The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-09-26
DR.. HICKSON SAYS HE WILL
CONTINUE PASTOR OF CHURCH
Moderator Of Broad River Associs-
tion Issues Statement Challenging
Authority Of Deacons to
Dismiss Him

, DR. F. C. Hickson. Gafney minis
ter. who is moderator Of the Broad
River Baptist association, Tuesday
issued the following statement con-
cernjng the action Of the deacons OF
the Skull Shoals Baptist church IN
asking him to resign as pastor OF
that church:
! please annoonce that | SHALL MI
nv regular appointment to preach
at Skull Shoals Baptist church on the
4th Sunday and ask every member
to be present at II o'clock.
"At my last appointment, 4th Sun
day in August, we had most de-
lightful service, baptismal, commun-
ion and preaching.
THE pastor conducted the revival
services this year, first Of August,
himself. So far as l could see from
the size of the congregation and
hearty cooperation Of the member
ship the church was never so united
and hopeful, nor so cordial i'll their
SUPPORT of me as their pastor.
Il shall make no reply at present
70 statements attributed to Mr.. Viii
kins in today's Ledger until I see the
church.
''The public ought to know that
the Baptist church government is
purely democratic and that the dea-
cons have no authority to cell or dis
miss a pastor.
: "There was not member in the
church, certainly not one OF those
named, who did not know from my
own lips that / was in favor of Hon.
Cole L. Blease for governor before
the 1st primary.
''In 1912 I was pastor at Skull
Shoals and opposed Mr.. Blease in the
Ledger and otherwise. Those who
were friends Of Mr.. Blease at that
time made no objection to me as
their pastor.
ssThe fact that those who oppose
Mr.. Blease now object to me beng
pastor because I now support him.
only shows that Mr.. Blease's friends
have more of the Christian spirit
than his enemies.
81 have always taken an active
part in politics wherever l have ilV-
ed or preached and this is the first
time that any church, or part OF a
church, has taken exception to it.
"My reasons for supporting MI
Blease this time were my honest con-
victions and will stand the test OF
time as to their wisdom.
my motive in this and in all my
actions was purely unselfsh. There
was nothing for me to gain and ev-
erything for me to lose.
I 4 took my stand with Mr.. Till
man in the eighties when | was a
nopular town pastor and took my
stand against Mr.. Wilson on the war
from the same motive, viz: that as
human and especially as Chris
tisn, my sympathies are with the
weak against the strong. The CUES
ton of Germany and England did
not influence me at all in my stand
on the war. l saw clearly that IN
nv own country the poor and weak
would suffer, and that the rich and
strong would profit. If l had not
been a Christian, I would have been
human enough not to hesitate IN
choosing my path. And when | had
bathed ny spirit in the teachings o.
Jesus, the world, the flesh and the
devil could not move ne.
Glow much that stand cost me my
inhuman enemies know, for they
have measured every ounce Of it to
me. in the spirit of savage deviltry
I have taken it without voicing once
"If God were not God, and Jesus
were only helpless martyr. and the
consensus of human opinion and
hope that right vii! receive its re-
ward, were only a fiction, l still
would act as do, and feel as l do
and hope as do.
"The only reason don't spit con-
tempt on my prosecutors IS that
pity them"