The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-07
PASTOR
WEARY OF
B|CKER|NGS
Rev. John |. Davis Resigns
From Pulpit Of Congdon 81.
Baptist Church.

Rev. John l.. Davis. the pastor OF the
something ofa sensation last evening when
he rendered his resignation which is TO
take effect March IA. 1904.
The parishioners of Rev. Mr.. Davis had
received no warning OF his intentions. con-
sequently when the following letter was
read yesterday considerable surprise was
expressed by the congregation. The let
ter was as follows
Providence. II. L.. Dec. T. 1908
'ro the Congdon Street Baptist Church
and Congregation:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. two years ago we
received from this church unanimous
call TO it's pulpit IA pastor. We have
tried humbly and faithfully. as best we
could under the Divine Guidance TO preach
the Gospel of Jesus and His love, and to
live an upright Christian life In your
midst For fully a year there have been
contendlng forces working in the church,
silently. yet bitterly. against the present
administration.
Above all we have maintained that the
church IL the place for the teaching and
prea ching of the word OF God. Persistent
ly have the members refused to attend
Bible study, and especially prayer meet
ings. and the church seems impotent as
an organization TO either persuade. beg or
force Its members to obey her laws or
regard her own best interests A COM
promise might be affected. VIC must re-
main, drag along. fuss and quarrel but
we would rather live on bread and water
tho rest Of our days In peace than TO be
eternally duarreling and wrangling In the
house OF God.
I'VE have stood for peace and have
maintained at all hazards that there
must be peace and order within the
church. and her services must mean the
better moral. social and religious life
OF the members and congregation. Hav-
ing failed TO receive the support and cQ-
operation OF the church that is needed
To carry on this work, and finding an
undercurrent OF opposition bitterly
against me coming from unexpected
quarters I herewith tender my resgna-
ton as pastor OF the Congdon street Bap-
list church 10 take effect March 4, 1901
"In sorrow we pen these lines. We
had hoped II would have been different.
the church Is I'm n better condition every
way than when we came 20 you. The
future is full of cheer and promise God
can and will raise up another To come
I'm and lead YOU TO success, but I must
60. where I know not but this resigna-
ton is final. and I kindly but firmly in
sist upon its acceptance. Somewhere,
somehow, God will open another door for
me. on the 18th of March. 1904, I re-
turn TO you the trust you reposed In me
on the 9Th OF February, 1902. l remain
belovedc, your pastor.
JOHN l.. DAVIS, b. D."
No one I'm the congregati tion seemed TO
understand Just what their pastor meant
by referring TO auarrels I'm his letter and
the deacons expressed just as deep ig-
norance on the subject
This gentleman whose name cannot be
made public said: "The size or the con-
gregation has been decreasing for some
time because some OF the people didn' {
like Mr.. Davis preaching These people
didn't remain in the church and try to
nut him out: they stayed away. sup
pose that this lack OF sympathy has
made him feel that the people are not
supporting him. and that he must get
out Mr.. Davis Is very enthusiastic
man and very smart man, but the
people didn't like him for some reason
We had no idea that ne was going 20 re-
SIGN. The church will act on the letter
al tho regular meeting on the Thursday
before the second sunday IN January.
and nothing can be done until then"
Mr.. Davis said I'm answer 10 a ques-
tion: II have tried hard 10 build up the
c6sirch. but have not had much success
on account OF the poor support that has
seem anxious TO engage ia hard church
work and I have had hard time OF it
ever since have been here. have not
found any church TO 30 20. but that
makes no difference. l cannot stay here"