The herald., 1897-08-06
Unity Church Congregation
Mourneth
THE LOSS OF DR.. THOMSON
SPECIAL MEETING CALLED AT
THE CHURCH
Results in Resolution by Which the
Board Will Recall the Pastor
Immediately

Unity church was over half full of
people last night who had assembled to
hear any explanation that might be given
concerning the reasons for DIR. j. S.
Thomson's resignation, why it had been
accepted and to learn at the same time
the financial condition of the church. j.
r. Newberry was in the chair, Thomas
Pascoe acted as secretary, and the meet
ing was opened shortly after o'clock
with a brief explanation from the chair
as to the purpose of the gathering.
Mr.. Newberry referred to the resigna-
ton DR.. Thomson had presented six
months ago, giving the following four
reasons: First, desecration of the church,
second, lack of harmony in the church;
third, lack of cooperation; fourth, lack
of financial responsiveness. In response
TO the earnest supplecation Of the congre-
cation Dr. Thomson agreed to withdraw
that resignation II the four conditions
were complied with, and 80 per cent OF
the church agreed that so far as was in
their power the demands of the pastor
should be lived up to. The matter came
before the board debate ensued, but
unanixous affirmative vote carried II.
The trustees in return made two
requests of the doctor, that he
should come and be one of us" and that
he should bring his furniture and
library and live here" So the matter
ran along. About five weeks ago." con-
tinued Mr.. Newberry, "the doctor came
to me and talked over church matters
He refurred to the mutual obligations
that had not been lived up to, and he
stated that it was his desire that his res
ignation of February 7th should take
effect at the end of the church year.
People have criticised US severely, but
know, so far as DR.. Thomson's wishes
are concerned, they have been carried
out to the letter" Mr.. Newberry then
read the following letter from Mr. Thom-
son, written under date of July 31St:
To the Trustees of the Unity Church. Los
Angeles, Cal.-Gentlemen and Brothers: AS
l announced to the congregation on Sun
day, July Sth, 1897, leave in accordance
with the terms and conditions of my letter
of withdrawal because those terms and
conditions were not fulfilled. With love
and respect, l am, yours very sincerely,
]. S. THOMSON.
That letter" said Mr.. Newberry,
"came before the board and was accept
ed unanimously, and l believe every man
acted honestly and conscientiously and
to the best of his ability" Mr.. New
berry then spoke a few words OF appre-
ciative appreciation of Mr.. Thomson's
greatness mentally and spiritually, and
invited questions on any part of the
subject that had not been made clear
Then it was that the plot began to thick
en-. Panegyrics of various lengths and
degrees of emphasis were delivered by
many men and two women regarding
Mr. Thomson's eternal fitness to minister
to his congregation spiritual and in
tellectual needs From conservative es-
Inmates of his intellectually to a hero
worship that approached the ludicrous,
his various traits were set forth; and
motions were made, seconded, and ruled
out; the bylaws were attacked and
amended the very foundation of the
church was threatened with the disaster
of dissolution, and finally somebody re-
membered that the trustees were to be
called upon to explain why they had ac-
cepted the letter of resignation.
Judge Works arose and temperately,
quietly and frankly, as one of the
trustees, again explained the difficulty
as being a failure on the part of botn
congregation and pastor to fulfil the
obligations they had entered into, and
an element of dissatisfaction had con-
sequently crept in to the association by
both that promised to grow deeper and
wider unless affairs were brought to
climax and readjusted. Martin w.
Stimson arose ard corroborated what
Judge Works had said. Many others
spoke to, at around and against the
subject, and finally R. H. F. Variel Of
fered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the board of trustees
be requested to rescind their resolution
accepting the resignation of DR.. Thorn
son, and be requested to forthwith pass
a resolution declining to accept his res
ignation, and requesting him to with
draw the same and become the pastor
of this church for the ensuing year"
The chair called for rising vote from
the church members, and the resolution
was carried by very large majority
The following financial statement was
read: Liabilities, note in bank, $500,
and over-draft $500; assets, amount ow-
ing on seats. $575.75, leaving a net bal
ance of $424.25. With few optimistic
words regarding the hopeful condition
of the church financially, and after the
secretary. Thomas Pascoe, was ordered
by vote to send TO the headquarters of
the Unitarian church in Boston for a
set of bylaws that would stand the
strain of a special called congregational
meeting and not be found wanting, and
was further ordered to call another spe-
cial meeting to change the present by
laws and transact any other business
matters that might come before said
meeting, the one Of last nigh; stood ad-
journed at 1885.