David Swings Sermons

the Westminister Presbyterian Church of Chicago in 1866. His sermons there attracted people from every part of the city, regardless of church affiliation. When his congre- gation later united with the North Presbyterian Church, he be- came pastor of the unified Fourth Presbyterian Church, serving that congregation from 1871 to 1874. In October 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed the homes of all but two of his congrega- tion as well as the church building itself. The scattered congrega- tion began meeting in Standard Hall and later moved to the McVicker's Theatre to accommodate the growing number of peo- ple coming to the services. Swing resumed preaching at the rebuilt Fourth Presbyterian Church in 1874. Later that year heresy charges were brought against him by the Reverend Francis L. Patton of the Chicago Theological Seminary. The resulting trial was followed in news- papers throughout the country. Although he had the support of a large part of his congregation, the bitterness of the struggle led him to resign his pastorate. Within a week of his resignation, and with the support of many of Chicago's leading citizens, some of whom were members of the Chicago Literary Club, arrangements were made on his behalf for the immediate establishment of a new church. A forceful intellect and a popular theologian, he was referred to by an admirer as "the Emerson of our American pulpit."