The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-09
.DR. JACOBS EXPLAINS
 HIS DECLARATION 0F CALL ID CHURCH
Congregation of the South Highlands Presbyterian to Hold Meeting to Con-
 slider Calls

Having failed to secure Dr. William S. Jacobs services as their pastor, the South Highlands Presbyterian congre- gation will meet Wednesday night to select committee to look over the field and recommend some one. else for that place. The letter from pr Jacobs in which he definitely declined the invitation to the church, was read at the morning service yesterday and thereupon the congregational meeting was called for Wednesday evening. While the committee was searching for pastor during the fall. they called on number of noted ministers, listened to them preach, and held con- ferences with them, with view of offering them the pastorate of the Bir- mingham church, The list of these compiled by the committee will be placed in the hands of the new com mittee. and it is believed they will be able to select one from among the number submitted.
 pr Jacobs previously had teie- graphed his declination, but writes that he believes further explanation is due the local congregation Of the causes that impelled him to decline.
 "On December 2, I telegraphed MT. John W. Sibley, chairman, that I had decided to decline your call for iny pastorate service" he wrote from Houston Tex, under date or Decem Der 5, to the South Highlands congfe- gation, land I desire to supplement that message with this note.
 T feel that a word of explanation is due as to why, after full and frank dis. cussion with your committee, should decline. First, I wish to exonerate your committee, of any possible charge of hay ing misled you as to my interest in, and willingness to, consider your overtures, for I was interested in them and was 6esirous that the differences might be arranged and that I might come to you, and am writing to take the blame, if any one is to be blamed, and to ask this word of explanation:
 STORM OF PROTEST
 T lave served the First church of Houston: for nearly IS years and while I knew that I was held in great affec- tion by a great many of the congrc- gation and was more or less accepta- ble to all, did feel that possibly they might see some advantage to be gained by a change in the pastorate, and that aside from many sincere regrets at parting, I could take my departure in peace But upon the publication here through the Associated Press news or your acton in calling me, my officers and members and many 'citi- Zens with a unanimity and determi- nation I could not believe possible, op- posed with storm of protest my giv- ing favorable consideration to the call. They have approached me with en- treaties and protests, with resolutions and petitions, with letters and tele- grams and telephone messages and vis- It's, singly and in companies, and by flowers and tears. And they are the children I have baptized, the men and women I have married, and those whose loved ones I have buried. The elders and deacons I have ordained and my neighbors, with whom I have mourned and feasted through the years, and frankly when the time came to say I would go, I could not say 1t.
 T deeply r/gret the delay and the disappointment I have caused you. deplore the former and I share the latter with you, for I had already be- gun to look forward to helping you work out your future usefulness in that great field, and find myself wishing that I could be in two places at the same time. am sure this will not atone, but it will no doubt explain my decision in declining the call
 with assurances of sincere appre- citation and a hope and prayer that your efforts may have better reward, I am, cordially,
 WILLIAM STATES JACOBS.''