The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 28, 1900, Page 4

THE SUNDAY CALL y | Leave the Mipistry HFE erend James TMac- 7 Innes saw fit a fe days 1g0 1 ¢ o3 from the min- £ p all that he had y mplish, and to J J ns” made that At the xxxxrxxrxe exx>xxxx Jheater £ s ¢ has e my re s for g difference, however, wholesc and morbid serious- ; my own part I candidly I al of th erial dignity mis: soted on some points, the reporters guilty of balf the injustice that I do the mlnisters, who, without personal Investigation, wrote public denunciations. brotherly of such irate heart the lea denominatic kind (?) things ted to tell them how good it had made dation there 1 was guile- hat th men that 1 had never h was full of h; that reason 1 was le they would by , and those who would be manly ogize for hasty words misrepresentation. I s right and justice lead them to make some kind of reparation, since their bitter and fiable condemnation had been -pub- 1 was gulleless enou to be- lleve that such wi h they Unfortun: )se a Wrong for another rn have had a he s was thelr Mon were set on msel a frenzy of ism and ca a baptism of Ghost The hard at it red, and to spe e at I might break th Only by dint of per e and amid protests wa anted five minutes to make my What to them was right and justice? What to them th? What to them that & man's on had been blackened, and they helped to b They had no time to make wrong right; they had no time to seck and know the truth of the affair; they had no time to belp a brother who . . REV JAMES C. had fallen into cruel hands. hav sing They must their Pentecostal meeting—pray and and shoyt men' until they had “emotional debauch” and call ouring of the Spirit. It is but 1 describe the different treat- celved from my brother Congre- iste The time for closing come befors I dists. Nevertheless they walted patfently for forty-five mir s listening to my statemen questioning me and appo.nt- ing a committee to investigate. Not a capting my word, not ng the pub- lished statement, but ¢ ly investigating the charges to they were true or false be just and reasonable ccord with the spirit of Chri ot to bring down the h than empty prayers frenzies. But you want to know my exact res sons for leaving the ministry First, let That 1 nd more from on religious blessing and me quote from our local paper at Benicia the words of farewell written by the trustee and clerk of the church: “Rev. James C. Maclnnes has been with us for the past sixteen moaths, and by his earn- endeavor and conscientious work has many warm friends. During his here he h greatly built up the at- dance at the church service and tie stian Endeavor, and has gotten the church on a good, firm financial hasi: The news of Mr. Maclnness' departu from our city is recelved with universal regret, and the best wishes of a host of friends will follow him to the new home, whe er it may be."” And also_the set of resolutions adopted unanimously by the church at its annual olved, That the First Congrega- Church of Benicia, at its annual to tional meeting held January 9, 1900, extend its retiring pastor, Rev. J. C. Maclnnes, its most heartfelt thanks for all the se vices most nobly rendered by him in be- half of the church during his entire con- P e X By the Reverend é i{l"""es C. lflac&nng.; X N o ——— MACINNES - D) . N nection therewith. He has brought to the church the highest type of godliness, of Christianity and of manliness, bless- ings, which will never leave us, erover he may take up his work in the future the prayers of the members of this church and congregation and their best wishes for his success will ever be with him. L, ROBINSON 3 ADDIE M. BILLINGS. anled by a well-filled clation were accom: ; R0 eiite of the ourse. This is sur ¢ Poraial foettng ¢ exists betfveen the church and its retiring pastor. I left the ministry because me convinced that ] was never c: at sacred office. 1f the poet s his life's work, so is the true minister. He must t ned to it before his birth; he must the holy call within his neart t b burning fi within me if I preach idea of entering the advice of a ze a tin him, and_his cr not the Gospel.’ ministry came by t but misguided friend at personal sorrow. 