The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-12

| ceiyed Az new members, raised in our
! congregations Ssl, 600 and without sipsie
rich member or friend TO help. pa'd an
your expenses. and gave 5000 70 OUTSIDE
| missions and benevolence.
THOMAS DIXON. Jr.
DEFINING HIS POSITION.
In explaiuing the above letter, Mr..
Dixon said that his resignation had really
been determined upon a year ago. and
! mad nothing to do with anything that
had been said or done In pulpit or pew
within tho year.
with perfect understanding and good
| feeling between the pastor and officers.
! Every man has two creeds in life: one
is his inheritance, and the other his
achievement ] desire TO place myself now
upon the creed worked out for myself.
when accepted this pastorate, some
| thing more than five years ago II was
J weak and it's future doubtful. / resign
4 ed my pastorate I'm Boston and came
! 10 New York 10 make this experiment.
/ Its success was immediate and substan
/ tial The congregations were multiplied
| by six The income rose from $500 TO
| $4,000 annually.
But the new methods were met imme-
diately by storm Of criticism and abuse
! from conservative Church people out
side. The t.m!d among cur officers
then wished to retreat. ! simply said |
would die. but not surrender. That was
four years ago.
~ part OF the general plan was the
erection OF a business building, with
! large auditorium. for our work on Sunday
and the headquarters Of the Baptist
Society in New York. This project, in
volving the expenditure of 81 $4,000. was
on the point Of success two years ago.
when the panic destroyed it's possibility.
| Upon this abandonment Of the building
project, some OF the older members de-
| sired TO return TO the church building.
| This return / refused TO consider. Hence
the differences of opinion between an IN
| tellgent minority of the church ana
myself.
COULD HAVE CRUSHED THE MINORITY.
at any time. up 10 the day ] deter
mined 10 hand in my resignation. year
ago. / could easily have eliminated that
minority. but It did not seem TO me fair.
! simply because. while the minority was
! small. il did represent those older mem
! hers whose prayers ana sacrifice mad
| built their church building. claim
| the right 10 my own opinions. but II IS
! the rule OF my life TO give the utmost
respect and latitude to all those who
! disa gree with me.
|
! have raised and paid. Tie finances are
now I'm flourisning condition, and the
! way is open for my retirement. The mat
| ter has been fully discussed between the
| board Of trustees and myself. and we
| nave agreed TO dissolve in good feeling
\ our relationship.
Those who desire 10 continue the hail
work will remain: those VINO desire their
! pows IN the church building will return
| M ba
! will continue the hall work ultil a secu-
lar building with an auditorium can be
secured suited 20 it's needs. We viii try
| 10 secure the largest hall in New YORK
! for our work.
"The new pulpit is only five years in
| New York. and only century Ola III
| America. The difficulty in the world To-
| day IS that men who have stood on the
platform have been 50 little in earnest
! and have espoused the cause of selfish
| ness.
Art Is divine If ! wish TO 20 to the
| hest theatre in New York. as ! always
have done. | go. / believe that society
and Christianity must be made ono, must
be born again I'm Jesus Christ il the
| Christian community r. not 10 De ue-
| feated in the twentieth century.
Alfred u. Clinch. clerk Of the board
| Of trustees of the Twenty-third-Sueet
Raptist church last night gave out
| statement. but positively declined TO give
the data of the boards action. The state
ment is, IN part, as follows:
ACTION OF The TRUSTEES.
The trustees of the Twenty-third-Stree
p,rtist church have voted 10 exercise the
option given by their lease ana Fuireh-
der Association Hall on May l. lS'o'
The pastor concurred with the podiu
chat this was the only action that coulu
the situation and circumstances.
Association Hall was leased by the
cb,,rcb i'm the hope that TIE work OF the
church along all lines of denominduohdi
activity would be SO enlarged that sue
cessfuI appeal could be made TO the ue-
nomination for large bulldlhs' II "d9;;
| an fact an effort toward denomlhatohal
| headquarters. The church was Ho"e'0''
] disappointed in the results ,
| ~ 5ile large congregations were secbitd,
| thev were not principally composed OF
| rorular attendants, Jut OF transient Nisl'
ors who would not by their Con'i lpu
! lions meet the increased cApehsc9 80" 80
! cd bv the occupancy OF Association t ,'
| and lately these contributions nave Deen
aHu 1.,a3 - eucb an extent as to lead TO
, Gradual increase of the Indebtedness
-, H. church. without any prospect Ior
a change for the better 49,, ,,,,,ci-
| ,all,y upon financial grounds YET ,"o
! poard j. free TO say that the pastor mas
removed his residence TO Virginia anu
| ,he BOARD has been repeatedly lhIoriheu
! ~, him that he could not, ana "ouIu
| not attempt pastoral work; that ne was
! ~, LANCER in accord with the church 10
which ne was called as pastor, or 10 any
regn1ar church: that he mad lot TWO
| ,rsrs been meditating change OF demon"
! ;,stiop and had finally deterhlHlcu
unor establishing an undenomihauohdl
| church upon the field now occupied oE
,"a rrwentv-third-Stree Baptist church
nresentation of the pastors reslS-
ratiou to-day was a surprise 10 the
- - trustees. as well as TO the
,,,h,,s Of The church. because MI
nixon had agreed with the Boafd thdI
ho would not present his resignation TO
tba church before he submitted II TO the
Eoard and had consulted with IL III reIer-
ence to II. ,.o,,,d re-
Mr. Dixon announced that he would re-
nlv 10 AN Old-Fash.oned Clergyman
next Sunday morning In Associd' non
Hall
OPINIONS OF THE TRUSTEES
There will be a meeting OF the cohs[e-
e,stion one day this week 10 cohsluer 'le
nsstor,s resignation and act upon IT,
The date ii this meeting Is 10 De an
nounced. .ho +rre.
DR. John Woodman. one or the trus-
teas said last night that there WeFeh !
i've members of the congregation worm
$40 o0o apeice, and that, therefore, ~ was
ironogrible 10 carry out Mr.. DIXON
scheme He said he could not uhuei
stand the pastors statement thdC w, nc