gation was then quite small; the church membership almost wholly without organization. For some time the only ministry you had had was that of visiting clergymen having no connection with you other than that secured by the Sunday services-a ministry which, however it may upon occasion have attracted the general public, had been, as it always must be, injurious to your best interests as a church.

My first duty to you, therefore, seemed to be to thoroughly organize the society and to try to make the organization self-dependent. The result was that on June 4th, 1877, you adopted the constitution we now have, by which the "First Unitarian Church" of Washington was reorganized as "All Souls Church." It required no small effort to make the new constitution operative in its various relations: but gradually this was accomplished, and its advantages became apparent. By the division of labor it required and its distribution of responsibilities, the interest in church work of a largely increased number of persons was aroused and sustained. Through the activity of the several subordinate organizations which the constitution brought into being the energy and aims of our growing church were considerably extended and multiplied.

And during my temporary ministry the project for the building of a new church edifice occupied my thoughts as it did yours. I followed the progress of the negotiations of our officers with the officers of the American Unitarian Association with the deepest interest. I turned over the first spadeful of earth in preparing for the foundation of the new building. I made the address called for in the ceremony at the laying of the corner-stone, and when, in the presence of the hundreds of our fellow believers, who had gathered here from all parts of our country to rejoice with us and to bid us God-speed, we dedicated this beautiful temple to the one God, for the service of Man, in the faith of Jesus Christ," I read with them and you a special service of dedication.

As your pastor installed, I became only the more closely identified with and interested in everything that appertained to the welfare of our church. I gave to it an exclusive

service and have watched its career with an unusual degree of solicitude. My most earnest hope and effort have been for its prosperity-especially for its success as a representative exponent of Liberal Christian faith and life in this the Capital City of our nation.

With peculiar anxiety, as some of you know, have I awaited the day that has just come-this day when we can say with an unqualified meaning to our words that we at last have a house of worship free from debt. Our church was dedicated with the proclamation that it was thus free, but at the same time we knew ourselves to be under a moral obligation to the extent of several thousands of dollars to those who had contributed the sum necessary to complete the amount required of this society by the Unitarian denomination before it would transfer its own contribution for the building of the new church to our hands. One of our special endeavors has been to meet. this obligation, and I have been glad to see that with each successive year through our increased financial prosperity this indebtedness has grown smaller, and now happily, besides, the one great possible embarrassment to your welfare, and the chief source of my anxiety, has been removed by the sale, just consummated, of the old church property. Thus are we as a church finally, in every sense of the word, free from debt.

To-day, then, All Souls Church, well organized; with a a large membership; with a regular attendance increased many fold; with an ample income; with the respect and confidence of this community; and as possessor of one of the most beautiful houses of worship in the city, has before it a future clear and free. I bid you with all my heart God-speed on your way, and with all my heart I pray that the past has been only a promise of the better time to come.

But, for the reason I have given, that I wish to take a much-needed rest from the labor and the care I have borne here, I think it wise to place herewith in your hands my resignation of the office I have held during these three eventful years.

CLAY MACCAULEY."

Naturally there was much surprise and questioning in the Society, leading to some public comment in newspapers, over my letter of resignation. This note appearing in the Christian Register summarizes the facts, as far as they were known to the public.

"Rev. Clay MacCauley's resignation of the pastorate of the Unitarian Church of Washington was offered May 16th, to take effect on the 30th of September. After three years of peculiarly exhausting work, Mr. MacCauley finds himself much worn down and in pressing need of a period of rest. His pastorate covers a period of great interest in the history of the parish, for whose reorganization and training to usefulness he has labored indefatigably and with success. Three years ago the society was small and divided, occupying the quite ineligible old building. It is now established, with a large constituency, in the new and elegant edifice which the American Unitarian Association helped to erect; and with no debt, an ample income, and a people who have a mind to the work, its past should indeed be what Mr. MacCauley's letter of resignation so heartily wishes, "only a promise of the better time to come." With improving health and a harvest of experience, may this prayer for the people come back in rich answer to himself.”

The consequent official action of the parish came within the week following, during which time I was earnestly urged by several of the most influential members of the Society to withdraw my letter of resignation. A letter asking me not to resign was put into circulation. I requested that it be not carried farther. And the Secretary of the American Unitarian Association, who was familiar with the course of events, wrote:

"I have been much concerned by the word you gave me. I have hoped that you will hold on. I can not think of the person who can go to Washington and carry all as satisfactorily as yourself - - - - Few have the tact and

of yourself

breadth, and gentlemanly bearing and conciliatory spirit - In short, and in a word, I do earnestly hope you will take a cheerful view of affairs, and, as Sumner said to Stanton, 'Stick.'"

But I still believed in my decision as wisely made. The Church returned an answer to my letter: it is given in the following newspaper notice.

"ALL SOULS CHURCH PASTORATE.

There was a large turn out of the members of All Souls Church last night in the chapel, to consider the resignation of the pastor, Rev. Clay MacCauley, tendered last week. Mr. George P. Clarke was elected chairman and Mr. W. P. Dunwoody acted as secretary. On motion of Mr. Scott Smith the resignation was accepted, to take effect September 15. Mr. Smith also offered the following resolution, which was adopted unanimously:

Resolved, That leave of absence be granted our pastor from the 15th of June until the 15th of September.

Hon Horace Davis offered the following, which was unanimously adopted:

WHEREAS, Our pastor, Rev. Clay. MacCanley, desiring a rest from his arduous labors, has resigned his pastorate, and

WHEREAS, His constant and faithful labor has strengthened and cemented the Society, his zeal in the cause of the Church and his tender sympathy with those in trial and affliction haye endeared him to us; therefore

Resolved, That we regret the necessity that has compelled Mr. MacCauley to resign his pastorate, and shall follow him with our sincere good wishes to whatever field of labor he shall be called to enter.

The meeting then adjourned."

g. Concerning the Resignation of my Washington Pastorate. Many friends in Washington and elsewhere were puzzled over the giving up of my ministry to All Souls Church. Some of them pronounced it an "unwise,"

and other some, a "precipitate" ending to what had had a most cheering and successful beginning and progress. The pastorate had been accompanied by plentiful evidences of present and prospective usefulness. And these friends knew no good reason for my leaving a position which gave, and promised, so much for both me and the Church.

I do not intend, at this far remove from those disturbing days, to tell in full the story of the happenings that induced me to relinquish the office. But, with the writing of these "Memories," it has seemed to me to be especially opportune,-even to be a matter of duty now,-to say enough to remove whatever misunderstanding there may be among my friends about what I did then.

Primarily, I have to say that, in the course of the events which preceded my resignation, I was actuated by the same imperative personal factor which directed me in the contest in my College class over the election of its Orator, and which also guided me in the mental turmoil aroused during my Morrison ministry. As I have said, I yield personal wishes, that are merely wishes, almost too easily, when they are contrary to the wishes of others: but where what I believe to be a judgment of conscience, is at stake, I am possibly, so it has been said, "over obstinate in its behalf.

Because of this fact, however, let it not be thought that I am also censorious towards those who differ with me; or that I am disposed to question the sincerity of the motives of others whom I may be compelled to oppose. I am merely stating the fact which happens to be imperative in the regulation of my own acts.

Now, in reference to what happened in Washington leading up to my resignation, I have in mind, in what