The Portland daily press., 1899-09-04
REV. MIR. BEAMS RESIGNATION.

Windham, Me. August gath, 1899.
To the Members OF the West Cong-ega-
tional Church, Portland; and the
Members Of the West Congregational
Parish society of Portland:
My Dear Friends:-On the first of May,
1894, at your request and upon your invi-
tation, l assumed the pastorate of this
church and parish. think that the most
conservative mind in comparing and con-
trasting the conditions existing then and
those existing now. In point of attend
ance, Of financial resources, of oOnve-
ntencea and-aap pliances for church life
and workssand in increase OF mem barship,
will be found TO admit that some degree
of the blessing Of our God has been upon
us and that the past five years and odd
months have been period OF progress
But 1t is no part of my present purpose
to review the history of this pastorate.
AS look back over IL now am more
conscious of things not doue than of those
accomplished, and the failures seem to
outnumber the successes.
In coming among you ! assured you
that / shouldsbe liable to mistakes and
blunders: that these have occurred In the
present pastorate / have no doubt. But
and peace,-I think I can sincerely say
that the most careful scrutiny of my
labor of lovs among you reveals to me no
occasion when 1t has not been my
supreme desire to do all In my power for
the. bringing of the kingdom of God into
this community, the building up of this
church In members and especially in all
Christian graces, and the bringing to a
knowledge OF Jesus Christ those who
knew him not. This has been my aim.
And as It has been my aim In all my SER
vice with you, so today Is 1t the supreme
desire of my neart and soul as / return
to you the trust committed to my care,
and raairn tina naafnrata of Ia oh sob
and parish. said resignat ton to take effect
the thirtieth day OF November next. 1t Is
my desire that aJtion upon this letter be
taken as soon as Is convenient and that
In accepting my resignation the church
and parish win appoint such committees
as shall be empowered to unite with me
In calling for an ecclesiastical council,
tina t the relation now existing may be
6issolv we'd in that orderly and fitting man
neF prescribed by the traditions ami poll
cy of our denomination.
In thus placing my resignation In your
hands, my dearly beloved friends, trust
that you will not think that have acted
hastily or upon any passing impulse.
For three years my lameness has been
jncreasing-fort three years the discharge
OF pastoral duties has been becoming In
creasingly difficult. A point has now
been reached where. while feel myself
In many ways better prepared for service
almost entirely to the house and to the
public means of transportation. To any
psrson able to walk without pain 1t would
be- utterly impossibls for me TO convey
any adequate idea, Of the physical suffer-
ing. the physical exhaustion. and the
mental depression which the effort to
walk induces.
But there Ia needed In this community
the services of a man who can actively
look after the outside interests of the
church and parish who can be often In
the homes OF the people. In their place
of business. showing his hearty buoyan I
good will, his Christian love and sympa-
thy in thousand ways outside the pull
pit and the prayer meeting. Thsre Is
| in this community large field for such
effort, 1t is field into which it Is not
permitted me to enter.
have gone on hoping against hope.
hoping that l might be akle TO be- among
the people more, no ing that they would
| come to recognize my Interest in them
| and desire to help them even il l coul
not look after them, hoping that some
combination Of the forces within the
church might be made which wouli ID
this scot work successfully. have
no doubt 6 81 under the leadership Of one
possessed of greater inventive ana admin.