The morning news., 1897-04-28
GIVEN PERMISSION TO COME.
Or. FAIRS PASTORAL RELATIONS
IN RICHMOND SEVERED.

The Presbytery COncurs In His Res
fgnatIon From Grace Church to
Come TO savannah - Rev. w. A..
NIsbets and Mr.. Randolph AxsOn's
Appeal to the Presbytery in Behalf
of the Independent Church.
The announcement was received in Sa-
vannah last night of Rev. DR.. James Y.
Fairs definite acceptance of The Inde-
pendent Presbyterian church pastorate.
His resignation from the pastorate Of
Grace church in Richmond was concurred
In by the East Hanover presbytery yester-
day and DR. Fair will assume charge of
the Independent church May g.
A Richmond dispatch to the Morning
News last night said that DR.. Fair is now
practically the pastor Of the Independent
church. He addressed the presbytery in
advocacy of the request to sever his re-
lations with the Richmond church. The
chief reason which prompted him to make
this request, he said, was the wide and
open field of usefulness which the Inde-
pendent church offered. (Ie said further:
II have decided prayerfully and deliber-
ately that 1t is my duty to accept this
call" He did not intend to withdraw
from the presbytefy, he said, but asked
a transfer to the presbytery of Savannah
within whose bounds he viii be- He ask
ed that he might be permitted to go with
the blessing Of the presbytery resting upon
him.
Mr.. r. B. somerville, an elder of the
Grace street church, said: 'At first our
people resolved that we would not consent
to this request. On last Sunday the mat
ter was again before a full meeting of the
congregation and with great reluctance
and sorrow we united with our pastor in
his request. but only because he asked it.
Brethren, we love that man." Mr.. Somer-
vile sketched the history of the pastors
who had occupied the church during his
long life. and said: 1--WE loved all those
men, but, pointing to DR.. Fair, we love
that man more than any of them, and
yet We consent to let him go because he
asks it."
Mr.. Randolph Axson of the Independent
church was granted the privileges of the
floor. He said: 81 come with a greet
ing from my church to your venerable
body. II is with no slight embarrassment
that l come to ask you to give up one so
well beloved and highly honored, but we
feel that our need is so great that we are
compelled to do so. We. as a church, date
back to 1855. For seynty-two years we
were the only Presbyterian church in Sa-
vannah; and the church has always ex-
erted a great influence for Presbyterian
ism and for the cause of Christ. Now,
across the Savannah and across the James
comes the Macedonian cry, Come over
and help u.s. VIII you refuse to hear our
cry and grant our request? l do not be-
lieve you will"
Rev. W. A. Nisbet was heard, as com
missioner from the Savannah presbytery
He said: 1--WE are coming, not to rob you,
but we come to ask DR.. Fair at your
hands, because we believe that we are
walking in the way in which God leads.
Since we have learned of the submission
of Grace church, we feel that the way is
clear. We need DIR. Fair in the Savannah
presbytery, as We are all young men, and
need his counsel in its deliberations and
labors May Gods spirit guide you; and,
if 1t is his will that he be sent to US, we
will receive him with love and joy
DIR. Moses D. Hoge, the distinguished
pastor of the Second church of Richmond,
paid the retiring divine the compliment to
beg that some one, not pastor in Rich
mond. submit the motion for the severance
of his ties. This was done by Rev. S. G..
Hutton
The presbytery adopted resolutions
speaking in the highest terms Of Dr. Fair,
and rendering to Grace Street church it's
sympathy at its loss.