Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-03-26
CHANGES HIS VIEWS.
A Fall River Minister Re-
signs His Passionate.
WILL SELL HIS LIBRARY,
Buy Tent, and Preach When, Where
and How He Pleases.

FALL RIVER, Mass, March 26-Rev.
John Brown, 1.-The fighting parson," re-
signed the pastorate Of the Westminster
Presbyterian church. yesterday, the res
ignation TO take effect June 1.
"Parson" Brown will buy tent and
preach when, where, how and what he
pleases." lie will talk To Humanity" on
social evils and social reforms rather than
TO handful of Presbyterians" on mat
ters pertaining TO their creed. He wants
perfect freedom of action.
Yesterday mornings service at the
Westminster church was we'll attended,
and, after the sermon, Rev. Mr.. Brown
read the following letter OF rssigna-
tion:
MY dear friends-On the first of next
June | shall have been In the ministry
e5 years. These years so quickly passed
away. have been continually In har-
ness, have built eight churches, have
organized over dozen, aud have helped
to pay the debt of good many others. l
thank God that have been able to do SO
much, but yet am not satisfied. feel
that | have given my strength largely To
digging wells in the desert and setting up
candle sticks in the night, while water
flowed not 80 freely from the one, nor
light famed so brightly from the other,
Ms / could have wished. l propose.
therefore, 20 change my methods In
future.
81 will sell my library, buy tent, and
with this tent will go where / please,
preach when, how and what please. II
may be that our children, centuries hence,
will look ON these church buildings of
ours that We struggle 80 hard TO build
aud pay for, as we look upon the old
cathedrals built by our fathers IN past
centuries mere places of historical inter
est, but useless NO far as the worship of
our Heavenly father is concerned. That
the Master put but very little value on
church buildings can be seen from his
conversation with the woman OF Samariu.
Then too / want perfect freedom To
emphasize the social aspects OF Christian
ity. There are Jericho walls to be bat
tered down, aud Jerusalem walls to be
built up before the reign Of King Jesus
can be esta Dlished.
Tn. Curse OF Rum
must be done away with; the rights of
woman in the state, as they are now in
church, must be acknowledged; labor
and capital must shake hands, or lock
horns like the two steers and fight IL out
ON the edge of the precipice till either one
or the other goes over; corruption in high
or low places, especially in politics, must
be swept into hell with the 'besom of de
struction;' class jealousies and sectarian
hatreds must be annihilated, and truth,
righteousness, brotherly love ana broth
erly helpfulness must exist between
masses and classes, employer and en-
ploye hereafter. as never past
"All the Legislatures, governments and
governors in the world will amount TO
nothing. No new gospel, but the same
old gospel of the Man of Nazareth is
needed tor the worlds regeneration The
nearer we keep to the original methods
for its proclamation, the better l leave
this congreg ltion with the best feeling
toward every member in it, l am glad
that there is no discord among us. ! am
glad, also. that the church is paid for aud
that you have no debt resting upon you.
III am spared for activr service for 25
years more, / shall know in the mean
time only my Master in heaven, and his
toiling, sorrowing creatures here on earth.
These being my sentiments, | ask you to
meet me next sabbath, 20 appoint com
missioners to the Presbytery, who shall
join with me III requesting that the pas
nc AlSSOlNtu On uue utAb.
A Committee to Be Appointed.
No action was taken on the resignation,
rs the reading Of the letter came as sur.
prise. The congregation will appoint a
COMMITTEES to ask the pre'bytery to dis
solve the present pastoraJe.
Parson Brown does not intend to dis
solve his connection with the Pres sbyterian
church, but it has been known for some
time that h does not care 10 subject him
self To the restrictions that the presby Jery
wishes to place on him as parish
preacher.
HIS career in this city has been of
startling character. He took charge Of
the Westminster Presbyterian church in
1883 and shortly afterward became identi-
fled in the practical work of conducting a
large str ke of weavers. through the i'm
portunities OF two reporters. They feared
that trouble might grow out of the eondi-
tion then existing, and he was induced To
mount a platform at South park and 20
counsel peace to u crowd of 2000 hot
headed men and women. His advice pre-
vailed. and shortly afterward he became
the idol of the working people.
He was elected member OF the school
committee aud OF the legislature; he as
pired to be the successor TO Robert How
ard as senator. Several other things had
combined to make him dangerous to poli-
ticians, aud he was shelysd. He has been
preaching In the Academy OF Music Sun
day nights for some time, and 1t was gen
orally thought that his ministerial field
here was wide enough for any man. He
has heen m ardainad nrearhpr for nsaFlV