The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-26
Congregation Of First Methodist
Church in Quandary.
Don't KNOWN hat to Do About a
Pastor.
OFFER Is DECLINED.
Dir. A. r. HavighOrst, Of Ohio,
Refuses the Pulpit.
Edward NInde Nay Be rendered
the Position.

Members Of the congregation OF the
First Mthodist Episcopal church are all
at sea as to who VIII be the pastor Of
the church to succeed DR.. ". c.. Evans,
who has been called to the position Of
presiding elder of the Oakland district
OF the church. OF course the appoint
ment OF man TO succeed Dr. Evans
rests with the bishops Of the church,
and primarily with the bishop Of the.
Kansas conference, who for this year
is Bishop Wilson.
But IL is the custom in the Methodist
denomination for the presiding bishop
OF the conference where the church is
located to designate a man that may be
suggested by q congregation which has
a vacancy in its pulpit And as soon
as the congregation Of the First church
received word that DR.. Evans had been
drafted for service in California, they
began to look over the field OF ministers
in. the church to find a man whom they
would like to have at the head Of the
church A meeting of the ofIicial board
Of the church was held on Sunday and
IT was the opinion Of a majority OF
board that an effort should be made
to secure the services Of DR.. A. r.
Havighorst, who is now serving In the
central Ohio conference. T. B. Sweet IS
AEEiHz Us temporary CudAA EAl1A IA A-AP
Official board and he communicated the
wishes OF the board to DR.. Havighorst.
He received a Geographic reply today
from Mr.. Havighorst stating that he
had been assigned to charge in the
central Ohio conference and while he
appreciated the tender of the First
church he was constrained to decline Il
because Of his recent assignment
Another man whom many Of the
congregation of the First church would
like to see in their pulpit as a perman-
ent pastor is the Rev. Edward Ninde,
q son Of late Bishop Ninde, who was at
one time prominent in the affairs OF
Methodism in Kansas. Edward Nlnde
has had charge Of a Methodist church
at Ann Arbor, Mich, and has met with
unusual success as its pastor However,
no communication has been had with
Mr.. Ninde by the official board Of the
First church as yet, as to whether or
not 1t would be possible for him to ac-
cept its pastorate.
Mr.. Sweet said today that in view Of
the fact that DR.. Havighorst was unabl
to accept the call. the official board was
all at sea as to who would be secured
as Dr. Evans successor. He said that
Fshile the congregation might express a
preference for man, the matter rested
entirely with the bishops of the church
and particularly the bishop .ins charge Of
the Kansas conference, and he had no
doubt but that the bishops would ind
the best available man for the place.
ne Ql4 nDL KNOW fllGlklCL VI AADl Lllt IL
fetal board would have any suggestion 10
make as regards to the appointment.
These resolutions have been adopted
by the congregation:
Whereas. Our brother, the Rev DR..
w c. Evans, has been transferred by
Bishop Moore to California, and ap-
pointed presiding elder Of the Oakland
district.
Resolved, That we, the Methodist
Episcopal preachers Of Topeka, express
our hearty appreciation of DR.. Evans
work among US as preacher, a pastor,
and 4 leader of our city Methodism. We
have always found him loyal to every
interest Of Methodism, brotherly and
helpful in every good work
We recognize his fitness for the
work of the presiding eldership and
congratulate the preachers and churches
of the Oakland district on such a lead
er
we bid our brother God speed in
his field Of labor, and assure him of
out prayers and sympathy, and hope
that some day he may come our way
again"