The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-12
DR. FAUNCE GOING TO BROWN
Announces His Resignation of His Fifth
Avenue Pastorate.

At the conclusion OF his sermon yesterday
morning the Rev. w. H. +. Faunce OF the Fifth
Avenue BAPTIST Church read to his congroga-
ton his resignation Of the pastorate and an
nounced his decision to accept the Presidency
OF Brown University. Many Of the women OF
the congregation received the news with tears
and one or two felt compelled to 70 out into
the vestibula to give way to their feelings
Without any preliminary announcement.
after finishing his ssrmon DR.. Faunce took a
paper from his pocket and read this letter:
TO Me FDh Apsnus BdDtut church,
My DEAR FRIENDS: According to my clear
est light the time has now come for me to sur
render the pastoral leadership which you sum,
mot say nh ten yS"s HkS 70 has on me
than any other that have ever faced ! had
expected to spend the remainder of my lie in
our work and the expanding OPPORTUNITIES OF
the metropolis. and satisfy Ing my craving for
contact with tho student mind and student life
through those visits to various institutions OF
learning which your kindness has permitted
me to make. But you have perceived. per
haps more clearly than |. that for some years
an invisible tide has been bearing me onward
toward the educational world. From one OF
.he oldest seat. oten1nnE IN ths eoanty
scentlously refuse. II 10 the call 81 n venera-
BILE and noble college. the call Of my alma
seems to me the call of God. TO refuse such
a summons involves far less ri SIX and toll than
t2s "TSent IT. ~, life IL n3' peart thing to
No words can express my gratitude Tor the
loyal support aud affection with which YOU
decade We have formed friendships which
no change OF place can POSSIBLY sever We
have seen an enthusiastic band Of young mon
strength and devotion make your future Sc
sure. We have striven to exalt a type OF Chris
gellsm on the. one side and from frlGid ra-
tionaism on the other. We have insisted on
ARRIVING the ethics Of Jesus to the social con.
every Christian veritable social settlement
IN MS own neighboIhood. Our largest pIan i;,
earry ay begun o and BE ba w
and rojoice.
For the work on which | enter | bespeak your
college where your own sons have been edu;;
Gated. where they are STUDYING to-day. |
sha stu pc working WITH you for the making bn
acter; for intellectual and spiritual freedom.
for the coming OF tho kingdom OF righteous
This resignation is to take effect at such
time as the officers OF the church shall advise.
WILLIAM II. P FAuxcE.
Il desire to say Q few additional words. ~
DR.. Faunce continued after a short pause. 1T
is proper that should express my apprecia-
tion Of tho work~of my assistants in this
church. l have had three. Could | have
searched this country over. I think I would
have selected those three above all others. But
particularly desire to direct your attention to
Mr.. Richardson. 1t has been his work to go
into your homes and to 10 closely associated
with all OF you. You know him and he knows
you. For several YEAR, he has lived in my
house. In that time ] can truthfully say-that
| have never known him to do or to say any
thing OF which Christian ought to be
ashamed commend him to YOU as one of
Gods richest blessings at this time"
DR. Faunce went on to say that he hoped.
with the consent Of the congregation. TO preach
in the church one or NO SUNDAYS in bCtObe r
and to meet the congregation in some sort OF
gathering commemorative OF their uast asso-
citation at about that time. At any rate. he
said he would doubtless see more OF many OF
his people as President of Brown than he h adj
as their pastor. lie intended to spend great
deal Of time In New York.
Many OF the congregation pressed forward
To shake hands with DR.. Faunce whom the ser.
vice was over.