Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-09-29


Of affection and sympathy, have elected
him rector emeritus.
The whole matter of DIR. Murray's
| resignation and the action of the
wardens and vestry was made known
| to the congregation at the regular
morning service of the church on Sun
| day. The rector was absent and the
service was conducted by the Rev.
Winfield Scott Baer Of Philadelphia,
secretary of the Evangelical Education
| Society. Mr.. Baer was formerly secre-
| tary to the Bishop of Pennsylvania.
He has supplied the pulpit of st.
Andrew acceptably for several Sun
days. After making number OF
announcements on Sunday, he read the
following communication from the
executive body of the congregation:
Wilmington, Del, Sept. Gath, 1893.
The wardens and vestrv of ST. An
drew's Church have enforced upon
them the painful necessity Of an
nouncing to the congregation that the
Rev. Charles e. Murray, d. D., twho
| for II years as assistant minister and
rector has faithfully served you) has
| felt compelled TO tender his resignation
as the rector of this church. Quoting
his own words, Dr. Murray says:
=" Dear Brethren: AS my physicians
positively forbid my using my eyes for
some time to come, respectfully
present my resignation as the rector
of st. Andrews Church to take effect
upon the election of my successor.
What it costs me to take this step no
one can ever know; l am severing a
| relation which has existed as assistant
minister and rector for IL years, and
which has been characterized with the
utmost feeling Of harmony and interest,
and which is terminated only because
God in His mysterious providence has
disabled me from performing the duties
of my office. Thanking you for your
uniform kindness and consideration
during all the years Of my ministry in
your midst, and asking your prayers
for my speedy recovery, / am most
sincerely and affectionately, your
friend, Charles e. Murray.
1.-THE wardens and vestry being
deeply touched by this resignation and
appeal of DR.. Murray, have concluded
that it would be eminently proper and
advisable, as an evidence of your APP
probation of his faithful service, OF
your affection for him and of your
sympathy with him under this dis.
pensation of Providence, to accept his
resignation and elect him rector
emeritus with salary of 1000 per
| annum. They are convinced that this
action will meet with your hearty APP
prevail and endorsement. 1t will re-
quire new effort on the part of each
Of you to enable the church to meet
this new indebtedness, debt of love,
which comes upon you just as your
pecuniary obligations for the church
Indebtedness had been cancelled. An
ticipating your sanction, and believing
that tho best interests of the church
can only be conserved by this course,
the vestry have determined TO appro-
pirate the morning collection on the
second Sunday in each month to meet
these special obligations.
1.-THE vestry ask your earnest prayers
for tho rector that his disability may
be speedily removed; for guidance in
the selection of his successor, and for
the blessing Of Almighty God upon
this church and congregation, that
they may be faithful to the trust COM
mitted to them so that the work of the
church may be increased and prospered.
40 Lord, we beseech Thee merci-
fully to receive tho prayers Of Thy
people who call upon Thee and grant
that thcy may both perceive and know
what things they ought To do, md also
may have grace and power faithfully to
fulfil the same, through Jesus Christ,
our Lord. Amcn.'
ION behalf of tho vestry,
Il. T. Warner,
Willard Thomson,
Wardens. -
Tho announcement OF DIR. Murray's
resignation was received with profound
sorrow by the congregation, some NOM
bers of which displayed their grief.
The action OF the wardens and vestry
in tho promises will probably be
generally endorsed.
The trouble to DIR. Murray's sight
grew out of cold which he contracted
last winter while attending funeral
in Philadelphia, Tho cold was accom-
panied by severe coughing spells, in
the course Of which vesiclcs in the eye
were ruptnrcd and the vision was
clouded. The rector was allowed an
EXTENDED vacation in tho hope that his
sight would DO restored. His general
strength has improved so that now he
is enjoying good health, but his vision
has not reguined its normal condition.
Fearing injury to the interests of his
church through his inability to devote
his entire attention to its various de-
partments, he deemed ii best to with
draw from the rectoratc,
For years DIR. Murray has held
warm place in the hearts of the COM
munity which will sympathize with
him in his afiliction.
A graduate of Gettysburg College
and of Bexley Hall, the theological
seminary of Kenyon College, MIR.
Murray was ordained to the ministry
in 1864, being presented by the Rev.
Phillips Brooks, afterwards bishop Of
Massachusetts, who was his warm
| friend. After spending short timo
as assistant at tho Church of the
| Ephiphany, Philadelphia, he accepted
his first charge, that Of rector of Zion
| Church, tho same city. He remained
| at Zion four years, thence going to the
| Church of the Covenant of which no
was rector ID years. Meanwhile he no.
came known to tho congregation of ST.
| Andrews Church this city through
occasional visits hore, and in 1881 was
called to become the assistant minister
of that church. The Right Rev. Alfred
| Lee, Bishop of Delaware, was Mt that
| time. as he had been for many years,
rector of st. Andrews. Upon Bishop
Lees death in 1887, Mr.. Murray was
elected rector. He received tho degree
of Doctor Of Divinity from Gettysburg
| College. lie is a member of the stand
ing committee of the Diocese of Della
| ware.
1t is not yet known who will succeed
him as the active rector OF st. An
] drew's,