Church of Our Father – Meeting Minutes of Aug 26, 1891 (Rev. Cole Accepts Call)
Atlanta, Ga. Aug 26, 1891
Regular monthly meeting of the Trustees of the Church of Our Father held on above data at 8 o’clock pm.
Mr. John Y. Dixon in the chair.
Messrs. Crafts, Gunier, Dixon and Harding present.
Mr. Dixon presented a report from a special committee appointed by the society consisting of Messrs. Dixon, Harding and Crafts for the purpose of giving Rev. Wm. Roswell Cole a call to the church as pastor.
The report was that they had offered Mr. Cole $1,000 per year and had arranged for the first year to end June 30th 1892.
Mr. Cole had accepted the call by the following letter.
To the Committee of the Church of Our Father, Atlanta. Ga.:
Gentlemen, I now address you to communicate my acceptance of the invitation of the Church of Our Father to settle as their minister until 1892. I rely much upon the cooperation of every member of the church and feel that in that way only will we be able to establish a strong church in Atlanta.
In settling among you I shall consider the prosperity and interest of the society as my end and happiness. As a follower of Christ, I shall endeavor to declare those truths which he has made known to me. Restricted by no denominational feeling or by any form or belief. Free and independent I feel I must be.
Though young I am encouraged to form this solemn connection in servant trust in God. Confident in your zeal, candor and affection of which I have already had experience.
I desire the earnest prayers of all to Almighty God that he may enable me to perform the duties of my calling and that our labors together may bear fruit to the glory of the life of Christ and the human race.
With great respect, I remain your obedient servant,
<signed>
William Roswell Cole
Mr. Washington, Md.
August 17, 1891
The report was accepted and the letter was ordered to be entered in the records.
On motion, it was voted that the church committee be instructed to have Mr. Cole’s letter published in the Atlanta papers and notice of the resumption of service be sent to members of the society.
By vote it was ordered that the same committee make necessary repairs on house veranda roof.
The chair appointed H.M Gunier upon the church Committee vice E.P. Burns who had resigned.
No other business appearing, the board adjourned to next Friday, Sept. 25, 1891
<signed>
H.M. Currier, Clerk
Physical Archive: UUCA Box: 26 Folder: 02 Book: 02 Pages: 70 – 21
Citation: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Records, RG 026, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University, Atlanta GA