Forrest F. Emerson submits his letter of resignation as pastor of the Asylum Avenue Baptist Church

Emerson resigned because he had a change of opinion about the “ordinances of the church, Baptism, and the Lord’s supper.”

George M. Stone, Emerson's successor, would be invited to serve as pastor on April 28, 1879.

Both the Courant reporter and Emerson referred to his continued services as minister following his resignation as the church’s “pulpit supply on the Sabbath.”

1. From Emerson’s letter of resignation:

• “On account of certain views and beliefs which I entertain concerning the ordinances of the church, Baptism and the Lord’s supper, - views which are at variance with the theory and practice of the Baptist denomination, - I feel constrained in justice to you and honesty with myself, to resign my position as your pastor. I have made a free and full exposition of my views to the church committee, and it is the opinion of both the committee and myself that a separation is unavoidable.”
• “Inasmuch as it is the desire of the committee and myself to avoid a public discussion of the matter, I refrain from any further explanation of my change of views than that which I have already indicated.”
• “As you will readily apprehend, it has brought me many troubled hours to think of separating myself from the denomination in which I was born and reared, and it gives me great pain now that I am called upon, in obedience to conscience, to pass through the trial of the actual separation.”
• “Nothing whatever of an unpleasant nature in my relations with this church or with my brethren in the ministry, has had any influence in causing me to take this step.”

2. From the Courant reporter:

• “The conferences of the pastor with his committee in relation to the matter have been of the most friendly character, and the separation is likely to be made with feelings of the utmost kindness on both sides.”
• It is with great regret that we record any action that is likely to remove the Rev. Mr. Emerson from Hartford, where his services a s a Christian minister and a citizen are so much prized. But we note with pleasure the amicable terms of Christian good will and toleration upon which he and his church agree to close their special relations.  It is in the highest degree creditable to both.”

Unattributed.  “Resignation of the Rev. Mr. Emerson,” Hartford Daily Courant, May 7, 1879, page 2.