The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-11-20
Rev. W. {. BraiSte, .esented
Resignation : ,lerday
TO BARRE BAPTIST CHURCH
He Has Received Urgent Call to Baptist
Church at Oneida, N. Y.-LocaI
Church Will Take Action on
Matter Thursday Evening.

A decided surprise was given tie MEM
bers and adherents OF the First Baptist
church yesterday when their pastor, Rev.
w. f. Braisted, presented his resigna-
tion, asking that it be accepted so that
he could 90 to the First Baptist church
at Oneida, NJ w., from which society he
has received an unsolicited and urgent
call. No action was taken Yesterday,
but the finance committee has called i
church meeting for Thursday evening at
3 o'clock, directly after the weekly prayer
meeting.
Rev Mr.. Braisted has been the pastor
Tof the local church for four years, com
ing from Antrim, N. H., and during the
period OF his service here he has been
very successful both in building up the
spiritual life of the church and in adding
to the material equipment OF the society,
the latter including the exterior finishing
of the building with brick, the acquire
ment OF valuable pipe organ and also
piano.
The call to the Oneida church, which is
somewhat larger than the Barre society
of the Baptist denomination, was a sur
prise to Rev. Mr. Braisted and was at
first refused; but after being repeated
was accepted. Rev. Mr.. Braisted's letter
of resignation, as read yesterday, is as
follows:
The Letter Of Resignation.
To the First Baptist Church, Barre, Vt,
Nov. Is, 1911
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
-Four years ago last July you extended
me an entirely unsolicited and hearty
call to become your minister in the
things Of Christ. That call if accepted
meant the leaving Of delightful fel
lowship, loyal co-workers, a ministry
full Of harmony, and under the blessing
of God with true success in many lines
of Christian life and service. To come
meant the voluntary accepting of many
responsibilities, hard work, faith, pa
thence, love, and sacrifice.
The opportunity seemed at least fairly
good. After much prayer we were led
to feel that ii was Gods will, and we
came to you, beginning service Sept /,
1907
We have not been able to enlist the
active service OF all, and the results
hoped for as yet unaeeomplished loom
so large that the now accomplished
seems meagre indeed. There are so
many whom ! have longed to lead into
the holy union with Jesus Christ, that
my very heart and spirit suffers, with
the Christ, in travail for these precious
lives
On the other hand, your faithfulness,
loyalty, sacrifice, love for Christ and
His service, and your readiness to CO.
operate with your pastor, has made pos
sible, under God, a ministry of over four
years, that in the judgment of observ-
ant, calm minded men, is successful far
beyond the average. To God be all
praise. 1t is enough for us that we
have been laborers together with Him,
in work so sweet for results so blessed,
1t is His work, and ours.
Now. after weeks of prayerful, earnest
consideration. the same conviction of
duty that brought us to you, that has
nerved us to the work. leads me to tender
you. to-day, my resignation as your min
lister, If you are willing to release me
from the formal contract, that | may be
free to accept the utterly unsolicited
and urgent call to the pastorate of the
First Baptist church of Oneida, N. Y.
For the important, exaeting work to
which | wish to 60. at His bidding, |
shall need the support of your moss
earnest prayers
| can honestly say that my first con-
Germ has been solicitude for the work
here. One cannot give the ministry |
have tried to give to work so vital
as this for four years. and then lay it
down without fear and trembling. Nor
can one look forward to the work be-
fore me, without hesitation, and godly
fear.
But the work here will not decline.
God has many capable, strong men, and
will give you one as We unitedly ask
Him
The spirit among us is excellent. Har-
mony prevails. Conservation to Christ
outweighs devotion to any minister.
The plant, as working medium, has
been greatly improved, and the pros
pects are bright as the promises of
God
IN faith. love. sacrifice and ZEAL you
can, and YOU will, move steadily forward
in the holy service angels might well
covet, and for which our Lord and Mas
ter gladly gave life itself.
Jesus Christ is worthy of our best and
all there is of it.
Section ~, article |. OF the rules OF
order Of the church reads: ''In case of
i proposed dissolution Of the pastoral
relation three months notice shall be
given BY either party, unless an earlier
dissolution is deemed advisable"
Unless the church feels that the iu-
terrnption to the work at this time of
year is too great, | should like 10 be
released by the end of the year, or per-
haps earlier, in view of the necessity
of moving with the children in cold
weather
Through our life the years OF hard.
exacting work, together with many com
OF love and good will. shall
abide sweet memory, q helpful inspira-
ton.
Your minister in Christ Jesus,
VIM. f. Rraisted