St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-02
A Romance That Began in
Sunny Italy and Had One
Chapter Here.
A Few Saloonkeepers Have
Taken Out the Thousand
Dollar License.
Happenings in the City on
New Years Day--The
Local GriSt.
SAM SMITHS LAS
The Pastor Of the First Methodist
Church Gives Out the Reasons
for His Resignation.

for His Resignation.
Some hundreds of people were diSap-
pointed yesterday morning at the First
Methodist church. Every seat in the
church was taken, people having gath
cred from all parts of the city, and even
from Hamline, expecting to hear some
thing sensational from Rev. Sam Smith
in regard to the causes which led to his
withdrawal from the Methodist church.
But they didn't hear anything of the
kind.
The whole service passed off much
the same as an ordinary Sunday morn
ing service, and DR.. Smith said not one
word that could reflect on his old church,
or any of the officers or people
who belong to it, The text was from
John xii. "A. Verify, verify, l say
unto you. except corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die, it abideth
alone; but if it die it bringeth forth
much fruit"
The farewell prayer of Jesus Christ
was that he himself might be glorified
with the glory the Father" he said. 1t
was a strange note in that last paintive
hymn. He knew he must die, and with
all his shame and suffering before him
he prayed that divine glory might come
to him. 1t was a wonderful conception
and the mystery of all time. But his
tory has indicated Jesus Christ. His
tory has taken from these words the
mad fancy of a man about to die, and
exalted them for all time. The shame
of the cross beside these sinks
below the waves of oblivion forever
The way of sacrifice is ever the way to
glory, and the law of power is the law
of Self-forgetfulneSS. Christ could have
escaped crucifiXion if He had robbed
heaven of all its legends and damned
earth to hell. We lay the
FOUNDATIONS OF LIFE
in sacrifice. IT'S always by Self-forget-
fulneSS that men become great. 1t is
the far-seeing man who sacrifices the
present for the fruitage of the future.
So profound is the knowledge of God
that it goes down to the gates of hell
and knocks at the door of the evil
one himself. The worlds heroes
are men like John Bright, in
England, and Wendell Phillips
and Horace Greeley, in America
men who believe in the future and dare
to stand OH their convictions. Men who
in their time were OutcaStS, of whom
the world was not worthy then, nor is
worthy now-these are the men at
whose feet the whole world afterward
worshipS. There is but one text of 10y
atty, and that is loyalty to Christ; and
no church, no synod, no conference, nor
anything else can decide what is loyalty
to Christ and what is not. The man who
goes forth loyal to the law of Christ is
the son of God.
Il feel" said Dr.. Smith, s'that fought
to say word and tell just why leave
this church. But this is not the time,
nor is it the place. This house has been
dedicated to other purposes. L go forth
for general reasons, and they are:
First believe / can be more useful
elsewhere. If l thought otherwise, l
should certainly remain in the Meth
OdiSt church.
Second-I believe I can be more
happy elsewhere, and | have right to
be happy in my work if | can.
The future alone can vindicate the
wisdom or the folly of my course. l do
not leave because of any troubles in this
church. / have never had any trouble
In this church. and in spite of all efforts
of some people, accidentally prominent
in the church, The NJ. E. church has
treated this matter in fair and honOra-
BILE manner. l say that there are not
three people in this congregation to-day
who desire to
MAKE ANY TROUBLE.
some VIII 20 from mere ana some Will
stay. Some of the best friends we've got
will remain. No man can say that by
word or deed | have tried to lead any
one from this church. To this last day
Ihave acted as your pastor, with the
best interests of the church only i'm
view. Nor do go from you because of
my relations with the church at large.
In the last few weeks letters breathing
the warmeSt sentiments and promising
me great things have come from men
prominent in the church. L feel that
have been hOnOred by the church beyond
what | could eXpect-to a larger degree
than any other, know. The Methodist
church does not realize what sacrifices
1t requires of its itineracy. The preacher
sacrifices all, even his family, while the
laity sits by and sees it go on. The
only body of men to compare with it in
such sacrifices are some of the Jesuit
missionaries of the Roman Catholic
church.
"You will receive minister who has
already won his spurs, although he is
still very young, and | want to tell those
who remain here to give him the same
kind treatment which has always been
extended to me-"