Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-29
BUFFALO CLERGYMAN
CALLED TO PASADENA.
Rev. Robert Freeman Chosen to
Fill Pastor McLeod'S Place
by the PreSbyterians

PASADENA, Sept. 29.-The Rev.
Robert Freeman of Lafayette Avenue
Presbyterian church of Buffalo, N. Y,
has been unanimously called to the
pastorate of the Pasadena Presbyterian
church, to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation last February of Rev.
Malcolm j. Mcleod, who went to the
Collegiate Reform Presbyterian church
of New York city. over 500 members
of the Pasadena congregation were
present last evening at the session
called for the purpose of acting upon
the report of the committee appointed
some time ago to recommend a sue
cessor to the Rev. Mr.. Mcleod. The
committee was made up Of Or. Jonn
Willis Baer, chairman; John z
Mersereau, Willis B. Fry, Arthur IL.
Fleming and Holliway I. Stuart. The
report was as follows:
1.-THE committee having in charge the
difficult and important work OF tinolng
a successor to Malcolm James MCLEOD
has almost from the very start been
drawn to the Rev. Robert Freeman,
now pastor of the Lafayette Avenue
presbyterian church of Buffalo. With
fidelity and discriminating care IN
formation of all kinds has been sought
and as a result the committee decided
that Mr.. Freeman was the man that
we ought to have. Several memhers
of the committee have heard him In
his own pulpit in Buffalo, and two
others of the church officers nave
heard him.
''Mr Freeman has been at the La
fayette Avenue church in Buffalo about
four years. The church numbers about
800. It has one of the largest sunday
schools in the United States, number
ing 1900. It is one of the important
churches of the city. Mr.. Freeman IS
a young man, 80 years of age, native
of Scotland. He is graduate OF the
Princeton theological seminary ana
also has received the masters degree
from that university.
"He has been married but little
more than year to one OF the young
ladies' of Buffalo. Mrs. Freeman grad
mated with honors at the head OF her
class in Vassar. Mr.. Freeman mas
given very little II any encouragement
to believe that he ought to leave Buf-
feIo. hl1t has decided to come here and
look over the field, and give us his
ultimate decision after his personal in
vestigatton, He will arrive the last OF
newt week. and very likely will preach
In the Presbyterian church the morn
ing and evening of Sunday Octoper ..
1.-THE policy Of the committee mas
been not to have men in the pulpit VINO
were CanQludI6S lOI VIC PeASN~A
No longer do churches invite men TO
come and preach to them to see
whether they please or do not please.
churches place the important matter
of selecting a pastor in the hands or
q committee and then stand by the
committee. Mr.. Freeman comes out
to us with the assurance that the
church has made up its mind, ana
everything will be done while he is
here to show him the attractiveness OF
the field and the Importance of South
ern California, in the hope that he Will
decide favorably. x.,s
"NEr. Freeman has the same hold
upon the people IN Buffalo that Mr..
Mcleod had upon Pasadena. ana ne
will not make the change easily, espe-
cially as he has been with the Buffalo
church but a short time, comparatively
His stay in the city will be but four
or five days, as he is just making the
fving trip from Buffalo and will return
to his work in that city.
''rhe committee has been fortunate
In securing for the pulpit during the
month of October the Rev. James
coffin Stout, who has been for a num-
her of wears the successful and popu-
lar pastor of the celebrated Flasler
Memorial Presbyterian church OF st.
Augustine, Fla Mr.. Stout, with his
wife. will arrive in Pasadena this week
and will preach on Sunday, OCTOBER q