The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-07
REV. DIR. DIXON
HAS RESIGNED
Official Paper Read 10 the Penn Avenue
Baptist Church Yesterday.
PAsrORATE MAY END ON APRIL 10
Many ofthe Congregation wept When
the Resignation Was Read They
and Persons of O:her Denomina-
tions Express Regret Over DR..
Diyon's Prospective Departure.
lie Is Called by One of Boston's
Largest Churches.

ReN. Df, Joseph N. Dlhoil, VIM re-
Gently received a call from the Warren
Avenue Baptist church, of Boston, ten
dered his resignation yesterday morn
Ijng as pastor of the Penn Avenue Bap-
tist church. He requests that his pas
torate be ended here on Easter Sunday,
April 10.
DR.. DiXons resignation was read by
him at the conclusion of the commun-
ion service. The usually large congre-
cation was further augmented because
of baptismal service, the communion,
the extending of the hand of fellow
ship to six persons and the possibility
that DR.. Dixon would say something
concerning the call which was pub
lshed in The Tribune. While his peo-
pie were standing, he read his resig-
nation as follows:
To the Penn Avenue Baptist Church in
Scranton.
My Dear People: Under the servitude
of suffering and at the behest of the best
medical skill, 1t was my solemn duty
to sunder the ties that bound me to the
Epiphany Baptist church in Philadel-
phla, where for over six years God
crowned the work of pastor and people
with success that reads like the ro-
nance of faith and glows like the poetry
of love.
After '7ore than long twelve months
of healt and strength seeking, / inter-
preted yI ar unanimous call to the pastor
ate of this church as the voice of God to
me, and again In obedience to the COM
mand of duty / entered upon my work
with you and for you, September l, 1896.
In the prosecution ot this work i have
not counted my life dear unto myself, 30
that ! might finish my course with JOY,
and the ministry, which I have received
of the Lord Jesus, TO testify the Gospel of
| the grace of God.
DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
For every touch of sympathy, for every
| deed of kindness, for every word of love,
| l am deeply and sincerely grateful For
| the confidence and interest in me, which
| has found expression in the large congre-
| cations that have habitCally waited upon
my public ministry, l also desire to ac-
knowledge my grateful appreciation and
| personal pleasure. | must emphasize
| also, my gratitude for the earnest Coop
| Grafton and generous giving on the part
! of many devout souls whose purpose was
welded with mine in an earnest endeavor
| to save "child life"--and thus it was
! made possible to establish q mission in
one of the most neglected and populouS
sections of the city, and erect and dedi-
cate free of debt, a beautiful and COM
modious chapel, costing over three thou
sand dollars, and which today with it's
less than a year of life has more than
one hundred and fifty children enrolled,
| and a constantly increasing membership
"a superb and beneficent success.
| And now dearly beloved, needing the
same call of duty, and listening as ever,
| for the voice of God, and obeying the in"
| junction of Paul to Timothy that /
make full proof of my ministry being
| fully persuaded that God has manifestly
l-,, a
extended field of usefulness and labor
| interpreting again, this open door as
Gods voice to me, 1 hereby respectfully
| and tenderly present my resignation as
pastor of the Penn Avenue Baptist
| church in Scranton, in order to accept the
hearty and unanimous call to the Warren
| Avenue Baptist church in Boston. If
| agreeable TO the church. 1 would be
obliged If this resignation be allowed to
take effect so that | may close my labors
With you on Easter Sunday, April TO- 1898.
AS the days have gone on to God we
have wept and rejoiced together, we have
met at the fireslde, the altar and in the
| grave have laid away for the resurrec-
ton some of your choicest spirits--some
of the noblest of man and womankind.
| have stood beside you in your sorrows
together We have studied the Old Book
the Blessed Book-together we have Ia
bored for the salvation of the sinner
| uIllll, all praise TO SOO, a great lOSC nave
been brought into the fold.
HIS EARNEST PRAYER.
If have been able to help any of you
to realize Living, Present Christ, l shall
go away rejoicing. Ny prayer is that
your eyes may be pure to behold Hin
ever with you, present convincer of sin
q present guide to truth, a present con
queror in death. Because leave Him be-
hind, go strong in the hope of meeting
you in the resurrection glory.
Here we part; in heaven we shall fmt
each other again." Until then, let us
bravely work let us divinely love- let III
heroically stand, let us supremely trust
let us patiently wait, ever praying:
Lead kindly light. amid the encircling
Gloom or the encircling glory.
Sincerely and affectionately your pastor
and friend. Joseph X. Dixon.
Dr. Dixon had announced that h,
would read communication, but h,
had not indicated its subject. Befor,
he had finished, not a few in tn,
church were weeping.
The church will take action upon tn,
resignation Wednesday, March 16
While it would be the wish of hi
people that he remain with them, tn,
officers and others of the congregation
realize that DR.. Dixon's splendid tai
ent and character could be better util
lied in a larger field. They have 81
expressed themselves with much regre
since hearing of the call and subse
quent rumor that their pastor woult
accent it.
Not only the congregation regret
DR.. Dixon's departure, but leading
men and women of other denomina
tions, and others not identified will
any church have personally called a
his house or written him expressing tn
loss the church and the city would sus
tain.
The Boston church, which calls Doc
tor Dixon, has one of the four Baptis
largest congregations in that city. I
has an assistant pastor and a larg
| local mission interest