DR. JOWETT'S DECISION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 9

DR. JOWETT'S DECISION.

STATEMENT AT CAKII'S LANE. In the. statement which he mr.de to his own people at Carr's Lano Chapel, Birmingham, Dr. Jowett explained the history of the three calls to New York, and emphasised his profound conviction thai; it was the will of (Jod that ho should go to Now York. There was, ho said, a great deal of misrepresentation and ignorance in regard to tho Eil'th Avenue Church. I'cople seemed to think lie was going amongst a collection of millionaires, and to live under tho most luxurious conditions. Ho had been told that lie should lind 110 needier placo than Birmingham, but when he compared the needs of tlie.t great city across the' water with the needs of this privileged'city of Birmingham, ho had 110 hesitation in saving that, if . his decision'was to bo made in accordanco with need, tlici ho had 110 doubt what his decision should he. The church in New York was by no means .11 lazy church. It was doing 11 work in tho slums far biggca l than that at Digbeth. They had two churches in dillerent parts of the city, one'of which was amongst',the Chinese, and they supportoil eighteen, missionaries in the foreign field. It was a church that appealed to him by reason of tho character of its work. Then, again, there was the unanimous and persistent intuition amongst the members of that church that he was intended to be their leader. That might lie a mistake, but it was a matter that had ..much weight with him. With regard to.the salary, ho said his people knew ho hud never been after money." They had'offered him increases of salary Which'hi; liad'refused.and he might be allowed to say that 110 had in every way tried to give an adequate return to the fullest extent in his power. The statement, in the newspapers respecting his salary was a gross exaggeration.'"When the invitation canio to him twelve 'months ago 110 told the deputation he should refuse the salary that was offered. Ho told them all he. should want would be,'equivalent to what ho received at Carr's Lane. The statement had been repeated .011 tho present occasion, but it was known in Now York that-tho equivalent of what ho was now receiving was all ho wanted, lie was hindered by 110' encumbrance, and it' money came his way lie should give it away. There was 110 boasting about that. He simnly wanted to do tho work that awaited liim there, and he nslcod that, meeting to give him tho loyalty of their support, the confidence of their judgment, and make it possible for him'whenever'he returned to England tp come to Carr's Lane. Let it bo one of the ioys tlir.t ho could look forward to that he should stand in that pulpit and preach to tho people who had made him what lie was, and had given him his position.