The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-08-03

very kind and brotherly letter, for
which was deeply grateful. He
asked me if | could not revise my
plans. Being assured that could not.
he appointed DR.. w. NJ Leftwich as
my successor, and to him | surrender
ed my pulpit yesterday.
To leave the Methodist Church, the
church of my childhood, the church of
my family, the church 10 which | owe
debt that never can be paid, TO break
the ties of association and friendship
OF a Lifetime, is the saddest expert
ence have known. / 90, not because
want to, but because ought to. ln-
deed, believing as do, ii was morally
imperative that | should take this
step. There is nothing but love in my
heart for the church, and all OF her
members, and pray that God, who
worketh IN and through all things for
the accomplishment Of his purposes,
may guide US all
Sincerely,
Fl. w. KNICKERBOCKER.
Los Angeles. Cal, July Is. 1901.
There is general feeling of regret
among the people of this community,
and especially among the members of
the Methodist Church, at this action
OF the Rev. Fl. w. Kuickerbocker, for
the church loses one of its most bril-
liant ministers He is fine orator, a
logical reasoner, and speaks. with all
earnestness that always carries coDvic-
ton with it. Here in this community
he was general favori,e, and the
church was always crowded when he
preached. Methodism loses one of its
most conspicuous opponents. We do
not know the grounds of belief that
induced the reverend gentleman to
to this step, but we grant him honesty
and candor. In renouncing his church,
painful though it be to him, he has
proven that he has the courage of his
convictions, that he is no hypocrite;
for of all the contemplate characters
Oh the green earth, it is hpyocrite,
and the Banner-Democra rejoices to
know that his honor has risen above
all other considerations.
Whether this step was superinduced
by course of reading which moulded
his convictions into an antagonisIn 10
the established doctrines of the Metho-
dist church, or whether it is purely
the result of his own independent
thought, we know not; and while we
regret very much that his conscience
has compelled him to take this step,
we do not censure him. No man has
the right to question the belief of any
other man, when that belief is guided
by a sound mind and fearless con-
science.
Religion is question upon which
opinions are as numerous as the sands
of the sea; and as the world advances
and knowledge expands Der wings
broader and broader, mankind grows
restless uuder the old established order
of things, and the mind reaches out
into the speculative unknown and tries
to unravel mysteries that lie before US;
as the early mariner who flung his
sail to the breeze aud steered west
| ward over an unexplored ocean, hop
ing to find land somewhere. The
world is changing in thought every
day, and in past ages men have died at
the stake, in the dungeon, on the scat
| fold-yea, have suffered manifold tor
lures for advocating doctrines which
we're deemed heretical then, but accept
ed by large portions of society to-day.
Man is world unto himself, whose
circumference is limrless, whose re-
sources are inexhaustible His mind
is mystery which no other man can
fathom or see into. His reason is the
centre around which everything else
revolves; aud every thought, whether
misguided or unerring, comes from
this secret centre, known only to itself,
and ackno wiedging no master. II is
not surprising, then, that strong
mind, refined by study and aided by
observation, should break the letters
of conservatism and launch out Oh the
restless sea of speculation, in all earn.
est desire to find the real, and not the
imaginative, of both the here aud the
hereafter.
Such a mind the Rev. II. w. KDick-
erbocker possesses. Towering above
the masses intellectually, be has reach
ed that stage where the road of bis
life comes TO fork, one of which be
must choose. This hehas done openly,
conscientiously, fearlessly. Let no
man condemn himl He has not re-
nounced christianity, but Metbodism,
at least portion of Methodism. Sad,
it is true; especially to US who knew
him so well. But as the magnetic
needle points unerriDgly to the pole,
so, we believe, will the light of reason
guide this gifted divine to final solu-
ton of the great problems OF immor-
tality, when all shall be made clear,
and he will see. not as through glass,