Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-03-16

MT. Alcott from the ministry until Jan. 1, 1896. They claimed that the work of tho liberal congress was inimical to the interests of tho Universalist church and cited the fact that Mir. Alcott had en- gagged eight members 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, MT. Alcott's course was interpreted as tending to demoralize and destroy the Universalist church.
 Judge Sylvanus Wilcox, a prominent member of Mir. Alcott's church, thus voices the opposition: 'The Universal ist church has n profession of faith. Strictly speaking, tho congress of liber- al societies has no profession of faith. Can any one be said to be in harmony with and seeking tho growth and suc- cess of tho Universalist denomination when his sympathies arc with and his talents, timo and attention are devoted to organizing, establishing and building up societies that do not recognize open ly before tho world a belief in God. | Christ or the Biblc?"
 Rev. Mir. Alcott proposes to contest tho order of suspension and will if nec- essary appeal his case to the next gen eral convention of the Universalist church at Meriden, Conn.,, Oct. 23. When the suspension was announced, the members of the Elgin Universalist church warmly indorsed their pastor and adopted the following resolutions: | Resolved, That the members of the First Universalist society of the city of Elgin hereby ratify and confirm their former action in granting n years leave of absence to the Rev. | Mir. Alcott for the purpose of permitting him | to engage in missionary work, as stated ip his letter to the fellowship committee, and reaffirm | our approval of the noble work in which Mir. Alcott is engaged and pledge him our undivid- | ed sympathy and loyal support, believing "ur l position just. And we trust the fellowship committee will, on a further consideration of | the matter, in a spirit of fairness, conclude | that n more liberal and generous construction | of our ecclesiastical laws may justly be made | in the highest interest of n broader Christian ity, tho hyalthful growth of religious thought and life and the >.nprOyCmCnt and upbuildlng | of mankind.
 Rev. Mir Alcott has been steadily drifting toward liberalism since he first entered the ministry 20 years ago. and should his present difficulties result in 
 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 vinced him, he says, that the doctrines which many are now trying to revise Ill the confession of faith became too diff cult for mo to accept. and went over to liberal Christianity"
 | Mir. Alcott received his early educa- ton at the Nermillion institute, Hays. vile, O. He was graduated from Wash ington and Jefferson college in 1865, From Washington and Jefferson he en- tered tho Western Theological seminary of Alleghany City and in 1869 was li' censed 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 tC Elgin nine years ago.
 | Mir. Alcott's pastorate at Elgin has
 been very successful. His friends say that he has built the church membership
 up form 60 to 269, with an average at
 tendance of between 800 and 400. The estimated value of the church property
 has grown from $l0, 900 to $36, 900.
 Should the case of Rev. Mir. Alcott be
 brought before the general convention
 at Meriden it may eventually cause a:
 much dissension in the Universalist
 church as tho Dr. Briggs trial did among
 tho Presbyterians.