Mary Thacher Higginson, Thomas Wentworth Higginson: the story of his life

[105] have led to it now. I said so Sunday before last, to the surprise of many and the tears of all women, poor men, young men, Democrats and Come-outers. A kind of reaction has followed since, and now all the rest are shedding tears—still they have accepted my resignation only not to take effect for 6 months. With a free church I could carry off half the society and many urge it—but I will not . . . I intend to give lectures here by and by or something of that sort. We are never going to leave these parts and are to board for the present at Mrs. Curson's, Artichoke Mills, 3 miles from town and the loveliest place on earth . . . .

Not a dozen are really opposed to me, but they have all the wealth. Oh Christian Church!

One member of the congregation wrote (November 7, 1849) these words to a relative of the dislodged pastor:—

After hearing his two exquisite sermons—in the morning “Rejoice in the Lord” —in the afternoon “It doth not yet appear” I felt profoundly sad at the thought of his leaving the pulpit . . . We cannot spare such gifts.

During the last six months of his stay in the parish, Mr. Higginson wrote to a friend:—

The beautiful words “pastor” and “minister” have become almost offensive; but the good thing they used to denote has not. . . .

These last months have something of pain for me, though they go very fast.