The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-01-21
CALL REFUSED
DR.. yIpperman VIII Not Accept Pas
torate Of First Baptist
Church Here.

The following letter, received by
Mr.. II. c. Barnes, chairman OF the
pulpit committee OF the First Baptist
Church, Is self explanatory:
Dallas, N. c., January 10, 1918.
Prof. II. c. Barnes,
Chairman Pulpit Committee.
Maysvllle, Ky.
My Dear Brother Barnes:
| am out In the country spending
the week with country church teach
ing and lecturing. So rushed was |
that to give you an answer before
leaving Dallas was impossible. A day
Of great strenuousness was passed
Sunday. This day has shut its doors
upon me and given itself forever to
the past and eternally to history. My
feelings in giving you any kind Of re.
ply defy all human description, let
alone definitions-.to define Is the un-
thinkable task. II could lay under
tribute the power of every language
under heaven / feel that / could,
with such resources Of utterance only
express myself in the feeblest pos
sible way.
Never has my soul carried such
heaviness in such relations.
The church refuses to let me go,
and that too amid the tenderest feel
ings and this shuts the only possible
door through which could see any
entrance to you-since the very con
ditions, as | outlined TO you good
brethren make 1t such as to in some
very undesirable sense, permanently
cripple me, If | should without their
voluntary releasing of me, come to
you all whether or no. Never has my
soul been so completely broken with
gratitude of any peoples desires and
the earnest, prayerful, honest and
spiritual way in which you 90 at the
matter. 1t is deeply regretable be-
yond all human speech that should
have given or have been the occasion
Of such expense, thought and anxiety
to you all, but without their volun-
tary consent, am, as you clearly see,
tied hands and feet-since am Gods
prophet to all this country round
about.
Never was l more impressed by a
church and to show you the sincerity
of my feelings, If were released
from this blessed pastorate, where II
is my great joy to preach the Gospel
of our Lord, and every church on
earth were open to me, would, with
out moment of hesitency come to
you all. l struggle, as inspired men
did (Eph. 2.2O) for words wherewith
to express my unfathomable gratitude
for all you or expressions of conf
dence, love and esteem.
1t really seems that the joy next
to being, the pastor of such people
flows only in the land where there is
no night-"where God the Son for
ever reigns and scatters night away
I trust that guidance may be given
from Him who forever lives in the
land of love and light and song to
bring to the throne of your supurb
church the David of His own choos-
ing.
The work at Dallas as | see 1t is
truly great and through my Com
munity Bible School" want to touch
and quicken the spiritual life of this
whole section of the country. With
abundant thanksgivings for all your
blessed, godly and richly commend
able efforts in my behalf to bring to
you all as pastor and with every good
wish possible for every member of
your great church and to the person.
mel of your beautiful and aggressive
little city aI,lmmefs;a VMBFGWMF
little city, am,
| Yours Is Christian bonds,
/ n A