Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-06-20
DR.. WICKER QUITS
|. PASTORATE HERE;
TO Be EVANGELIST
Tenders Resignation During
Morning Service at Leigh
Street Baptist
WIDELY KNOWN MINISTER
TO REMAIN IN RICHMOND
Will Preach Farewell Sermon
Next Sunday-Sails for
Europe Shortly.

Rev. John J. Wicker. u. d.. fo,
| more than ten years pastor ~ tho
Leigh street Baptist Church and one
OF tn" mos, widAy' known ministers
| ia tho South. rendered his rcsigna
nor at Yesterday mornings services
an'. announced that he would devote
The remainder Of his life to cvancc-
listic work. The congregation refer
re" the resignation TO the board oc
dcacons. with instructions to confer
with the pastor and report later Or
wicker let IL be known last nigh.
however. that his action is irrevocabIc
aud that his farewell sermon will be
preached next sunday
DR. Wicker will shortly sail for
Europe. where he will pass about
'hrc" months In Italy, Switzerland.
France, Belgium. Holland and Eng
land. aud on his return will take vi,
his new responsibilities. He will con
tinuc TO make Richmond his home and
viii hold his membership in the Leigh,
street Church r.. L. WolsIager. on.
OF the mos; prominent and gift ed
cvancclistic singers in America. viii
he associated with Or. Wicker in his
Eew field
No Surprise to>Fricn6s.
To those who know Or. Wicker.
his resignation did not como entirely
as surprise. AS il has been known
for some time that he was anxious to
enter the field OF evangelism. While
acting as pastor OF tho Leigh street
Church he hae frequently invaded the
evangelis,ic domain with great sue
ceS1. lie has seen his own church
srou from a membership Of 1000 ten
years ago TO present membership
of over $500. while its various activ-
ties have expanded greatly under his
paS,orate. Not long ago new addi-
;ion was made to the church (which
doubled its seating capacity. and its
annual contributions have increased
from $1,000 tn s3S.0oo. Or. Wicker
:,ow feels that he can be OF more SER
vice to Christianity as an evangelist
than as pastor.
Dr. Wicker was born in LynchburG
and educated at Richmond College.
later graduating from the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary. Louis
willie, Ky. Nthough he occupied the
pulpit OF several churches while still
a student. his first pastoratc after
graduation was at baltimore, Md,
where he remained five years. eHis
next paStorate was at Trenton, y. J..
where he remained another Ave years
as pastor of the First Raptis, Church.
and he passed the next five years in
evangelistic WORK. covering a wide
,,r,,,
tation that his services were in great
demand after he had again accepted
II pastorate.
Came Hero Over Ten Ycnrs Ago.
Ten and Il half years ago DR.. Wick
or came to Richmond. In 1916 Rich
mond University conferred upon him
the honorary degree of doctor OF di-
vinity. The Sunday school depart
mcnt Of the Leigh Street Church now
contains twenty-five rooms. lts Royal
Amha ssadorS' organization. composed
of boys between the ages oc s ani
10 years. is the largest III the South.
the average attendance being 10
each sunday. 1, has hvc young pco-
PIES societies, each with a large
and active membership.
pr Wicker has Travelled extensive
L.. having covered Europe and the
CrIent on u mum rtr of different oc-
ca sic MS. aud has various cSsl's in
.vanEclistIc n"r!: have taken hin 10
practically every part. of the United
States Or. Wicker married Rich
>nnnd girl. Miss Lizzie r. Pumphrey.
S-.i they have three chiidren--John
H. Wicker, Jr.. a lawyer: j. q. Wicker.
to Il .itl l. l. til. Tar
rsh Company. and Mrs Elizabeth