Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-11-12

ION continued threatening weather with
els tonight; Friday probably fair cooler
night uoIthwesterly winds
A CONGREGATIONAL MEETING A
4-e.ing Of the congregation OF tbs
second Presbyterian Church Was held
night for the purpose of taking ac-
5u in respect 10 the resignation OF
1e pastor, Rev. T. H. Rice. There
sas large turnout of the mem.
- OF the church and their
Heuds. The meeting was held at the
'ose OF the prayer meeting services.
Ter X. Kemper acted as moderator
u Mr. f. H. Slaymaker as secretary.
lettcr from Mr.. Rice was read, in
taicn the pastor gave his reasons why
believed the time had arrived for
Ri 10 ever his connection with the
eouG Church and accept the call ten
ler-I him from Atlanta. After suita-
a.eIemarks had been made by several
a. nose present the following was
lopted:
our beloved pastor. Rev. Theron II Rice,
having announced that after prayerful
,,.,,,icra,iou lie ha'i concluded TO accept the
toI nc Central Presbyterian Church of At
+.tt. Ga. aud requested us to unite with him
-slrg the PTcS5ytery of Chesapeake to
-5ve the pastoral relations existing be-
ham aud the Second Church, Aloxan-
@ M therefore.
rfd We deeply regret the sever
.cot the ties that have bound Us for the
bar wears Snd n half to our young pastor;
b ,l,.c IN
highest spirituality, uaususl ilueucy and
tyia ,he cxpounding OF the Weird Of God,
ll ruvarymg kindness ana atfec ION ia. al
personal bcrcavemcnts and trials. minis
tG8t has wonderfully endeared him to us
rhur.h and as individuals thst, III view
b true aud tender relations and the
needs OF this church and community,
ss. the loss to our pcesbytery and Synod Of
4be wise, sound and spiritual a counsellor
minister of the Word. it is with great re
l.tru,a and profound sorrow, and ons,rndcr
iecp SENSE OF submission TO the vii. OF COG.
% desire to comply with the expressed
WISHES of oar pastor. we unite with nm III
s.,las he Prcsbytery to dissolve the pastoral
.e's,ious now existing betwoon Us.
= committee, consisting of MessrS.
&. W Jameson, w. a. Moore, A. G.
lien and A. H. Thomson, was APP
pointed tc attend the meeting OF the
aesapeake Presbytery and make
.uown the action OF the congregation
9 the second Church As has been
stated meeting o. the Presby Try is
necessary for The purpose of dlssolVing
Nr. Rice's pastoral relations with the
aurCh in this city. 3Ir Rice in his let
;erto the congregation expresses his
appreciation of the esteem in which be
IS held by the members OF his con-
muuion. One Of the reasons he gives
l0r accepting the call to Atlanta is the
6eld opened up for the church and the
steady growth of that city which he re-
.ards rs stragetic point for evangeli-
cal labors. He urges that the Contra
Church 30 which he has been called is
now without minister, and It's work
will be crippled until the pulpit shall
have been filed by pastor. One, he
says, should go. The church does not
implore someone to come, but makes a
definite call to q definite person, ana
asks, "Will you Gomez And upon
shat man rests the responsibility of a
decision. Should he decline he must
show good reasons for doing so. Mr..
Rice then goes on to show that min
lister is not the exclusive property Of
any one church, but of the church at
arge, and cites cases where shepherds
have been taken from the sheep from
the days of the Good Shepherd down.
Mr.. Rice also thinks Atlanta affords
better field for foreign missionary work
than Alexandria.