The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-06
REV. DIR. HEREFORD.
Return of the Great Boston Preacher
to England.

Return OF the Great Boston Preacher
to England.
Rev. Brooke Herford, d. D., OF Boston, is about
to resign the pastorate of the Arlington street
Unitarian church, of Boston, to accept a call re-
Gently received from one of the leading Uni
tartan churches of London. He came to this
country sixteen years ago TO be the pastor of the
First Unitarian Society of Chicago, and after an
active ministry of six years he became not only
the longest settled pastor, but also one of the
best known and beloved in that city. His in
spring lectures to crowded houses on the
"Epochs and Leaders of Liberty" will long be
remembered by all who had the privilege of
hearing them. In 1881 he removed to Boston to
become the successor of DR.. Claiming, Dr.
Gannett and Rev. John W. Ware, as pastor of
the Arlington street church, where his minis
trations have been attended with great
success. Allowing the pews to be free
at the Sunday afternoon services, his
church was crowded usually to over
flowing, and for years his society has been the
largest contributor to the missionary enter
prises of the Unitarian denomination. In adj
dition to his regular church and parish work,
DIR. Hertord has been associated with DIR. Ed
ward Everett Hale and Bishop Phillips Brooks
as one OF the appointed preachers of Harvard
university. Through the breadth Of his thought
and scholarship, and his genial sympathy for
young men, he has greatly endeared himself to
both professors and students. Last June he was
one OF the two persons upon whom Harvard
conferred its degree of Doctor of Divinity; and
In his speech as guest at the commencement
banquet he bore his earnest testimony to the
fidelity shown by the students in attending re-
ligious services from sense of duty instead of
from compulsion. As the author of a simple
and unpretentious book, "The Story of Religion
in England" and of divers addIesses and tracts
DR.. Herford has manifested his power as
writer, and it is to be hoped that he
may have the years, strength and inclination
to give the world a book that shall stand as q
permanent memorial OF his religious thought
In his letter relative to resignation he says:
UTTERLY unsought, utterly unexpected, this
call TO London came, accompanied by pleadings
from old fellow-workers that should come
back to my old work, which weighed upon me
with force greater than 1 can express. 1t is the
work that was at for twenty-five years and
with which, since ! came to America, I have
never lost touch, and believe can take it up
again with hands not so much weakened by the
lapse OF sixteen years as strengthened by the
rich experience these years have brought and
by the freshness and stimulus of this American
LIE in which they have been passed. England
has Tor Unitarian minister no post of such
public honor rs the ministry of Arlington street
church, especially when Joined with a preacher.
ship at Harvard. But there are needs In
our English field just now Of very
special kind, which seem to outweigh
not only all such considerations, but even the
weightier ones of the natural regret and disap-
pointment of those who are concerned with me
IN these works here. And so, In resigning my
work here. will only pray my friends to
measure the sense OF duty which compels me TO
this change by the pain and sorrow which IL
costs me-
As an active and inspiring religious leader
and priced friend, DR.. Herlord will be missed
by many. not only in Cambridge and Boston,
but throughout larger America, where his in
fueDce has penetrated, who will be 10th to give
him parting, yet glad to give him their best
wishes and Godspeed In returning to his be-
loved native land. Through the lives and char
acters of such men the bonds of friendship and
love between England and the United States
are rendered indissoiuble JOSEPH SHrppRx