St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-01-02
Dr.. Eaton Resigns.


resignation as pastor of the North
church last Sunday to return to the
presidency of Beloit College a position
which he had filled with signal ability
for 19 years previous to coming to St.
Johnsbury. DR.. Eaton has been pastor
of the North church for just year and
is generally recognized as one of the
leading divines in the state. His rela-
tions with the church have been ex-
tremely cordial and he will take to his
western home the best wishes of all in
this community for many years of use
fulness in the growing college in Wis
consin. Following is his letter of
resignation
To the North Congregational Church of
st. Johnsbury.
DEAR FRIENDS:
AS you are aware, | have been con-
J sidering question of serious import to
/ us ALL When l accepted the call to be-
come your pastor, it was with the hope
and expectation of spending years in
this ministry among you. | expected
that the position | had left would soon
be filled, and that should never return
| to it. But events have been ordered
otherwise; and now | am unanimously
and earnestly asked to take up again the
work to which | devoted myself for
nearly twenty years.
My experience with you has been a
happy one, and years of increasing
fruitful pastoral relation seemed opening
before us. But the conviction steadily
deepens in my mind that my service to
the church and the world is greater and
more significant in the college than it
can be in any pastorate. The relation
to a great young commonwealth, in
which | was born and in which the
millions of population are continually
augmenting; the influence upon the life
and development of an institution which
l have seen grow from weakness into
power and breadth of sphere; the daily
touch with hundreds of young men and
women facing life with eager and ques-
tioning minds; the call to return to
these, as | re-estimate them after separ-
alton from them, comes to me with the
force of a summons to special Christian
service or to difficult and critical cam
paign. | cannot doubt that | shall serve
my generation more effectively there for
the rest of my life than could anywhere
else.
Can you, my dear friends, in your
faith in the oneness of Christian service,
unite with me in believing that | ought
to go to this arduous but far-reaching
work, and make me one of your repre-
sentatives in the wide kingdom, so that
my going shall bring enrichment to your
own Christian life? In going from you
and giving up so much that | value
this noble church and it's beautiful ser
vices, your unfailing kindness and con-
: siderationsa home life among my own
parishioners, the charm of your house
holds, cordial relations with all the
pastors and congregations of the COM
munity and in the wider fellowship of
the state, the varied beauty of this
favored region, all of which my family
; have keenly enjoyed with mel should
be glad indeed, to feel that our Christian
friendship is to be maintained without
change, and that this brief pastorate,
which will abide with me as one of life's
choicest experiences, will have worth in
the hearts of us all during the years to
come.
Believing am following the best light
given to me, resign the pastorate of
this church, to take effect on the 30th of
next April, and afectionately request
you to accept the resignation. l will
suggest that a church meeting be held on
Wednesday evening, January 16, to take
action thereon, and to plan for calling at
some convenient date an ecclesiastical
council, to review and approve our
action.
With warmest regard, and with deep
desire for your continued and increasing
prosperity as church of Christ, am
Your friend and pastor,
EDWARD D. EATON
December 80, 1906.