Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-28
DR.SWEENEY RESIGNS
U.oauENT PASTOR OF SEVENTH
STREET CHURCH LEAVES.
CANE As 4 GREAT SURPRISE.
only the officers OF the Church Knew
OFT the Minister'S PurpOse-Domesfic
u.asous for Returning to Colum-
bu,-Features of sundays Services.
seventh-street Christian church is again

seventh-street Christian church is again
pastorless.
Rev. DIR. 4. T. Sweeney. in many re-
spects the ablest and most popular pastor
the church ever had, and one of the most
eloquent ministers in this city, rendered
his resignation Sunday night at the close
OF a wonderful service, TO take effect at
once. and left on the 1880 train that night
over the Chesapeake and Ohio road for
Paris. KY, where his aged father is i'll.
The congregation before which Dr..
Sweeney READ the formal announcement
Of his intentions was one Of the largest
ever assembled in the church. DIT.
Sweeney had just preached a powerful
and eloquent sermon, calling upon Nature
TO prove the existence Of her God. The
great crowd had listened with deathlike
stiffness, that no word should be lost.
At the conclusion OF the discourse the
minister announced a hymn Of invitation
and invited any who might wish to make
profession Of faith in that God whom
he had declared unto them. 70 come for
ward and give him their nand. The con-
gregatior stood, and though no one but
the elders and deacons OF the church
knew what would follow, but few left
the house. AS many as could again seated
themselves and then DR.. sweeney read
his announcement. He said, as he took
the letter from his pocket, that he had
most painful duty TO perform, one that
circumstances beyond his control had
D. Gel .
officers Of the church knew what was
coming. There was an intensity o. inte-
rest that was positively painful.
THE LETTER or FAREWELL.
He read slowly and distinctly as fol-
lows:
MY Dear Brethren and Sisters, and. l
might add, Friends 60 the audience:
Il have a painful duty to perform in
saying TO you that tonight closes my
labors with the Seventh-Street church.
When / accepted an invitation TO visit
you it was with the understanding and
agreement that IL was temporary, and
if / could find my way clear TO do 50
would accept a permanent call in the
future if mutually desired. l have since
then been trying TO arrange TO make my
stay permanent, but matters have so
shaped themselves that my duty lies In
a different direction. l more fully realize
that the heart Of man deviseth his
way, but the Lord directeth his steps
than ever did before. l can most heartily
say that this step is not taken in view
Of anything any Of you have done or left
undone. You have, as officers and MEM
bers heartily supported me and mutually
co-operated with me. ] love each and
every one of YOU and wish that l could
4Ixr
duty, but | cannot. Mrs. Sweeney de-
sires to share with me in the above
statement and in expressing our sincere
thanks for your unvarying devotion and
kindness. We shall always bear your
welfare before the Throne Of Grace and
sincerely desire to be remembered in your
prayers Praying Gods richest blessings
upon you as a congregation and as in
dividuals, We again bid you an affec-
tionate farewell"
DR.. Sweeney supplemented the letter by
SAYING that the illness Of his mother
in-law at her home in Columbus, Ind,
and her advancing age, and also the i'll
ness Of his father, who Is 90 years Of age,
at Paris. KY, had called him 70 be near
them. His duty, he saw. plainly, was TO
be near them in their closing days. His
wife's mother has been i'll nearly ever
since he came here she is an invalid, and
the separation Of his wife from her had
made her materially worsa. Some weeks
ago he saw he must 60 and he laid the
whole matter before the officers Of the
church. They approved OF this action.
DR.. Sweeney made no alluson to this,
but this meeting OF officers, when he
made known 10 them his intention, was
truly an affecting one. Tears stood in the
minister's eyes as he spoke Of II, and the
officers. many OF them old men, received
the information as if they were being told
of some great personal misfortune. Or.
Sweeney concluded his talk by thank
ing the people Of the church and congre-
cation, and those of all denominations
I'm the city, for the kindness they had
shown him. He declared he had visited
every city of importance in this country
and nearly every one In Europe, ana
was never treated more cordially any
where than he had been in Richmond.
He said he would pause, that any officer
of the church might speak, If he wished
10 do so.
CAPTAIN FULLER RESPONDS.
Captain w. G. Fuller, chairman of the
Board Of Deacons, spoke for the officers
OF tho church He said
1.-THE announcement just made by
Brother Sweeney no doubt is a great sur
prise to a large number Of the congrega-
ton 1t Is a sad one, not only to this
church, but, / believe to the citizens Of
Richmond. As he told you, there is
perfect understanding between the officers
and himself. For a month the officers Of
the church have known this would be his
last sermon, but they thought it wise not
to make it public until tonight While
we regret to lose our beloved pastor, we
In olden times mistaken