Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-07
Pastor of Second Congregational
Church to Leave Pulpit.
LETTER WAS READ SUNDAY MORNING
The Congregation viii Regret to Lose
Him-Church News of South OF
tumwa-Brief Paragraphs of Per.
sonaI and Local News.
From Mondays Daily.

From MONDAYS Daily.
Rev. j. R. Beard, pastor of the Sec
ond Congregational church, rendered
his resignation Sunday morning, after
a passionate of little more than six
years. Mr.. Beard has made many
friends during his residence here and
he and his estimable wife have endear-
ed themselves to the members of their
congregation and to the residents of
the community. During the few
years that Rev. Beard has spent in
Ottumwa there have been changes in
nearly every pulpit in the city.
| Text of Resignation.
The reading of Rev. Boards letter
of resignation was the signal for many
silent expressions of regret and sad
ness. The people have great respect
Tor him and they feel that it is hard
to have him depart from their midst.
The text of the letter is as follows:
10 the Second Congregational church,
/, Ottumwa, Iowa.
Dearly Beloved After several
months of prayerful consideration,
watching, at the same time, the unfold,
ing OF Gods plans, believe the time
has come when you might wage a
more successful war against sin I'M
der other than the present human
leadership. Acting in accord with this
belief, | hereby tender my resignation
as your pastor, suggesting that the re-
lation cease March or April 1, which
ever may best suit your convenience.
While by the terms of our contract,
either party may, after due notice, ter
inmate the relation without the con-
sent of the other, yet l prefer to have
your consent and approval in any ac-
ton may take, hence, would re-
1 specially ask you to call meeting of
the church at as early date as pos
Islble, that you may express your ap-
proval and decide upon the date of
4 termination.
In arriving at my conclusion l have
lendeavored to act without any thought
Iof self interest. Several times since
this resignation has been prepared,
substantially as it is now offered, l
might have been open to the criticism
Iof self interest, because of more tempt
ing offers; at present cannot be sub
lJect to any such criticism because 1
have no such prospect. l think you
will pardon me is in this connection
p refer to the motives that have actu-
i
your pastor
My all inclusive motive has, of
course, been the same as that of
every true pastor, to proclaim the Cos
lpel of the Son of God In doing this l
have had in mind four different re.
suits.
First, and most important, has been
the purpose to save the lost. The
Id oil yiot0 <>c, 4 Il
ing without Christ has ever filled my
waking thoughts. This has some.
times led you to feel that I have de-
but have ever tried to think of you
as soldiers and not as invalids. Some.
times the means used have seemed in
direct but whether it has been, feeding
a hungry tramp, clothing the unfor-
tunate, making social or pastoral calls
comforting the sorrowing, working
for better citizenship, or preaching the
gospel from the pulpit, I have tried
to keep uppermost saving the lost
My second aim has been to develop
Christian character. The goal toward
which ever true Christian is press
ing, is likeness to Christ. 1t is in this
line of the work that crimson Pushes
the cheek not only of the leaders, but
equally of every Christion, not be-
cause of failure, far from it, but be
cause of the vast difference between
possibility and actual attainment.
My third ambition has been to Sc
lead the church that it would be a
more positive force for righteous
ness and more and more recognized
as DESTROYS of helping everyone bear
their burdens, physical, intellectual
temporal, spiritual-the whole man
1t was the effort of the Master to min.
lister to the whole man-to every man
He commissioned the church to carry
forward the work He had begun.
My fourth desire has been to be a
man among men. neither better nor
worse, neither above nor below 9th.
ers, because my business, but like
every other true man, striving to live
lin such way that the home, the par.
fish, the neighborhood, the city, and
hence the world, will be the better for
my life.
How far short of these ideals have
fallen. none are so painfully aware as
myself Yet am sure that am the
better and the world the better for
my having pursued high ideals, even
iLlO HdSC ldllCu W lCdSu IASlu.
Il thank you for the measure OF
lyour cooperation in these efforts. ]
assure you the parting is not without
. pain and sorrow. Praying that, as a
church you may have a larger measure
|of success in the future than in the
|past, and that as individuals you may
always abound in the work of the
Lord, am. Yours truly,
j. r. Beard.
4 South Side News.
G. w. Caster4and Miss Laura Albert
son were united in marriage Saturday
evening at s p. M, at the home of the
bride. Rev. J. r. Beard, pastor of the
Second Congregational church, offici
ated
4 Mrs. Eliza Robertson and daughter
Mrs. Grace Millhouse, 604 Finley ave
nue., departed Saturday afternoon fol
Cheyenne, Wyoming. in answer to g
telegram telling of the death of Mrs
Ralph Robertson.