The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-12
Rev. F. A. Poole Decides to
go to Worcester, Mass.
LETTER READ YESTERDAY
Asked to be Released From Engagement
With Barre Congregational Church
in September.--Is Going to a
Larger Field.

At the close Of the union service in
the Hedding Methodist church, where he
preached yesterday morning, the Rev.
Francis A. Pool resigned as pastor of
the Barre Congregational church to ac-
cept the pastorate of the Union Congre-
gational church Of Worcester, Mass,
having received unanimous call from
that society. The letter Of resignation
was read before the members Of the
church who had been assembled after the
union meeting.
The Rev. Mr.. Poole has been pastor
Of the Congregational church in this
city for eight years and has been in
huential in building up the society very
largely in every way, and the church
and townspeople as well viii regret
that he is to leave the city for the larg-
er field. Moreover, he has been greatly
interested in civic affairs and he has
been an active worker in matters Of
municipal Improvement
His letter Of resignation is as fol-
lowsi
To the members and congregation of
the Barre Congregational church.
Dear Friends:--
1t was eight years ago this present
month that you asked me to become
the pastor Of your church and honored
me with a formal call gave the
most careful consideration to your re-
quest and decided to leave my united
and loyal people Of East Weymouth,
Mass, that I might try to embrace tho
wider opportunity for which Barre SEEM
ed to stand. / believed then that I
was doing the right thing in the cir
cumstancss, even that which represents
ed the Divine viii. Ny people accepted
my conviction as decisive and released
me 10 you.
The years that have spent in this
interesting and splendid city have been
happy years to me and mine. would
that they had been more fruitful years
to you as the result of my ministry.
You have been to me all that any man
holding the high Office Of a minister
could ask or wish. You have given
sympathy, loyalty, cooperation, af-
fection. If there has been any develop
ment Of my own efficiency during this
period, the credit is largely yours I
could remain among you for life and be
grateful for my happy lot.
But again a call has come to under
take q yet more difficult task and try
to meet yet larger opportunity. The
call is not of my seeking, and IL there.
fore seems to me the more serious ant
the more signihcent. I have given il
the most careful and prayerful consid-
GRAFTON and with the strengthening con-
piction that ! should respond. Let me
be frank with you, as indeed ! have al
ways endeavored to be. / wish you to
know my reasons. cannot state too
emphatically that it is not the money
consideration that is taking me from
Barre. This might have It's proper In
fuence, for it is right to increase one's
income honorably. But as / know my
mind and heart it is not this in tho
present instance. First Of all it ia the
wider sphere that asks my service as
a minister Of Christ, a sphere indeed
which may prove too wide. For / do
not assume that / am equal to II.
merely accept the Judgment Of others
and trust less TO my own abilities, and
more to my confidence in help from
above. | have been glad to labor in
small fields when duty seemed to lie
there, | will try to be Of use in this
large field now that the finger of duty
seems to point me there. This is my
great reason. Along with this are eer-
tain family considerations of a private
nature which are exceedingly serious
and weighty. And these are the reasons
which move me to accept the unanimous
and unsought call Of the Union Congre-
gational church Of Worcester, Mass.
therefore ask you that, with the
same love and loyalty and unselashness
which have marked your attitude hith-
erto, you viii accept my resignation as
pastor Of this church and people, which
lis here and now rendered. / wish that
this resignation might take effect imme-
diately following the third Sunday of
September next when eight years of
service win have been completed
also EtVuNht bhAb you appoint q COM
mittee to act with me in calling a dis
missing council.
To say that It is hard for me to take
this step and resign this office is not
necessary I count ron, as I always
shall, my dearest friends. It has been
a privilege, an honor, a JOY to try 70
serve you. ] only wish the service had
been more adequate, more fruitful. I
try to console myself with the hope
shat if the church has not been helped
by my ministry, it may yet not have
been harmed | realize most keenly
how much more should have been ae-
complished. I leave You only because
feel that the tune has come to do 10.
and that it Is OF Gods ordering. Bnt
have this comfort that though We
may not henceforth live and work to-
gether, we mny still be friends in a true
and LASTING friendship. I wish for you
the richest blessings that Heaven can
bestow
Yours in Christian faith and love,