The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-12

Dr. MeeSer has received q letter from
A. j. Fox, chairman of the pulpit com
mittee, stating that the church will
unanimously vote to extend to him it's
call
DR.. Meeser would not say last night
that he would accept the call, but there
is no doubt that he will do so.
The woodward Avenue Church pays
a salary of $4,000 an advance of $500
over that paid by the First Church.
1t supports a pastors assistant, a
church visitor, and allows its pastor
a stenographer.
In It's year book for 1900-01 the num-
Der of members is given as 1853, of
whom S73 are resident, POS nonresident,
and of 81 the residences are unknown.
The church building is a magnificent
edif1ce erected at a cost of $175, 900. The
auditorium will seat 1900 persons. The
active membership of the church is
composed largely of young and middle
aged business men, among whom are
some of the wealthiest and most in
fiuential men In the city The church
expended last year~over $4,000 foI its
current expenses, of which $4,000 was
for music.
Its benevolences are very large. Last
year it raised over $50, 900 for the en-
dOwment of Kalamazoo College. This
was done as a special effort but the
calls for this college upon the church
will continue to be large in future
years.
DR.. Meeser's announcement to the
church last night was brought forth
by the fact that the Detroit newspa-
pers had already printed statements
that the WCodwardAv Church was
about to extend him a call and he
wished to present the subject to the
church before it was done by the news
papers
DR.. Meeser, during his nearly six
years stay in Worcelter, has become
one of the most widely and favorably
known ministers Of his denomination
in the state. During the last two
years particularly his reputation has
greatly increased and the public de-
mands upon his time and services have
been very considerable. He has been
recognized as a leader in the denCmi-
nation, both on account of his ability
and on account of the stand which he
has taken in theological matters. He
has shown himself to be a modern
thinker, willing to receive the truths of
science, and he, better than most min
listers, has known how to join the
hands of religion and science without
weakening any Of the essential prin-
cipleS of either DR.. Meeser was given
the degree of Doctor Of Divinity last
His pastorate here has been a hard
one, made so by the poor location Of
the church. It has been a constant
struggle to keep the membership from
decreasing. Social life in the church
has had a tendency to wane and that
it has not done so is due in large
measure to DR.. Meeser and his wife
DE-. Meeser is president of the Wor-
cestsr District Sunday School Asso-
citation, elected last year. and is con-
aected with Worcester Academy and
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Off
cial relations.
With the expectation of Dr. Meeser's
resignation in view the situation Of
the Baptist denomination in Worces-
Ter becomes far from enviable. Its two
largest churches, the First, and Main
Street. VIII be pastorless. At the
Greendale Church there is an acting
pastor, and in some Of the others the
conditions are far from stable The
resignation Of Rev. Leo Boone Thomas
two weeks ago last Sunday revived the
talk of a union between the Main
Street and First churches. DR. Meeser's
going will give an impetus to this sug-
gestion and the time seems favorab able
for carrying it out. The plan Of those
edifice in some good and cen
trally situated location and make a
strong Baptist Church which would
have an influence and prestige suff1-
cient to give the denomination in Wor-
cester the position to which it numeri-
cally is entitled.