The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-09-11
IN ONE PULPIT SO YEARS.
Rev. Mr. Alex Proctor Retires Full Of
Years and HOnOrs.

From the Kansas CRY journal.
Rev. MIR. Alexander Proctor las for
thirly-eight years been pastor of the
Christian church of Independence.
which was organized twenty-three years
before he became pastor. The venerable
minister, realizing that he was no longer
able to bear the burden of the church
work. and believing that under u
younger man the church would progress
more rapidly, has consented to the sew
erance of pastoral relations with the
churdb, and at the last meeting of lie
official board Rev. Mr. Vernon. of Hem
deTson, KY, was called as pastor.
Mr. Proctor has not enjoyed the best
of health tor number of years, ard
this fact, in connection with bis own
| advancing years, made it frequently nee
| esSary to have assistance in the dis
charge of his pastoral duties, and only
| when it became absolutely necessary did
his devoted congregation. that had sat
under his ministry for nearly two gener-
| ations, consent to part with him. Mr..
| Proctor, who is one of the foremost
divines in his denomination in the west,
| can retire from his long and eminsntly
successful paStorate with cause tor con-
graduation. He has seen families grow
up before him. lie has baptized children
and in after years baptized these child
ren's children. Hundreds of couples
1
| marriage vows, and he has stood at the
bedside and grave of those he had joined
| together long years before. 1t is no
small event in the life of a man, or even
OF "a community, for a man to dev0le
| forty years, the best of his whole life. to
the upbuildIng of one church.
The severing of the old ties yesterday
were sad, but desired by the veteran
minister. Some of the old trustees, all
| "a oI, -.
thought of parting. Some thought that
he should be retained as pastor. while
an assistant pastor be chosen to do the
| pastors work. This was found not TO be
| desired, so the Old pastor who has been
ministering TO the church for thirty
| eight years. steps down and out for
| younger blood. Rev. Mr. Proctor himself
voted for the change, or otherwise it
| would have never taken place until Ills
death. The Independence church was
1 known as ''PrOctor's' church far and
fmitie. owing to the tender recollections
h0yering about the edilice which the old
| pastor contributed So much to upbuild-
ing
The official board of the Independence
church has arranged that Mr.. Proctor
shall be paid salary Of $50 per month,
and that he shall preach. conduct fun
erals and perform marriages whenever
he feels able to DO 50. The new pastor
will receive 81 200 year.
Rev. Dir. Alexander Proctor was born
in Fayette county, KY, April ], 1925. In
1896 he moved 10 Randolph. Mo. lie
graduated at Bethany college jn 1878 and
was ordained a Christian mi, lister, TAX
ing his first charge at Lexington, Mo.
In the fall of 1850 he removed to Glas-
gov, Mo, and there remained until 1856.
when he went to st. Louis. In 1850 he
removed TO Independence. and. with the
exception of a short time during the
civil war. has been resident ever since
While not resident of independence.
he really had charge of the local Chris
tian church in 1859. He married Miss
Caroline Trewitt in 1859 and has a
family of grown sons and daughters.
Tie aged pastor lives in the suburbs
of the city ~ Independence and passen-
gers on the electric line can see the ven
cradle minister at all times of the sum
mer days, i'll his yard under the large
| forest trpQS StudUiDO biQ Rihla