The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-26
EX-PREACHER KILLS
SELF, LEAVING A
PATHETIC NOTE
REV. ALBERT n. TRICK DEPLcREs
THE PRESENT DAY THEOLOGY
AND TRINITY OF SUCCESS,
PLEASURE AND GOLD.

NEW YORK. Aug. 26.-Belieying
himself a failure, III and half blind.
Rev. Albert *. Trick, a retired Pres
byterian minister, yesterday shot and
killed himself in the Mills hotel.
Rev. Mr.. Trick once had charge
In Chicago and later vas pastor or a
church at Saratoga. n. Y. but had
held no regular pastolate for several
years. obtaining an insecure uvei'
hood as an insurance agent.
His wife died IA FEARS ago. He
once attracted the attention OF the
whole church by his vigorous defense
or the higher criticism OF the bible.
delivered before the general assem-
bly, OF the Presbyterian church In
1898, before which Rev. Charles A.
Briggs -had-laid his appeal from the
action OF the New York presbytery
from expelling him from the church
for heresy.
The unfortunate man left behind
him In the form OF letter to a friend.
Or. Chas. n. Dowd, O farewell ser
mon, deeply tinged with bitterness
against what he declared to be the
inapitude OF modern churches 70
square Christian dogmas with the
practical facts OF present day life
Ia =toohtoo much TO heart
the teachings OF Jesus Christ and az
tempted TO live them In workaday
world the suicide deemed that nis life
had been a failure.
A Remarkable Letter.
The letter reads IN part as fellows:
have never been able To CON
Quer an Unborn contempt Tor the
place money has in this world
though knowing so well how apso-
lutely a fair amount OF IL. at least.
Is necessary 10 all or US. coulu
never adapt myself IN view OF my
early ideas 20 the methods meth. sy
transparently selfsh and more or
less INSCRIPTIONS, whether used oy
the church or the so called worlu.
l could never worship America
trinity. success. pleasure and gold.
! am too old and settled In my char-
acter 10 change. though my eyes
have long been bent on my deIu-
sions. | took deeply 10 heart the
teachings OF Jesus and tried hard
and long TO square my soul by
them l found at last what pfti-
full mistake / had made ana now
lonely l was even in the church
The average man cares little about
what Jesus taught and IL makes
ones heart sick 10 hear It's ecciesi-
dHilCS pirate ~
rejoice in the better day dawn
mig when society with its superst-
tions and errors, like all the other
religions of men. shall have passed
away and religion that has pas
sion for truth. justice. love and ltb.
erty. purity and humanity SHAH
prevail. Yea God what does the
church care for these things? ~
twists all the facts. philosophy and
expressions OF history 20 make
them square with their petty ira
dttions and systems OF a day.
The time Will soon come when
o the world will prove that. sacred
as,the place that Jesus holds in the
worlds esteem they are no more
bound by what He taught, did ana
thought than they are by the pre-
cepts OF Robert Ingersoll' ann tho
modern church more nearly follows
this exemplary and kindly and hon
est American than they do the orl-
entail.
wish I could live and preach
this but I am broken too much ana
tho habit Of my long life of self
denial and suffering. always 50
traRlcal forbids H. ] do not COM
Main. II Is ali OF destiny.
To his two sons and a daughter,
who live in Brooklyn, the former pas
tor wrote: IL have gone TO join
matherh