The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-30
REV. A. N. ALCoTT.

MIR. Alcott from the ministry until Jan.
1, 1896. They claimed that the work Of
the liberal congress was inimiCal to the
interests of the Universalist church and
cited the fact that Mr. A lcott had en-
gagged eight memb of the congress of
liberal religions, none of whom was
Universalist, to supply his pulpit dur
ing his absence as an evidence Of dis
loyalty to the denomination. In fine,
Mr.. Alcott's course was interpreted as
tending to demoralize and destroy the
Universalist church.
Judge Sylvanus Wilcox, a prominent
member of Mr.. Alcott's church, thus
voices the opposition: 1.-THE Universal
list church has a profession of faith.
Strictly speaking, the congress of liber-
al societies has no profession of faith.
Can any one be said to be in harmony
with and seeking the growth and suc-
cess of the Universalist denomination
when his sympathies are with and his
talents, time and attention are devoted
to organizing, establishing and building
Up societies that do not recognize open
| ~ before the world a belief in God,
Christ or the Bible?''
Rev. Mr.. Alcott proposes to contest
the order of suspension and will if nee
essary appeal his case to the next gen.
eraI convention of the Universalist
church at Meriden, Conn, Oct. %.
! When the suspension was announced,
the members of the Elgin Universalist
church warmly Endorsed their pastor
and adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the members of the First
Jniversalist society of the city of Elgin hereby
| floi1- -,
! granting year leave of absence to the Rev.
! Mr.. Alcott for the purpose of permitting him
to engage in missionary work, as stated in his
letter to the fellowship committee. and reaf6rm
Cur approval of the noble work in which Mr..
| Alcott Is engaged and pledge him our undivid-
| ed sympathy and loyal support, believing cur
| position just. And we trust the fellowship
| committee will, a further consideration of
| the matter, in spirit of fairness, conclude
| that more liberal and generous construction
of our ecclesiastical laws may justly be made
| In the highest interest of broader Christian
ity, the healthful growth of religious thought
and life and the improvement and upbuilding
| of mankind.
Rev. Mr.. Alcott has been steadily
drifting toward liberalism since he first
entered the ministry % years ago, and
should his present difficulties result in
severing his relations with the Univer-
salist church the experience would not
be novel to him. He was originally or
dained as a Presbyterian minister, and
ten years in that denomination con-
WINGED him. he says, that ''the doctrines
which many are now trying to revise in
the confession of faith became too diff
cult for me to accept, and I went over
to liberal Christianity.
Mr.. Alcott received his early educa-
ton at the Vermillion institute, Hays
vile, 0. He was graduated from Wash
ington and Jefferson college in 1865
From Washington and Jefferson he en-
tered the Western Theological seminary
of Allegheny City and in 1869 was IL
Censed 8 Presbyterian minister In 1882
he was called to the Universalist church
at Kalamazoo Mich. While there he
studied law and was admitted to the
bar, but never practiced. He was nomi-
mated for congress on the Prohibition
ticket. From Kalamazoo he moved to
Elgin nine years ago.
Mr.. Alcott's passionate at Elgin has
been very successful. His friends say
that he has built the church membership
up form go to 269, with an average at
tendance of between 300 and 400 The
estimated value of the church property
has grown from $40, 900 to $50, 900.
Should the case of Rev. Mr.. Alcott be
brought before the general convention
at Meriden it may eventually cause as
much dissension in the Universalist
church as the DIR. Briggs trial did among
the Presbyte1ians.