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Chapter 6: The Scott—and the Zeidmans—Carry On

A series of letters—most of them written between February and September 1941—reveal the frustration and disappointment that finally led Morris and Annie to leave the Presbyterian Church and strike out on their own. Most of these passed between Morris and his superiors, the local and national leaders of the home missions board.

The first one, dated February 19, 1941, was sent from Morris to George Beare, convenor of the home missions sub-committee on Jewish Work. Like most church correspondence of that period, it’s typed and has a very formal tone. The letter was also quite lengthy. Beare had been a strong supporter of Morris’s work, but the many irritations among his superiors had left Beare and his colleagues with tough questions to answer about the ministry.

No one accused Morris and Annie of enriching themselves. Everyone had struggled through the Depression years, yet Morris had developed a national profile and had won a rare level of public trust. While his peers in the church couldn’t fault his tenacity or vision, the reaction to his broadcasting ministry had shown their growing disaffection toward his work. Meanwhile, they were all too aware of his excoriating comments on those who lacked his moral resolve concerning the fascist powers and Nazi anti-Semitism. All this had won Morris many admirers and the grudging respect of colleagues, but few friends.

Morris wrote to Beare at the urging of the “Committee on Jewish Evangelization,” his own ministry support group, and mentioned familiar problems: The “Evangelistic Centre” residence with its “bare attic rooms” had been affecting his children’s health. He also urged an end to the awkward living arrangements with Miss McArthur and suggested that she “move out.”

His arguments were a bit more emphatic as he looked back over 21 years of service to the church. The strenuous pace of the past decade had forced him to neglect his family, though he wasn’t complaining: “We have been very happy in the work, and it is that very happiness and blessedness which…has made us ignore any discomfort.” He did have other suggestions. Annie (“Mrs. Zeidman”) should “be recognized at least as a part-time worker” considering that she began her duties daily at 9 a.m. and was doing Mission work well into the evenings.