Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-07-08
RESIGNATION OF MIR. BIGLER.
The Second Presbyterian Church viii
Soon Lose its Popular Pastor.

has endeared himself to the entire peo.
pie and nc more sincere regret will be
felt in than outside of the church. For
more than two years he has had charge
of the church in Jonesboro, and during
that time the congregation has grown
considerably in numbers and greatly
in influence.
His letter of resignation, which was
read at the morning service on Sunday,
is presented below. No matter where
Mr.. Bigler and his most estimable wife
and charming little boy may be To-
Gated, the good wishes and earnest
prayers of the Christian people of
Jonesboro will follow them. Mr.. Bigler
has accepted a call to a church in
Frankfort, Indiana, aud it is the
sincere hope of the Herald and Tribune
that his efforts there may be as sue.
cessful as they have been in our town.
To the Congregation of the Second
Presbyterian Church: Dear Brethren:
Two years ago last April, on your
unanimous desire expressed to me
through the session of this church and
on the advice of my physician to come
to this climate, decided to become
your servant. now thank God for
that decision. am sure that it was
in His Providence that | came,
1t seems but yesterday when | first
met you, so swiftly have the years sped.
Your faces, then strange to me, are
now familiar and endeared and | shall
ever remember you with the most
tender aud happy feelings.
These years of joyful ministry |
shall always hold amongst the hap.
piest of my life. Happiness, however,
is not what | oame for, but happiness
has been bestowed. | came to YOU
with impaired health, in the hope and
desire, that, in the faithful perform.
ance of the duties demanded by you,
my health might be restored and i'm
proved. With a heart full of gratitude
| now can say, this prayer has been
answered. And besides, our work
together has been marked by such
harmony and success as to call forth
most hearty and grateful thanks to our
Heavenly Father.
A loyal and affectionate people have
l always found you; and it is doubtful
whether any church could be more
forbearing of the mistakes and infirni.
ties of its pastor or more generously
appreciate of any small degree of sue
cess.
During these years | have enjoyed
much kindness from you in your well
come homes; have in your presence
been permitted to pronounce those
tender words, husband and wise;'
have knell with you in prayer at the
bedside of the sick and the dying; and
have stood with you beside the silent
form Of your loved and tenderly cher.
ished, and mingled my tears with
yours-a thousand memories, sad and
happy, connected with this church
and this good town, today crowd upon
me, and they are all sacred.
But God in His Providence, has
brought me to my final labors here.
His voice, just as plain as it was when
| was directed to come to you, is now
speaking to me again.
An important pulpit in the north,
to which | was MOI aspiring, nov So
licits me.
Dear friends, there are many ties
that bind me to you, but am con
strained to belieye'that the existing re-
lations should be severed and that |
should go to another people who ear
nestly call me to a place where with
larger opportunities | hope to build
more largely.
Two weeks ago, while visiting friends
at Independence, Mo-, there came from
the clerk of the session of the First
Presbyterian Church, Frankfort, Ind,
a telegram that | had received a unan-
imous and hearty call to the pastorate
of that church. The call was not
wholly unexpected, nor surprising; but
it was unsolicited.
The Frankfort church is one of the
most important and influential church.
es in Indiana, and it demands of me
requirements to which l do not feel
equal.
Nevertheless, after having laid the
whole matter before our Heavenly Fa-
Their, it is now plain that | ought to go.
| go in obedience TO what seems clear.
ly to be my duty, l go with harnessed
will, asking only for a Christian heart
and strength to do the Lords work in
that field.
This morning, therefore, l offered to
the session of this church, my resigna-
ton as your stated supply, to take eff
feet two weeks from today, the 10Th of
July.
have not reached this conclusion
hastily. l have earnestly sought wis
dom from above in this closing act of
my happy ministry among you. What
destinies may be involved in this act
God alone knows.
My friends. l speak thus fully and
freely before you, because you are en-
titled to know the considerations which
have influenced me in taking this
solemn step. In conclusion, my ear
nest prayer for you will ever be that
God, who in His love has been so
signally with us in the past, may be
even more signally with you in the
future. May He speedily send unto
you another pastor, who shall be to
you and to the cause of Christ in this
city more than l have been, and may
the Lord deal kindly with thee. y
Amenl
Most affectionately your friend,
BARTON B. BIGLER,
Jonesboro, Tenn, July s, 1896.