The Rev. Joseph Lambert Resigns Pulpit in Providence Because of Criticism
---
SAYS HE'LL GO INTO BUSINESS
---
Many a Pastor Has Done for Poor Men What He Did for a Rich One and Escaped Censure, He Declares
---
Special to The New York Times
---
PROVIDENCE, R. L, Nov. 7---The Rev. Joseph Lambert, who married John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Tallmadge Force in Newport on Sept. 9, has resigned his pulpit in the Elmwood Temple, because of protests against his action by the other clergymen. He will leave the church on Dec. 1 and go into business.

Although the church has not yet accepted his resignation, Mr. Lambert says it will have to for he is going to go anyway. His announcement, couched in very brief terms, was read by the clerk at the church services Sunday morning, and will be considered at a church meeting a week from Thursday night.

"There have been a lot of unkind things said against me especially by ministers of this city," said Mr. Lambert today. “I did not feel that I could continue in the work as I could not put the same spirit into it as before.”

"I am going into business and shall retain my membership in the Elmwood Temple at the request of the trustees. My resignation is purely voluntary and was not taken as the result of any action by the people of the church. At the meeting of the trustees last month they urged me to stay.

“The worst thing the ministers can say against me is that I married a man who had been divorced for commiting a statutory offence. It was simply his money which called attention to the marriage and if it had been a poor man nothing would have been said. There are lots of ministers in this city who have done the same thing and I can prove it. The very fact that my own association did not censure me proves it."

Mr. Lambert has been the pastor of Elmwood Temple since a year ago last September. He would not say what business he is to enter and said he did not know what the chances were of his returning to the ministry.