The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-03-19


Mr.. Alcott from the ministry until Jan.
l, 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.. Alcott had en-
gagged eight members of the congress Of
liberal religions, none Of whom vas a
Universalist, to supply his pulpit dur
ing his absence % 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, q 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 sue
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 thu Bible?"
Rev. Mr.. Aloott proposes to contest
the order Of suspension and will if nee
essary appeal his case to the next gen.
eral convention Of the Universalist
church at Meriden, Conn.,. Dot. %.
When the suspension wa announced,
the members of the Elgin Universalist
church warmly Endorsed their pastor
and adopted the following resolution:
Resolved. That the members Of the First
Universalist society Of the city of Elgin hereby
ratify and confirm their former action In
granting q years leave OF absence to the Rev.
Mr.. Alcott for the purpose Of permitting him
to engage in missionary work, as stated In his
approval Of the noble work in which Mr..
Alcott IL engaged and pledge him our undivid.
ed sympathy and loyal support, believing cur
position Just. And we trust the fellowship
committee will. on . 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 IS years age. and
should his present difficulties result In
severing his relations with the Univer-
church the experience would not
be novel to him. He was originally or
% q Presbyterian minister, and
ten years in that denomination con-
vinced him, he says, that 1.-THE doctrines
many are now trying to revise in
the confession of faith became too diff
Quilt for me to accept, and I went over
to liberal Christianity"
Mr.. Alcott received his early educa-
ton at the Veruillion institute, Hays
Vile, o. He was graduated from Wash
ington and Jefferson college in 1868
From Washington and Jefferson he en-
tered the Western Theological seminary
Of Allegbany City and in 1869 was IL
oensed q Presby terian minister. In~lSa2
he was called { the Universalist church
at Kalamazoo. Mich. While there he
studied law and was admitted to the
bar, but v practiced. He was nomi-
mated for congress on the Prohibition
ticket. From Kalamazoo he moved to
Elgin nine years ago.
Mr.. Alcott's pastorate at Elgin has
been very successful. His friends say
that he has built the church membership
up form 60 to 900, with al average at
tendance of between 500 and 400. The
estimated value of the church property
has grown from SIC, 600 to $38. 600.
Should the case Of Rev. Mr.. Alcott be
brought before the general convention
ut Meriden it may eventually cause as
much dissension in the Universalist
church as the DIR. Briggs trial did among
the Presbyterians.