The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1897-07-23
HE WILL REMAIN HERE
DIR. CHIcHEsTERs RESIGNATION
NOT ACCEPTED
Refuses to Allow Him to
Sever His Pastoral Relations
With Emmanuel Church

Yesterday morning at II o'clock the
Los Angeles Presbytery met in special
session to consider the important ques-
ton of whether or not the Rev. w. j.
Chichester's resigna ton from the I'm
manuel church pastorate should be &C.
cepted, that he might in turn accept a
call from the First Presbyterian church
in Chicago. The moderator, L. Finley
Laverty was in the chair, and Rev. w.
S. Young acted as clerk The session,
which lasted about two hours, was en-
thusiastic to a degree, the two sides of
scented with force and animation, with
the result that about l o'clock a rising
vote of "a to was taken, which was
afterward made unanimous, the cons
conquered the Presbytery refused to
accept Dr. Chichester's resignation and
the Emmanuel church congregation will
continue to receive their spiritual guild
ance from the man who has led them
for over decade.
At a meeting of the congregation the
evening previous the following resolu-
ton was unanimously adopted: THAT
the congregation of Emmanuel church
declines to unite with DR.. Chichester in
his request to Los Angeles Presbytery
for a dissolution of his pastoral rela lions
with this church." This resolution was
given to John Shirley Ward, who, with
Judge Parsons and James Mills Boal
was appointed to appear before the
Presbytery and present the sense of the
congreg cation. Consequently yesterday
morning, after prayer had been offer
ed, Mr.. Ward read the resolution to
the Presbytery and then proceeded to
explain some of the fine attributes of
Mr.. Chichester which made him pc
culiarly fitted for his present field OF
work. Judge Parsons and DR.. Boal also
expressed in unmeasured terms the ne
cessity of this particular church ard
congregation for Mr.. Chichesters min
istrations, his admirable qualities as
pastor and man were set before the Pres
bytery, and arguments of various kinds
and degrees of fervor We're presented
by the committee in discharge of the
duty assigned them.
DR.. Chichester then read to his con-
freres in the Presbytery the following
letter: Dear Brethren--I hereby re-
quest you to dissolve the pastoral re-
lation existing between Emmanuel
church and myself in order that 1 may
accept the call extended to me by the
First Presbyterian church of Chicago.
For nearly twelve years / have been
under your beneficent Jurisdiction, and
have received from you nothing but
kindness and good will; and the thought
of now severing my connection with you
is unspeakably painful to me. But am
the servant of one common Master and
under His supreme control, and so far
as l can understand His leading am
constrained to believe that the interest
of our beloved church at large will be
pest served by my acceptance of the
Chicago invitation. Yours, with deep
and tender affection, w. j. Chichester"
Rev. d. r. Culinary next read paper
urging the same and other reasons why
DR.. Chichester should remain in Los
Angeles; the paper embodied the resolu-
ton referred to above as expressing the
sense and sentiment of the congrega ton
on the subject as being TO that effect, and
the motion was made and seconded that
the resolution be accepted
Then the argument commenced in
earnest. About dozen ministers smoke
to the question, which had by, then
seemed to resolve Itself into whether it
was the will of God that the doctor
should go or stay. One or two thought
they could see divine will in the pro-
posed move to Chicago, the rest were
very sure that it was the divine will that
no change should be made
Rev. P. D. Young expressed himself
with some fervor on the principle in
volved III any church anywhere trying
to undermine pastor with his people or
vice versa, and he stated succinct,y as
his opinion that Presbytery should not
encourage such procedure. Rev. Strong
of Pasadena thought that he could dis
Germ the will of God, no matter how you
looked at it, and that as one church
wanted Mr.. Chichester to go, and an
other wanted him to stay, it was the
doctors decision that would make the
balance.
Dr. Chichester rose at that juncture
and said that in the letter which had
been read and which he had written that
morning. he expressed his sentiment as
far as he could see his duty, but that the
decision must rest with Presbytery
AS far as he could see God needed him
in Chicago. but if Presbytery said he
mustn't go he should accept the decision,
and loyalty and truly go on with his
present work.
Mr. Hopkins of Santa Ana then re-
marked feelingly that the Presbytery
had been upset for couple of years, and
that the Emmanuel church needed Mr..
Chichester at this juncture more than
any body else could; and so on until the
question had been fairly we'll covered
from all sides, when rising vote was
called; with the result given above.
Presbytery had decided. DR.. Chiches-
ter's resignation would not be accepted
and he will be retained as pastor of I'm
manuel church.