The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-06-19
THE REV. DR.. ERDMAN



the South street Church.
Members Of the South Street Pres
oyterian Church were much surprised
on Sunday morning when DR., Erdman
read his resignation. The letter is as
follows
My Dear People;
have an important matter to lay
before you, Of no little Importance to
the church, Of supreme Importance to
your pastor.
After long and prayer consideration
have come to the insuperable con-
yiction that for the good Of this be-
loved church whose interests must
ever be paramount the time has
come for a change in the pastorate
and l therefore ask you to join with
me in requesting the Presbytery TO
accept my resignation. What this
means to me after forty-fiye years in
the active ministry and my pastorate
among you Of over thirty-seven years,
God alone knows. When | think Of
the affection Of my people for. their
pastor and his family, affection I'M
varying and ever strengthening my
heart with the passing years, it we'll
nigh oyercomes me, and / dare not
dwell upon this.
| lave been moved to this decision
not hastily, nor by reason of any dis
affection on your part, SO far as my
knowledge goes, nor by any hint that
such a step would be acceptable; but
/ am profoundly convinced that in or
der to carry on the work of the church
successfully and to secure the largest
results in the future for the honor Of
the Master, the time has come for a
change of pastors. A new voice, new
methods and younger man, Loyalty
seconded by all the members Of the
church win strengthen all parts Of
your christian service.
On finally coming to this decision, /
laid it before the session week before
last. After several conferences, in
which the members of session sought
to dissuade me from this step, and ex-
pressing their unwillingnesS to con-
slider the decision as final, upon my
own instance they adopted the follow
ing resolution, viz: Resolved, that a
meeting Of this congregation be called
by the session to consider such COM
munication as the pastor desires at his
own convenience to make to the con-
gregation that such meeting be held
in the Lecture Room of the church at
eight O'Clock on the Thursday even
ing following the pastors public COM
munication from the pulpit, and that
he be requested Immediately after
making such public communication
to give notice of such congregational
meeting" Accordingly, I now give
notice of a meeting of the congrega-
tion to be held on Thursday evening
next, (June 2lst), at eight O'Clock to
take action as required by our form
of government in such cases.
In order not to inconvenience the
church and since arrangements for the
supply of the pulpit during the gum
mer vacation have already been made,
i would suggest, if it meets with your
approval, that a date for the final act
be fixed not later than the first Sun
day in October next, which will be
shortly after the September meeting
Of Presbytery by which body alone
the final action can be taken.
There is much in my heart / would
like to say, but will not now, but
which I may say at a future opportnn-
ity when you and i have become some
what accustomed to the thought OF
severing the tie that has bound us to-
gether in loving christian service all
these .thirty-seven years. My prayer
for you, my beloved people, now and
always, is the prayer of St. Paul for
the church at Philippi that your
love may abound yet more and more
in knowledge and all discernment, so
that We may approve the things that
are excellent, that We may be sincere
and void OF offence unto the Day OF
Christ, being filed with the fruits Of
righteousness, which are through
Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise
of God" Amen.
ALBERT ERDMAN.
A special meeting of the church has
been called for Thursday evening to
take action on the matter. DR.. Erd-
man has been the pastor of the church
for over thirty-seyen years.