Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-09
THE RELATIONS SEVERED
DIR. STAKELY RESIGNS PASTORATE
OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
Expects to Accept Charge at Mont
gOmery, Ala-Statcmcnt Read Be-
fore His Congregation.

| resignation, accompanied by the request
that the paper which he read should be
| laid before the congregation at a meeting
| to be held at the close of the regular
| weekly prayer meeting Thursday evening
| next. This action of DIR. Stakely was not
altogether a surprise. the statement
| was made in The Star several days ago
| that he had received call to the pastor
| ate of leading Baptist church in Mont
| gonery, Ala DIR. Stakely made no refer
ence during the meeting to the fact that
| he has had call to another field of labor.
| but In conversation with reporter of The
| Star he said in case his resignation shall be
| accepted he does not expect to leave Wash
| IL gton before about the 1st of next October.
| For several reasons, which were enumer-
| ated by DR.. Stakely In a brief address to
| his congregation, there was no sermon de-
| livered to them yesterday morning. and
| after the usual devotional exercises the
| pastor read the paper above referred to,
| which was as follows:
ION the first Sunday In December, 1887,
| delivered my opening sermon as pastor Of
| the First Baptist Church of Washington,
SO that it is now little less than thirteen
years since 1 began to go in and out among
! You in the pastoral relation. l had no little
appreciation. at the time. of the magnitude
of the work l was undertaking, and even
now l am almost conscious of the fear and
| trembling that took possession of my soul
| as l tried to realize what l had in hand.
There was one thing. however, which
helped to relieve the situation: l pos
sessed unbounded confidence in you my
brethren. and in the ability and willingness
Of God to help us in the united work On
| the basis of this assurance l entered the
field with the fullest determination to
throw my whole being into the service of
| this church, also into that of our denomi-
nation and the cause of Christ in general
| at the national capital, and this with all
enthusiasm a
| then than now.
Reference to Departed Members.
Many Of the noble men and women Of
the church who were with us when my la
bors began, ard did so much to make the
work a success. have entered into rest. and
We see their faces more in the earthly
sanctuary, and l always find my soul pro-
foundly moved at the mention Of their
names. Those of the older order who re-
main, if l may speak, cannot but recall
with feelings of emotion the struggles
through which We have passed. the sacri-
fees have made the tears We have
shed and the arduOuS toiling and patient
waiting that have been ours, in the progress
of the work and trust that they will take
pains to make them known to the members
of the church whom God is giving to us
in these later years
Those who are coming into our ranks
today can scarcely appreciate, at least at
Cnce the work that has been done. Soon
see the enormous difference between what
the church was on 18th street at the be-
ginning of the present .pastorate and what
it is today in the new location at the cor
ner of 10th and streets. ! do not be-
grudge my predecessors in this high office
any honor that could come to them, for
most noble men they were, each and all,
bu. / cannot but thank God continually
that in His providence the movement Of
which We often speak was reserved Ter
the time of my pastorate. l came to wash
ington to lead it, as you well know ana IN
the success with which 1t has been crowned
God has bestowed upon me an honor which
shall ever be one of the chiefest joys OF
nv life 1t makes me douhly happy to
think that this movement was made posi-
bic by the cooperation and self-sacrifice OF
as noble band of Christian men and Wo-
men as ever surrounded any pastor in any
work.
Growth of the Church.
This movement, my brethren. has been
much larger than the mere matter Of the
relocation of church organization ana the
entering of a new and different house OF
worship That is only the material side,
but around it have gathered many spiritual
activities and enterprises of which We may
Justly be proud. When the present pastor
ate began. the membership OF the church
was only 224. while today il is between six
and seven hundred. a net gain of more than
300 per cent. and most of these have been
brought in on profession of faith and bap-
This makes no note OF the large num-
Der Of persons received by the church, but
who meanwhile have died or been trans
ferred to other churches. During this time
he church property has risen in valuation
from about $4,000. to probably more than
S13h eco: th,. church Gnclud.ng the Sunday
school has raised and disbursed 500 0j.
or an annual average of more than $4,000;
and | rejoice to be able to say that of the
whole amount for the period aggre-
eating more than $4,000 represents what
the church has done for Christian missions
and other benevolence. This is probably
more money raised directly for Christ and
His cause than was raised by the church
during the whole preceding eighty-five
years of its history, and II shows the Won
derful possibilities of an old church organ-
cation that took a notion to renew Its youth.
Il would not have you to think that in
looking back over these years of my pas
tOrate everything has gone to suit me.
Much allowance must be made for the pas
tor. | am conscious of many mistakes.
but l have tried TO fiji my place. l have
tried to be conscientious and faithful in all
my work. If | have been instrumental In
saving In Strengthening comforting
any life through my pastoral minstration.
| am sincerely and profoundly grateful. l
have loved my people with ardent affec-
ton, but il must be allowed to me, under
these circumstances, to say that a peculiar
ly warm feeling is in my heart for those
whom l myself have baptized. May the
God of all grace keep them safe and faith
flu. TO the end.
His Efforts for Success.
II love my denomination and have earn
estly worked for It's good at the national
capital ] in sympathy with my col
ored Baptist brethren in their large and i'm
portant work in the District of Columbia,
and l have regarded it as a part of my
ministry to help them to the extent of my
strength and my opportunity. l thank God
that | have thousands of friends among
them And it is well known to you that
next to this church and distinctiyely
religious work in Washington my first love
has been Columbian University whose in
terests have been close to me and whose
servant | have tried to be in all sincerity
and love. l hope that this church will con-
tinue in Its attitude of loyalty to this time
honored institution of our fathers
But in my judgment. brethren the time
has come for me to lay down my work in
Washington 1t Will fare better in other
hands, while | myself may be able to do a
stronger work in another field. Thanking
you for all your kindness to me- for ali
your loyal support in my years of labor
among you. l hereby tender to you my
resignation. 1t is my desire that the resig-
nation be accepted at once. to take effect
on the Both day of the coming September"
The Montgomery Charge