The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-10
PREsBYTERIANs IN A aUANDARY.
They Arc AnxiousIy waiting to Hear
From Rev. DIR. Fair.

/ awaiting news from Rev. DR. Fair as to
the probability Of his becoming their pas
| tor. May 2. The only news they have re-
ceived direct from him is his letter. of
/ acceptance of the pastorate, and his let
ter to Mr.. Randolph Arson moderator of
1 the church session. a few days ago, in
which ne gave no intimation that he would
reconsider his action. The action of Dr.
| Fairs church In Richmond leaves some
| doubt however, as TO his coming. What
the outcome will be remains to be seen. :
letter Is expected from him to-day.
Dr. Fairs letter resigning his Richmond
| pastorate is as follows:
| To the Session of the Grace Street Pres
byterlan Church:
Dear Brethren: AS you are already
aware, the Independent Presbyterian
church, of Savannah, Ca, has extended
TO me a call to become its pastor. After
| mature and prayerful deliberation, l have
! decided to accept this call.
therefore notify you that, at the spring
/ meeting Of East Hanover Presbytery, to
/ De held April 26, in the First church, this
city, snail tender my resignation as pas
! tor OF the Grace Street church. to take eff
fect May l, and L ask that you win call
meeting of the congregation to unite
with me in request to presbytery to dis
/
! between US.
1t is unnecessary to detail all the rea-
sons which have led me to this conclu-
sion; the principle one is the wide and at
tractlVe held of usefulness Savannah Of
| fers
| In sundering the ties which have bound
| us together for eight years, 1 experience
! an emotion of deep and genuine sorrow; I
| shah carry away with me many happy
/ memories OF my pastorate in your midst,
ana l beg that you will accept my sincere
| thanks for the numerous tokens of kind
ness L have received from you and the
| congregation. While the official bonds
which link us together may be severed the
ponds OF Christian love will remain un-
broken, and assure you my earnest pray
| er Will ever ascend that the richest bene-
dictions of Heaven may rest upon you and
each member and home of the beloved
| church.
Yours very truly and fraternally,
James Y Fair
Dr. Fair states in his letter that the
principal reason for resgning his pasto-
rate Is the wide and attractive field for
| usefulness Savannah Offers" His congre-
| sdtlon mas taken the ground that il is the
financial condition of his church that led
MIN TO resign and accept new field. At
a congregational meeting a few nights
ago at which DR.. Fairs resignation of his
! pastorate was read, one of the influential
a
| ing; "Ihat letter. as I listened to its
reading sent a thrill of sorrow through
me- L love DR.. Fair. He is no ordinary
| man. The ties that bind him to us are
of no ordinary kind" In eulogistic terms
he spoke of DIR. Fairs performance of his
pastoral duties, of his kind, tender minis
| trations to the members of his flock: of
the privilege he had enjoyed in listening
TO his preaching during the past eight
| years; of the personal bereavement he
| would experience in his loss should he go
and then told of the success of DR.. Fairs
ministry at Grace Street church, showing
| that during his pastorate extending over
the period since 1889, the membership had
| increased from 293 to 4S1. 1t was asserted
that the congregation had, while grow
| ing numerically, increased in spirituality
DR.. Fairs popularity throughout the city
was alluded to, and the causes which led
to DR.. Fairs acceptance OF the Savannah
call were discussed. For some time" it
was stated, "the deacons have been labor
ing under heavy burden, and have had
| grave forebodngs that they would not be
able to keep up the pastors salary Nat
urally, these forebodings were COM
| muncated to DR.. Fair. and he rea-
lizing that the church was stumbling I'M
der a too heavy load, and not being will
| ing to be a burden upon them, decided to
| accept the call. The deacons have had
a hard struggle during the past three
| years, and their burden being so heavy
they have felt their inability to pay DR..
Fair his salary. and hence felt constrain-
| ed to let him go, believing that to do 9TH
erwise would be standing in his light. An
| other light was shed on the case to-day,
| though, as by a personal canvas, twenty
people were seen, and $3.50 raised, every
body visited being willing to give every
cent they could afford in order to keep
their beloved pastor with them"
1r
leaving, are as follows:
Whereas, 1t has been demonstrated
that we are a united church, a spiritual
church. growing church and, whereas,
a severance of the pastoral relations at
this time will be serious menace to the
peace and usefulness of the church:
Therefore, be II
Resolved. That we do not unite with
| DIR. Fair in his request TO East Hanover
presbytery to dissolve the pastoral re-
lations with the church, and that two
commissioners be appointed TO present our
protest to presbytery."
Another member of the congregation Is
quoted saying:
THE question that confronts US is, does
| DIR. Fair want to go? If he does would
be the last man on earth TO urge him to
stay. ! say that DR.. Fair wants to stay,
| and l know what / am saying when I
make that assertion. He doesn't want
to go to Savannah"
In the face of DR.. Fairs ready accept
ance Of the call to Savannah, his subse-
| quent Immediate resignation of his pas
torate in Richmond and the reasons he
stated for his action. the officers and
members of the Independent church do
| not feel that they will willingly permit
DIR. Fair to recall his letter of acceptance.
-.-e.-s----