The Unexplained Exit of Pastor Sinclair
After months of absence from the pulpit, Rev. Brevard D. Sinclair resigns from Calvary Presbyterian Church amidst rumors of professional neglect.
The resignation of Rev. Brevard D. Sinclair, the pastor of Calvary Presbyterian church, took effect Sunday. It was handed in to the presbytery last week and accepted. Mr. Sinclair gave no reason for his action and would not be interviewed in regard to the matter. He says, however, that when he came to Seattle it was at the request of the board of home missions, and that he had no intention of remaining in Calvary church more than a few months. Other ministers of his denomination and one of his congregation said that the resignation was tacitly requested because Mr. Sinclair did not pay attention to his duties. Mr. Sinclair says that he is considering three calls from different churches on the Pacific coast, but will not say whether he has accepted any one of them. Mr. Sinclair had not occupied his pulpit for over a month prior to the acceptance of the resignation.
“Other ministers of his denomination and one of his congregation said that the resignation was tacitly requested because Mr. Sinclair did not pay attention to his duties.”
This reflects the precarious nature of early Seattle church life, where congregations were often small, mobile, and highly critical of their leadership. Today, church leadership conflicts rarely make the newspaper unless they involve significant scandal, highlighting how central church life was to civic standing in the 1890s.
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