Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-24
LOCAL. MINISTER
RESIGNS TO TAKE
UP ARMY SERVICE
ps,. ]. l.. Vance WIN Leave Early in
January 10 Become Religious
Secretary at Camp.
,tFyEy YEARS IN THIS CITY
peelare, lie Hears the Call Of War
WORK and win Go 10 Kentucky
Training Station.

1pv J. J. Vance. pastor Of the
rr,ieI nra-b yferIn church for the
ss n years. at Yesterdays services
,s73eraf h.s resignation 10 his con-
reElti1n
Tfc minister viii take up army
y0frg Mems Christian association
york. having received an appointment
from the national war work council
NJ f1p s. ~ O. A.. as religious work
ssrre.srv az Camp Zachary Taylor,
louisville Ky He expects TO leave
s5me time later for France 20 serve
me army through the Y. NJ. G.. A..
CAMPS with lhe American expedition
force
Rev Nr Vance plans to leave here
early n January possibly the 10th.
The congregation win act upon his
resignation Jan g. The family will
remain .u Rock Island Mrs. Vance
and SON Frazier. viii maintain their
residence here Another son. Donald,
who has enlisted iu the ordnance de
rartmgnt is now at the Rock Island
arsenal training for service in France.
A daughter Mrs Hugh RalstOn, will
also maintain her residence here
Rev Vance has been a Presbyterian
minister for 23 years His first charge
vas at hap.uwaIL q suburb of Pitts
mrEh. This ba held for five years,
going 20 Homestead, another suburb
of Pittsburgh where he remained
seven years The last IL years he has
been in Rock Island. Rev. Vance was
Oh active pastor and did much to
build up the congregation of the
church and 90 extend it's teachings
through the erections OF chapels, the
new structure ju Sears being the last
of these missions TO be constructed.
Hears Can OF ARMY.
10 speaking Of his resignation. Rev.
Vance said at the services Yesterday.
THE ned of the war work sounds
'oBi and / feel that / must heed the
CALI
% hesitate To- thrust anything into
our services today that might mar our
christmas joy. but necessity seems to
he laid upon me A situation has
arisen which seems to demand that
give notice without delay of my
present intention To- offer my resigna
ton of the pastoral care of this
church al the earliest possible date
and that request you to join with me
IN pctitioniug the preshytery 10 dis
solve the pastoral relation.
"This has come about so quickly al
the last that I have had no time OF
opportunity TO counsel with any one
unless it had been Immediately pre-
celing THIS service For some time
have been considering the question Of
my duty as a citizen and a minister il
the present war situation Some Of
our pastors throughout the churcl
have been giving their services al
training camps for short periods, Z
few for longer terms. being temper
, arily released by their churches fol
such work 10 seems to me that effec
tive service must be for longer dura
ton. Within q few days I have re
ce.yel an appointment which becomes
elective early in the year and whiCi
] feel constrained TO- accept And II
tbe circumstances 10 seems to me tn
wise course to offer my resignation
do This with most sincere regret w
have walked together as pastor an,
people for more than ten years In Oh
days of sunshine and through the val
ley of deep shadows. II is hard TO
me io think of parting with YOU.
Heed Presidents Counsel.
But our boys I'm the camps an
trenches viii need many ministries