The Savannah morning news., 1900-10-22
NOTIFIED HIS CONGREGATION.
REv. SMITHS RESIGNATION FROM
IsT PREsBN TERRAIN CHURCH

The Congregation Regrets His Ne
cIsion and Was Much Affected ~
MS Lrtter-NfII Meet NrNt SUNDAY
AFTER Morning services when Ac-
tion wiII he Taken by Notr-He~-
iEnafian rhcn e. ne brought Re
fore the Pr~sh,tcrs, which WIN
Meet Here.
Rev. Arthur J smith ot the First Pres
byteran Cnure1. after Che morning serve
ices yesterday read to his consrs CATION
a letter .n vh.ea Dee notified h OF his in-
tended resignation ls pastor Of the
church. as mas been announced in INC
Mornire Nsws several days ago. The lri-
Ter dated O-t 2 s as follows
TO Al Members OF the FIRST Presb
terrain church savannah. Ga.-Dear
Brethren. / hereby NOTIFY yon tina az %
rneounE Of the Presuytery OF savannah.
soon TO be- called. shall present my res
ignation ~ your pastor and request mat
the Presbytery dissolve the pastoral 70
la,ion. In which request sincerely trust
that YOU VIII unanimously concur
My reasons for takius this step are'
FIRST. have never fct that was
called 90 the pastoral, for NE. though ]
do firmly believe thar Cod sent me 10 you
20 serve you during these past few years.
second There hos never been doubt
IN my mind even while serving sou as
pastor that God had called me TO DO the
work OF an evangelist and What that is
the work 10 which my life should De
given
Third During the past few weeks the
conviction has grown upon me That
should OF this zine take up the work
laid down when ! became your pastor.
have had direct ana uumisiakabic evi-
dences mat this IS my duty. Ms mind
is M rest. although ] am filled with great
sadness al the thought o. parting from
a people whom ! have learned 10 love
with an OF my heart. The past four
years have been the happlest Of my nfe.
You have been 50 universally kind 10 me-
that I shall always hold you 300 loving re-
tnembrance and shall pray that the great
Head OF the Church may bcstow the rich
est blessings OF Heaven upon you. Al
fecuonately your pastor
The determination on Nllf NHAtA 90 W.
Smith. 20 resign his passionate. had been
,,,aaa known 10 the Church Session Wed
nesday night after prayer meeting. and
hence was not "a surprise 60 the greater
part OF the members OF the church. never
fheless many OF them were visibly affect
ed and after the service. waited for an
opportunity 10 toll Mr.. smith Of their
sincere regret at his intended leaving.
Mr. Smiths letter is not final as far
40 a. HnHaH hon a.
concerned: Tor this purpose his resigna-
ton will have 10 be- brought before the
presbvtery But even before this can he
done, the matter will have To be- brought
before the members OF the church. AMI
a vote taken on 81. thcn an elder Of the
church VIII be- selected as the represen-
tstiv OF the members and will bear %
the prcEbytery the result 81 the church's
action a meeting OF the church mem
hers for this purpose viii be held next
Sunday after the morning service. aud
after their action haF been made known
a special call for meeting OF the pres
bytery will be made. That body OF whicn
Rev W H. McMeen Of bennington BE-
the moderator. will assemble in this city
zen days after the issuance Of the call
and final action on the resigna lion VII.
then take place.
Mr. smith will leave tonight for At
Iauta. where he goes 20 conduct a series
OF revival meetings "a the Fourth Pros
byterlan Church. These meetings viii
last through sunday. Iiis pulpit win be
filled 90 the morning services Sunday hy
Rev. Or Fair % the Indeacudeut Pres
byterian Church who viii also be- mod
orator Of the meeting that will follow
the services pr. Fairs pulpit VIII be-
supplied hy Rev r q. Cleveland OF the
Fourth Presbyterian Church OF Atlanta.
A. the evening services Or Fair will oc-
cupy his own pulpit and Rev Cleveland
that o. the First Church