The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-03-19
DR.. WHARTONESTENDS
FORMAL RESIGNATIONAS
PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR
BECOMES EFFECTIVE AFTER TIE
FIRST SUNDAY IN APRIL.
SUCCESSOR NOT NAMED.
READS AN INTERESTING LETTER
ain All Seven Years Of Ny Service My
Feelings Have Never Once Been
Wounded by a Single Act or
Word"

At the morning service at the Pres
byterian church Sunday Rev. T. A.
Wharton formally rendered his resig-
nation as pastor to become effective
after the first Sunday in April. This
was expected, it having been known
for some time that DR.. Wharton was
considering a call to Sherman, Tex.
His successor has not been selected.
In resigning from his pastorate Dr.
Wharton read the following letter:
To the congregation of the First Pres
byterian church:
! Dear brethren:-I respectfully ask
you at this meeting today to join me |
in the request to the Presbytery OF
Columbia for the dissolution of the |
! pastoral relation which now exists be- |
| tween us.
In making this request of you and
of the Presbytery, l am sure that 1t Is
hardly necessary for me to say that
do so with grief unfeigned as well as
a regret greater than any form OF
words permit me to utter.
You will believe me when | assure
Won that l seek release from my pres
emit pastorate from no unWillingness
to serve you longer, nor from any dc
sire of change, nor from any dissatis-
faction-not the slightest with my
present field of labor. So far as or
: mine are concerned we could wish for
no better nor happier lot than to 1--we
among you and labor to the end OF
life.
No nastor in all the great church In
which we are fellow laborers could
have more loyal support, more appre-
ciatiye and a more generous people,
) nor in every way more delighttui
: field
In all the seven years of my service,
nv feelings have never once been
wounded by a single act or word OF
I any member of this congregation. You
, have been unwavering in your ale
! glance and kinder far than | have de-
served.
dare not hope to find again sucn
t devoted nor such congenfal friends
}, nor home as dear as the one | am
4 now to leave.
t Without detailing any of the minor
j reasons which have had their bearing
on the course seek to take, desire
to mention this only The unsought
= call which comes to me from Sher-
9 man. as / have been forced to recog-
nize is one to a field of great need
! and great OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
, Iereatest in our Assembly. The call
= has come in a way to convince me-
J. against my own wishes and every
feeling of my heart, that it Is from the
Head of the Church. 1t Is absolute
" clear to me that it is my duty to &C.
cent and that must go. This conclu-
\ sion has not been reached at sudden
imnulse but only after long and pain
fuI search for the full will Of the Mas
tier. 1t is for this reason that l now
ask YOU with more pain than | can
convey in any words, that you will con-
sent to the close of my present rela-
Ilation to you. shall take occasion at
later time to at least undertake to
!, thank you for all your kindness to me
and to my family.
Most sincerely your pastor,
r. A. WHARTON.
The Manse, $1,000.
Dr Wharton's resignation was &C
cepted by the church with sorrow, the
: Following resolutions being adopted;
Be it resolved, That
1st. In a spirit responsive to that
EXPRESSED In our pastors letter of res
4 ignation, and with hearts bowed in
" sorrow over our great loss, but sub
4 mission to the will of the King, we
accent the resignation Of our beloved
, pastor
2nd We request our delegates to
Presbytery to unite with him In op-
Itaining his letter of admission to the
Presbyterian church at Sheridan, Tex
as
Srd That the following letter be
: sent to that church by the clerk OF
/ this meeting, showing the sacrifice 1t
5 has cost us to part with our beloved
pastor.
The letter follows
To the Members Of the First Pres
bvterian Church, Sheridan, Texas
Greeting:
> Tho First Presbyterian Church Co