The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-12-21
SPICY CHURCH MEETING.
Congregational Meeting at Central
Church on Sunday Following
DR.. Wolling's Farewell.

A schism seemed imminent in the
congregation of Central Methodist
! church, this city, Sunday morning, at
congregational meeting following
the services. DR.. J. W. Wolling, the
pastor, has served Central church
for two years, and at the recent ses-
sion Of the Methodist conference in
| Abbevile he was removed to Allen
dale. There has been some feeling
engendered among the congregation
on account Of his removal. It seems
that the board Of stewards requested
his removal, and that many members
of the congregation, and the people
Of the city generally, wanted him to
remain. DR.. Wolling went to Con-
ference with good record behind
him, and with clean balance sheet,
little dreaming that there was any
trouble. It seems that when he got
to conference he was informed that
the cause Of his removal was the re-
quest Of his board Of stewards.
DR.. Wolling announced that he
would preach his farewell sermon to
t his. congregation Sundaymorning and
| his farewell to the people Of the city
! generally Sunday night, it having
been understood that the Rev. M.
L, Banks, the new pastor, would take
charge on next Sunday.
J DR.. Wolling preached a very elo-
! quent and able sermon Sunday morn
ing from the text from I Tim 4, l6:
"Take heed unto thyself and unto
the doctrine; continue in them; for
in doing this thou shalt both save
thyself, and them that hear thee." ."
DR.. Wolling's sermon was a fine
presentation Of his text, concluding
with the hope that he had not only
saved himself, but that during his
ministry in Newberry impressions
had been left and desires strengthen
ed and made higher, and some called
back from the wanderers path to
Jesus. "Have1I saved myselfa' he
asked. "With all my Imperfect
tion," he said, ''I can stand before
! God and say that I have, and 4 hope
that I have saved others" .
|: In the congregational meeting fol-
lowing the services DR.. Woling COM
mended his succeessor,the Rev. NJ.
IL. Banks, to the congregation. He
had never, been intimately associated
with him, he said, but in all he had
seen Of him he had found him a
pleasant gentleman, He did not seek
to come to Newberry, said DR.. VOL
ling, but no doubt he would have been
willing to come. DR.. Wolling urged
the congregation Ito gather around
him as friends and brethren. "Don't
let him feel lonely. Visit him, sus-
tain him financially, and stand by
him. He will have faults, as the rest
of us have, and it won't be long be-
fore somebody is displeased. Then IS
the time for you to show your true
nobility-oficers and members
don't stand back mouthing over IT,,
but go up and tell him what the dit-
fculty is, and see if he can mend 1t.
T wish I could impress that upon
you" : +
The following resolutions were
then offered by Cole. L. Blease,
member of the congregation, and were
unanimously adopted:
"The Rev. DR.. J. W. Wollng haV-
inc served Central Methodist church
for the past two years, and having
performed his duties in most faith
ful and efficient manner, having ac-
complished much good in bringing
back into the fold Of the church mem
bers who for years had been es-
tranged on account Of factional diff
ferenees, and having. added largely
to the membership and the strength
| Of the church, by his consecrated ef-
forts, be it,
"Resolved, That the congregation
of said church desire to and do here
by place upon record their apprecla-
tion of his services, and part with
him reluctantly, and wish that it
might have been so that he could
have been returned to US to continue
his labors for good, not only in our
church, but in the community at
large.
"Resolved, That his removal was
against our wishes, nor were we con-
suited in regard thereto, and if we
had been we would have protested.