Enclosed newspaper clipping from a Dayton, Ohio, paper is worthy of more than passing notice as a piece of church news:—
"Rev. E. E. Baker, formerly of this city, but lately of Los Angeles, Cal., has withdrawn from the ministry to become western manager for the school of salesmanship. In his farewell to his congregation Mr. Baker said:—
"'The pastor of the present day has to preach what his congregation wants him to, or he won't keep his job. If a minister were not dependent upon the people he is supposed to uplift, we would have a broader, truer and more effective work from the pulpit to-day.'"
Mr. Baker was pastor of the First Lutheran church of Dayton and was one of the most popular clergymen of the city. He resigned his charge to accept a call to the Woodward Avenue Presbyterian church in Cleveland, and later accepted a call to the Los Angeles church.
About ten years ago Rev. Baker accepted from me, for criticism, a copy of your "What Say the Scriptures About Hell." After looking it over, he not only failed to criticise, but stated that a person could not preach from the pulpit all one thought. His taking this stand at this time seems to me to be the result of a ten-years' battle in his mind, and I am pleased to note that he now has the courage to stand by his convictions.
Your brother in Christ, G. C. DRISCOLL.
We again express to you our continued and growing love for yourself, and also for the work entrusted to your hands. We would also like to express our satisfaction with "the Vow" in many, many ways; and particularly blessed have we been by the prayer for you all there and the work in your hands and our humble part therein.
This Vow has been also the means of bringing home to us the fulness of the Consecration Vow long since made, and has caused us to be much more careful in our scrutiny of our daily life, not only in the home, but before the world as well. The Word has been made more precious to us than ever before, and we cannot but feel that the Vow has been instrumental in a large measure in this.
We are indeed pained to know that some are offended by that which it would appear could not offend any who do not desire to be somewhat entangled in the yoke of sin. The blessing to those who take it in its fulness will surely be manifest in the general Church.
With kindest regards to yourself and the friends, and especially to Brother Page, who, we note, is with you again, we are, Very sincerely yours,