The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-02
MAY COME TOWORCESTER
Rev. Lee S. McCollester of
Detroit May Succeed DR..
Gunnison.

Rev. Lee S. McCollester, pastor of
the Church of Our Father, Detroit,
Mich, has received a call to the pulpit
of the First Universalist church of this
city. The Detroit Tribune says:
"Dr. McCollester, during his resid-
ence here of IL years, has been COM
plimented with important calls else
where, once to the presidency of Buch-
tel college, one of the more important
educational institutions sustained by
his denomination, but has refused them
all Whether he refuses this last Of
fer or not depends very much on cir
cumstances.
In consequence of this eastern offer
there is a large activity within the
Church of Our Father to keep DR.. Nc
Collester here. The board of trustees
has held several meetings, and the
whole case will be presented to the
congregation Immediately after serv-
ices next Sunday morning.
1t appears that DR.. McCollester has
made a definite proposition to his
board of trustees of the conditions
upon which ne will consent to remain,
and the board of which c. A. New
comb is president and William Parker
treasurer, is doing its best to meet his
conditions.
DIR. McCollester asks no raise in SAL
airy, although the eastern church Of
fers him an advance of at least $500
in money over his present salary, and
the total pecuniary advantages at
Worcester church are, perhaps near
er $1,000.
But what DR.. McCollester does de-
sire is a little larger freedom Of ac-
ton and a better opportunity to carry
into effect his ideas of what a church
ought to be and do in the community.
He believes that his downtown loca-
ton gives him a chance to make his
church a great centre of influence in
the city, and he wishes to make prog
ress along such lines.
There is one important obstacle to
his plans, and that is the church debt.
1t is not large debt for such a church,
but still it plays far too important a
part in church finances. 1t is the debt
upon the lot the church stands upon.
At present it amounts, principal and
unpaid interest, to nearly $4,000, the
principal being $4,000 DR.. McCol-
proceed at once to wipe out this debt
completely. He will not consent to a
partial reduction now, with the adop-
ton of some policy that will wipe it
all out in a short term of years; the
whole sum must be raised immediate
ly. The whole problem must be solved
within the coming week.
That is the problem that agitates
the trustees. They must raise 500, 900
within a week or DIR. McCollester will
accept the call to the big Worcester
church, and the larger salary and the
larger opportunities. If they can
raise the money and put the church
out of debt, he win remain. 1t is un-
derstood, of course, that the church,
If he stays, is to stand by him in his
efforts to increase its sphere of useful
ness in the life of the city
The trustees, so far as they were
seen yesterday by The Tribune, ex-
pressed themselves confident that they
would be able to keep DR. McColles-
ter here; but nothing definite can be
known until after the congregation
acts on the situation next Sunday. It
is well-to-do church, with a congre-
cation of 600 members.