Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-28
MINISTER IS HONOR[D
Rev. Or. A. W. Pitzer Made
Pastor Emeritus.
HIS RESIGNATION REFUSED
With Central Presbyterian Church
Thirty Eight Years.
HIS LONG AND USEFUL CAREER
est Patrick the Presbyterian" His
Faithful Protector" and Gas
sistant Pastor" Of Church.
HIS LONG AND USEFUL CAREER

The congregation Of the Central Presby-
terrain Church South. located at the corner
Of Sd and streets northwest, has at last
consented to allow Rev. DR.. A: w. Pitzer,
the faithful and honored pastor Of the
church for thirty-eight years, to retire from
active ministry upon his earnest request.
Probably no congregation has ever been
more deeply attached to its pastor than
this one Is to DR.. Pitzer, and when on diff
ferent occasions he has offered, nay. even
requested permission to resign, the people
have positively refused to listen to such
thing. At last he is to cecome pastor emer-
titus of the church at salary OF $500 a
year-an he would have-and a new and
younger man is to be secured to take his
place In the more strenuous role.
Rev. L. l.. knight was ordained asso-
ciate pastor of the church last November,
and 1t was thought that this arrangement
would per1it of DR.. Pitzer's holding the
pastorate I0r some time to come, but Mr..
Knight became i'll and was forced to re-
sign February IL. On the same day DR..
PftZer presented a letter to the congrega-
tion announcing his decision to resign. In
this letter he said, ameng other things:
For nearly fifty years l have preached
the gospel of our blessed Lord and for
thirty Eight years I have served as pastor
Of this people. These years have been
filled with unceasng and exhausting la
bors, and in your service l have spared
myself in nothing In order to serve your
spiritual and eternal interests. For more
than a generation this church has been my
very life. / am now in my seventy-second
year, and find that l am unable to bear
the burdens and do the work of this pas
torate."
In concluding he said: 81 dare not trust
myself to speak of my affection for this
beloved people. nor of the holy and blessed
associations of the past"
Refused Resignation.
After the reading of the letter the con-
gregation arose as one person and declined
to even consider the dissolution of the pas
toraI relation.
DR.. Pitzer read second letter to the
church on the Sth of March. asking that
the people join with him in requesting the
presbytery to make him pastor emeritus
and thus relieve him of the active work
and responsibilities of the work, which
could be taken up by new man.
While expect to retire to my little home
In Salem, Va" said the pastor, where 1
can live in simple and frugal way hope
to be with you on anniversary and special
occasions and in the summers and when
called in in any emergency.
The congregation voted unanimously April
s to grant this request, and a committee
consisting of Messrs j. F. Rixey, s. NJ.
Ely and T. G. Barr put the matter before
the presbytery of the Chesapeake, in SEES
sion at Leesburg, Va, April IS, and that
body approved and ratified the action. The
new relation will become effective June 1.
est. Patrick the Presbyterian"
In view of DR.. Pitzer's decision to take
up his abode In Salem, Va, and return here
on special occasions, his friend Mr.. L. S.
Brown, general agent of the Southern rail-
road, has issued very peculiar clergy
mans pass-probably the most peculiar
ever issued in this or any country. All Of
DR.. Pliers friends know that he is the