Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-03
Or. LUSk
RESIGNS QUARTER
CENTURY CHARGE
Pastor of Sixth Presbyterian to
Devote Himself to Ex=
tension Work.

In pursuance of a plan he announced
fifteen months ago, when a co-pastor.
the Rev. r II. Littell, was installed,
the Rev. DIR. Davis w. Lusk yesterday
announced his retirement from the pas
torate of the Sixth Presbyterian Church
through a letter he read to the con-
gregation at the conclusion OF the
morning services. DIR. Lusk will de-
vote himself exclusively to the work
of the church extension committee OF
the P~resbytery. DR.. Lusk has been
pastor Of the Sixth Presbyterian
Church for the past twenty-six years
and the members of his congregation
were deeply affected by his announce
ment that he Is tc retire.
DR.. Lusk's letter follows in part:
Dear Brethren: A year ago when
| preached my twenty-ffth anniVer.
sary sermon | said this will probably
be my last anniversary Here
after the junior pastor will mark the
anniversaries This is right and proper,
since he is on the ground and is TO DO
the larger part of the work
This statement has today been ful-
filled in your hearing. About the time
this copastorate began I also said that
I would not remain longer than :wo
years after the new pastor was in
stalled. And now this statement is
about 10 come true also. although less
than fifteen months nave gone by since
the installation of the junior pastor.
Kept Every Agreement.
q believe in keeping faith, and l
have faithfully kept every agreement,
both stated and implied. The arrange
ment was probably a mistake, in that
1t was not needed, but ! yielded to it
at the earnest solicitation of the MEM
bers of the session. They were fearful
that If / should give up the flock would
scatter. 1t was pressed home on me
In a very direct and forcible way that
I should stand by the stuff
For several months past | have
been somewhat in the position of q
boy riding II wild TX, and looking for
a favorable opportunity to get off. he
gradually slips back and down, u
still holds on the bushy end of the tail,
looking for "a good place to let go. The
limit of two years has yet nine months
to run. but I think it will be better for
the church and better for the church
extension committee for me to let go
now. The members of the extension
committee have repeatedly suggested
that | give that work my full time, and
now they have renewed the request.
80 far as my work has gon here
during the last year I have felt that
it was somewhat ornamental and
might, in some respects hinder rather
than help.
Not Pleasant for Junior Pastor.
ut could hardly be pleasant for the
junior pastor TO have the Lusk in
cense continually swung in his face.
1t was not the peoples fault; they
could hardly help IL My twenty-five
years of ministry won their affection
and love. Indeed, I was told, not long
ago, by some of the people hat they
hoped | would not go wrong, for if II
did, they would lose their religion.
Some of my brethren used to say that
the man who followed Lusk had their
sympathy. So 1 believe 1 owe it to
the c~o-pastor to clear the track of all
distractions. At best I am not very
good at playing ornament. 1t is much
easier to be the whole show
in all these years / have tried to be
a New Testament minister-my message
has been good news 1 believe in
progress and have preached it, SO have
never been anchored to a cometary,
either in politics, science, theology or
church work.
And now, in conclusion, I want to
bespeak your hearty support for my
successor. and in this respect all l can
ask is that you will be as true and as
kind Sand as faithful to him as you
were to me. l had twenty-five great
years here. Stand by my successor as
you stood by me. He deserves your
support and you owe 1t without stint.
You will show your love for me by
showing your low for him. I want my
training to tell. and that will be one
way of demonstrating 1t.
las moderator of the session I here
by call a meeting of the church, tc
take place on Tuesday evening, April
II, 1911. after the prayer meeting and
before the parish meeting. in order tc
terry to dissolve the pastoral relation
that has existed between me and you
for the last twenty-six years. and also
to ppoint commissioners to represent
the church at the meeting of the Pres
bytery to be held on April II, 1911.
with best wishes for your welfare
and success, n earnest prayer for the
welfare and success of my friend and
co-pastor, and beseeching for him YOU
united, harmonious and earnest sup
port, I remain, very truly yours.
DAVIS w. LUSK."