1In two months 1 a favorite brother and my home was broken up and an _estrangement betwe, and myself. All _the friend urged as voices from calling me to licate my to ministry t blas- ! vas youth: I listened pted his advice. If I dedicated God, then he was worthy of My had mother; there n e her unwise God, lifo a W my ve best, and I prepared a course covering twelve years of study. As I progressed in my studies the conviction stole upon me that I had never been set apart for that work, but I resolved to give it an honest trial. After three years of experience in the active ministry and earnest thought and prayer, I became convinced that I was not called to the church. What way was then open to me but to leave it? It was no easy matter that 1 had made a misfale, but 1 must be true to the still small voice of conviction whatever the consequences; so 1 resigned, and honestly told my people why 1 daré no longer be their minister. This conviction of my never having been called to the ministry was deepened as I studied myself and studied the nature and offices of the true minister. A minig- ter is one who serves his fellow man in spiritual things. He must be a prophet, priest and pastor—all thesé functions he mu; erently and devoutly fill in obe- dience to the inner voice and prompting. He must be a pastor—a shepherd who goes into the home and to the erring with e tender and preclous word of God. He st love h sks pleasa pastor he com and no_s work, for love makes hard love leads to tact. As a s very close to the people of duty can perform that office | work was to me very dis- tasteful. I delighted to meet my friends in a soclal way, but to go forth to make pastoral calls, urged by the love of souls never did, because I never had the in- ward prompting. Here was a battle in soul and great sorrow. I would not affect what I did not honestly feel, and not feeling it, I doubted the genuineness of my right to be a pastor. The true minister must also be a priest, one to stand between God and the so of men, leading the soul unto its god; &t sacred 'symbols of the church he must present with reverent hands. He must break the bread and bless the wine of holy communion. He must take the babe in his arms and consecrate it by the sol- emn right of baptism; he must unite man and woman in the bonds of matrimony. He must commit the body to the earth as God’'s anointed priest. If he feels that he,has not been called to that holy office all these symbols become a mocker: the doing of them a profanation t When 1 felt in my soul that God had nc called me to that sacred office, I dared no longer perform its functions. The true minister must be a prophet, not one who “foretells, but one Who forth-tells"—one who speaks for God. He must come be- fore his people with a message that God has put into_his heart and on his lips for the people. What an awful responsibility nounces God. I cou longer felt ti noble, and may ble of all calling: ponsibil mos the most ¢ would 1 take gladly perfc accept its lin ould but acred hers I left the ministry better put app heart ng me Durt was more When 1 rejol to, debt tory. and lege course my nes B study active 1 church that was in from that t nothing left fo success that along sec r After 1 had nistry there came to me 2 opportunity to engage in had received an invitation church with an increase of friends would have call ¢ the Lord. Why c thie business opening w leading as a larger pulpit tion? 1 believe that the gr day is men of busines energy to make mone: as holy as preaching. And good as Christ defined 1 hungry, clothing the naked, unfortunate—the business man & as many chances as the minister often more means to do it with lleve that one helps forward the kingd of God quite as much In helping a pu boy who has talent for music or art mechanics to a better education as spending along the line af his abilit money to help some blockhead to b come a minister. The kingdom of God is larger than the church, and the cause of Christ _is helped than through the pulpit I left the ministry because I thers are too many of us misfits ready. _When the officers of church t pays but $1000 thirty appljcatl in two directly or indirectly from m that pulpit it is time that dropped out of such a fle existence. s 1s no Isolated cas wire-pulling to place friends In de pulpits, the methods resorted to by to secure desirable pulpits, are d and disgusting. The true minist thank God there are many « noble and unselfish men,men whoare making life sweeter by their labors and sacrifices—has no need of doing this. The place seeks him. He would scorn to have it oth. wi Again and again 1 have known such a man to refuse flattering offers of > ¥ to more wa belfev irable some grading larger churches and higher salaries out of a sense of duty and services Buj fhe who fell dow body notze, at the bott you brok say regrets m and he ng t L will bring ce be have nearly save ran t eing Ber I some its mi ad