the
urgent solicitation of the church over
which he has presided for nearly seven
years.
The call from the Charleston church was
an urgent one, and its acceptance was
urged in a petition signed by nearly every
member of the congregation and by the
leading citizens of Charleston. 1t was DR..
Bowman's old pastorate, of which he was
the founder, and where he labored for six
teen years. The salary offered was 500
more than he is now receiving, and the pas
torate is one requiring much less work than
is required by the church here. The Went
worth street congregation is composed of
the most highly cultured and intelligent
people of Charleston, and to refuse the call
required much conservation, an unselhsh
Christian love and belief that more good
can be accomplished by staying than by
going.
URGED TO STAY.
When it became known that DIR. Bowman
had received the call from Charleston the
officers of the Savannah church called upon
him and asked that he remain here. The
entire congregation urged his nOn-accept-
ance of the Charleston call and begged him
TO remain where he has so faithfully labored
for the past nearly seven years. With the
urgent call from his former beloved pas
torate before him, and with the kindly ex
pressions of his present congregation, it was
a difficult matter TO decide what TO do.
After the morning sermon yesterday DIR.
Bowman asked the membership of the
church TO remain for a short time. He ex-
planned the nature of his call to Charleston,
and the inducements that it offered. He
also spoke of his call to Virginia, and his re-
fusal to entertain it because he believed it
to be his duty to remain here. The Went
worth Street Church, he said is his old
pastorate, and around it cluster many pleas
ant recollections and sacred memories He
Is urged to return to it.
A TRYING POSITION.
At the same time he is asked to remain
here. Should he go or stayi The position
hesaid, is trying one. If he could do more
good in Charleston than here he would go.
If he could do more good mere than in
Charleston, he would stay After much
thought and prayer, he proposed three
conditions, the acceptance of which by the
church would govern his decision. He read
the conditions, and they were voted upon
separately by the congregation and were
unanimously accepted.
The first condition of his staying was
that every member of the church should
sacredly pledge his or her endeavor to pro
mote the peace and harmony of the congre-
cation, and, laying aside all personal or
party feeling, to work for the common
good of the church.
The second condition was a pledge to at
tend regularly all the services of the
church and to work in a Christian spirit for
its upbuilding.
The third condition was a pledge that as
soon as the present church Indebtedness is
removed, to establish Sunday school and
mission church in the southern part of the
city.
CONDITIONS OF HIS STAYING.
The acceptance of these conditions DR..
Bowman considered necessary to a proper
advancement of the interests of the church
The congregation unanimously subscribed
TO eacn of them, and after short talk DR..
Bowman announced his determination to
remain. lie will communicate his decision
to the Charleston church at once.
The decision of Dr. Bowman to remain in
Savannah is a source of much pleasure not
only to the membership and congregation
of the Lutheran church but to the other
churches and congregations of the city and
TO the citizens who know DR.. Bowman, and
who would deeply regret his leaving.