Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-12
REV. DR. sLocUM HEADS
 LETTER OF RESIGNATION
Has Accepted Call to Pastorate Of
 Church in iYcnksrs, N. Y.

I At the Sunday morning service at the Central Baptist church Rev Joel I B. Slocurn. D. D. read hisnletters of resignation and mas asked 10 be re- leased from the pastorate after the last Sunday in this month. pr. Sio- cum's resignation Followed an urgent become pastor of warburton Avenue Baptist church, Yof1kers. N Y | Dr. Slocum's letter of resignation was as follows:
 ! To the officers and members of the ! Centra, Baptist church and con greRation, Norwich, Connerticut: 1 My Beloved People: You Are ex- pectlng some word from me in view of tho invitation which have recently received to become the pastor of the warbnfton Avenue Baptist church Of YonlSers, N. I.
 The unusual heartiness and
 uf1anifnity of that call. and the fact 1 that it sought me instead of my seek l ing 1t, has-not only impressed me. but l it has evidently impressed Q great many of you as constituting in itself 2 strong claim for it's favorable con phone has been busy and my mail has been filled with messages of congrat- ulAtioa and affection from members of tiis congregation and from other peo- pie in and out of the city. It is sig nificant that whils every local mes sage has been -tfnged with regret in anticipation of the possibility of severance Q four, relations. yet all of you, practically without exception, have given the generously unself1sh opinion that this remarkable oppor- tunity is undoubtedly in the direction of Gods providentiaI. guidance, and therefore ought not to be turned aside lightly. This is a characteristic of the big-heartedness of you people and it puts the whole matter in light so clear that there is only one thing left for me to do. and that is td follow where the Master seems to be so enthusiastically leading.
 That He who calls me to another field will also abide with you and grant you His continued blessing is also one of the positive expectations which I knew you already share with me.
 And so. tharking God and thanking you you that. n nearly sa ...,fs four years ago. you full to you and to Him that we have been permitted to associate together in the glorious service of trying to advance the Kingdom of Christ; and rejoicing in the friendships that like links of gold. have bound our hearts in a labor of love; I lay down now what you asked me to take up. and pray that some one else. also divinely guided, may shortly undertake the inn portant work of this pastorate, and with your loyal assistance carry it for ward to the successes often mention ed in our prayers. bent Hitherto un-
 
 has scattered tfe seed. and he who has watered the soil. and he who has put in the sickle may rejoice together in the harvest home
 Meanwhile, 1t will be my privilege and joy to continue my prayers for you s a church and as individuals. with the hope that you. in turn, will not forget me and the field to which I go, when your windows are open towards Jerusalem.
 . There are ties SO strong a those that are forged in the arduous and blessed service of Christ. There are no friendships so holy as those that are made about the Cross. Like Paul writing to the Philippians, 'T shall thank my God upon every remem- brance OF you."
 :. If it is convenient for you should ffke to be released from this pastorate after the last Sunday of this present month. and I suggest that we might observe the Lords Supper on that day instead of on the first Sunday of @ April That Tn L matter, however: will be great joy to me. if. with the two who now waiting baptisim, several others who are ready to follow Christ in His holy ordinance might be b~ptiz- ed on our last Sunday together.
 And now may the God Of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the ever
 
 every good work to do His will, work ing in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ. to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 Dr. SIocum's morning topic was Am bassadors and his text IT Cor. 5:20- We are ambassadors therefore on be- half of Christ.
 A synopsis of his sermon follows:
 As ambassadors of Christ we repre- | sent a great empire. All the dignity and glory of that empire are back of | us.
 Whatever may be the impression | which ambassadors of Christ make up- on people in general. the fact re- mains that remarkable dignity and | power are back of them. Only, of | course 1t is spiritual and subjective | power rather than physical and ob- | jective power.
 The ambassador of Christ not only represents that power but he may be- come. believe, the medium through | which that spiritual energy is com
 The power of the ambassador is two fold. On the one hand the pow CT which We have just been talking | power of God which is the power of personal experience.
 Then the position of the ambassa- dor is resnonsible not simply because of the fact that Gpd is back of Him W1In all HIS HO"eF ana man Is front of him with ali his need. but aI- SO because the ambassador is the me lium through which God carries on His work among men. Now then we arc amhassadors in behalf of Christ and through God were entreating by IS. If we repudiate our ambassador ship then diplomatic relations will cease because God is defending us.
 And another reason why this work | ,f an ambassador is so responsible is because of the message which we are to present. It is ministry 1 ,f reconciliation.
 Another reason why the work of he an1ba ssador is so important;. it is work of entreaty, There are two agencies of entreaty. God entrestihg md the ambassador beseeching. This s the spirit of Christianity. FIRST, LAST
 AND ALL THE TIME Il Urged by Hon. J. C. Geary at Rev.