The sun., 1919-03-24
DR.. EATON RESIGNS
BAPTIST PASTORATE
Will Leave Madison Avenue
1 Church for National Ser
X, vice Work.
TO AID RECONSTRUCTION
Many in Congregation Weep
and Preacher Is Deeply
Affected.

- The Rev, DIR. Charles A. fsatoH, pdStof
Of the Madison Avenue Baptist Church
since 1909, offered to a large congre-
eation yesterday his resignation TO take
effect April 30. In letter which he
read in a voice choked with emotion
Or. Eaton explained that no is leaving
his pastorste TO devote his entire time
and strength during the reconstruction
period ito help interpret and apply the
Principles, ideals and spiritual energies
az the Kingdom of God in the realms OF
every day life
DIR. Eaton said TO a reporter for THE
SUN: IT am giving up n pastorate 10
enter the ministry"
ft'was the Clergyman's way or saying
that after resting from his energetic
work as head of the National Service
section of the United States shipping
Board Emergency Fleet Corporation ne
intends TO engage in what he calls ma
tional service" This service will con-
elst In interpretating some of the vast
and complicated problems Of the day In
addresses before chambers OF commerce,
hoard OF trades. labor organizations,
banking institutions and various indus
trial bodies. He will devote the balance
of his time In writing on these subjects.
DIR. Eatons decision to resign came as
great shock to his church members.
Many wept As soon as the bened!c-
ton was pronounced there was rush
forward to the pulpit. DR.. Eaton, who
was much affected. avoided personal
meetings and made a precipitate rush to
MS. study, where he remained In seclu-
sion until the church was enptied. How
ever. he faced the music at last nights
service and hundreds personally pleaded
with him 10 remain as head of the flock.
He told all that his decision was irrev-
ocable and he simply had to take up
work which he believed was greater than
the work of pastor.
Letter to Church Members.
In his letter to the church members
DR.. Eaton said the immediate reason for
his resignation was that he was COM
PEELED to take a vacation at the earliest
possible moment
I'm the fall Of 1917" he said, "our
Government laid upon me the task OF
speeding up the production OF ships
IN order to meet the almost desperate
conditions created by the German sub
fy.,rine piracy. Since then I have mad
10 vacation. My Jurisdiction covered
all the shipyards of the country and
thousands of Industrial plants contfibut-
ing material for ships During my tenn
rs head of the national service section
around the world and spoke to over n
million men in every section @. The
country. while at the same time direct
ing the nationwide work OF large
organization.
with fine patriotic unselfishlcss you
gave your pastor and mora than a
hundred others to war service On tho
signing of the armistice I therefore
felt it my duty 10 take UP at once. 50
nh n
of the work of the church upon a peace
basis At the present moment the
church is united and well organized
and the congregations are back to nor
NAL. Five years ago through the gen
crosby of members and friends j was
able 20 raise an endowment Of $500,
The income from this fund insures The
future financial support OF the work For
these reasons II seems to me that can
now honorably ask to be relieved from
the heavy responsibilities of this office.
His Second Reason.
"a second reason for offering my
resignation lies much deeper than these
personal considerations.
'"rhe whole world Is passing through
q far reaching revolution in thought,
moral standards and institutional de-
velopment.
"In the realm of industrial relations
], can sec some rudimentary but hon
est effort being made to understand
end apply the principles Of the Kingdom
Of God. Human contact Is slowly taxi
ing the place Of impersonal organizati IN.
Democracy is beginning to crowd on:
sutocracy And Justice is being earnest
" sought after as the only possible
cure for social and industrial unrest.
* "The efforts of the free nations 10
establish a permanent world peace based
upon international cooperation, Justice
and honor reveal the fact that in the
realms of politics there is also vague
feeling after the ideals Of the Kingdom
Of God which are simply Righteousness
and peace and JOY derived from the
spirit OF God by the Willingness OF
man.
ct be,ieve that these universal, half
unconscious movements will either con-
stitute the coming OF the Kingdom OF
God on earth or result IN the extinction
Of civilization"
DIR. Eaton then said thar prolonged
pressure had been brought to bear upon
him to give his whole time and strength
during the reconstruction period ito help
interpret and apply the principles. ideals
aud spiritual energies of tho Kingdom OF
God in the realms Of every day life" and
this he had decided to do.
Must Get n Rest.
- DR.. Eaton took up the work OF speed
ing UP shipbuilding as head Of the Ma
~ al SeS--ice Section of the United
'StatesSihp ping Board EmeEs6 'cy Fleet
CORPORATION in the fall of 1917. He re-
tired from National Service Section ac-
tivities in tho middle OF January. He
says he isn't In physical shape just now
70 tackle work and must give his body
and brain n vacation before he enlsts
again for national service"
i He has had many invitations from in
dustrial heads in all parts Of the country
10 make addresses on reconstruction
problems One days mail alone con-
tained calls from eight different cities
~. Dr. Eaton resigned as pastor OF the
Euclid Avenue Baptist Church in Cleve-
land, Of which John d. Rockefeller was
a leading member. in 1909 to accept his
present charge. He rendered his resig-
nation as pastor of the Madison Avenue
Baptist Church in February, 1916. but
the church refused TO accept It. Before
going TO Cleveland he was socialogical
editor of the Toronto Globe for five
y'ears
Dr. Eaton has n farm in theWa tchung
Mountains near Plainfield, y. j., and for
a long time has been a commuter. trav-
.eiling fifty miles daily TO and from the
city He has a large dairy herd OF Hol-
stein cows and expects to get better ac-
1auainted with them while resting up for
the big job ahead.
Cook Badly Burned ut Range.