The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-13
A Gard.

paper OF sunday, ORD INST, was reported
the proceedings Of the Missionary Baptist
Convention of Georgia, relative to the ''old-
est coIored church in North America"
AS race and denomination we have but
lately begun the gathering Of cur history,
and in the interest of truth and our pos
terity / ask to correct through your valua-
BILE medium some of the Inaccuracies given
by the committee of investigation i'll that
report.
They report "the church organized at
Brdnpton Barn, Jan. Goth, 178S, as
the FIRST African Baptist Church of to-
day." Tbs is not true. The church was
not organized there, though in its troubles
it sojourned there for about two years. 1t
was organized on what was then called
"Bu7icomd Rtu," about where now stands
the old Lachlisons foundry and little east
Of 1t, and then known as the First colored
church" They also say. This fact is ad-
mitted by the york 1Chtch Req. SinnlS has
tOrttten." This also is not true, as may be
seen on pages 20 to % Of my history lately
written for the First Bryan Baptist church
They say that until 1882 there tOdS no
dispute about the First african Baptist
church, out in 1882 a great trouble arose
tOhtch continued for several months" They
were very careful not to say what the
troubles were. Rev. Andrew G. Marshall,
the pastor, departed from the Baptist Faith
and favored in his preaching the doctrines
of DR.. Alexander Campbell, who had HIM
self left the Baptists and set up what he
termed the christian church advocating
sacramentalism in Baptism. This error on
the part of Mr.. Marshall divided the
church, a majority of which followed him,
not being able to Judge Of the true merits
Of the question at issue; but he was inter
dicted from preaching, and his action
condemned by all true and intelligent Bap-
fists, for about six years, (see pages of my
history 81 to 96); and with the many coun-
ellis who met and gave advice, as they say,
the matter was not settled until 1887 by the
Sunbury Baptist association, after con-
fession Of the error of doctrine and its at
tendant evils by Rev. Marshall History,
naGes llSto 12l, copied from minutes of
the ossoctGtion).
they say that in the division of the
church those led by Rev. Marshall were
2,640, and by Deacon Adam johnson 155.
Here again they are in error. The fact is
that not more than about two-fifths of the
mem ers were residents of the city and en-
gagged III this unhappy controversy, the
residue were upon the plantations out
side. Two-fifths OF 2, 795 the number re-
ported IN the statistics of the association
in 1881 would be /, lis. Deacon Johnson's
folio as shown in the associations re-
port in 1888, when the minority was re-
ceived and by resolution commended for
their course in resisting the late doctrines
and course of the majority, are 1913. Thus Mr..
Marshall could have as actual followers
only about go This number was the ma
jority, It's true, but not as the committee re-
ported Csee pages 100 to 102 of history, and
besides ma jority il not always evidence of
right and the will of God" Gideons army
of two and thirty thousand was brought
down to three hundred when tried at the
water, for Gods divine purpose (See
Judges, vi, 40. Also there is
no evidence that Before this
trouble the church contracted to buy the
unite Baptist church building, then To-
Gated on Franklin square, as they say.
Again they say, "Re1. Marshall and his
members l0ent to Franklin square, still
0t0ni1lg the site on BryGn street IN YamG-
crdt0, and the pastor Of the First A fricdn
church has ShotCn your committee the
deeds Of the First A (ricdh chm ch to the
spot Of ground which the First Bryan
Baptist church nOio occupies" And
though not in your report and designedIy
left out, no doubt, they went on to say
that in settlement by a council the First
African church agreed to let the 155 men,
bers remaining upon the old church spot
keep that property on condition that they
relin gulsh all claim TO share of the Frank
lin square property, and it was so settled.
Then we ask, why are they in possession
of the deed of the original purchases Why
did they not surrender 1T in the settlements
The truth Is there was no such settlement
made, and this old deed has been purloined
from the rightful possession of the First
Bryan church by some one for many years,
and was produced by the parties who had
concealed II for effect upon this occasion
1t rightly belongs to the First Bryan Bap-
fist church on Bryan street, and they should
obtain it, but COPY is to 0e found in the
church's history as recorded in the superior
court OF Chatham county.
The convention and their committee had
no jurisdiction in deciding the question of
"The First Coiored Baptist Church in
North America" as my book is entitled.
If they but had rightly interpreted their
constitution as revised under their charter
of 1887, Article |, Name and Object, they
would have seen this fact, and if they were
invited to arbitrate in the premises both
parties must consent but the First Bryan
church truly the Oldest, knew it was no
business or this body ana SO notified them
through her officers when considering the
mtttee Of Investigation. Their specific
duty under their constitution is our MIS-
StondTv and Educational Work." The
giving advice to the churches IN any con-
troversies is the work OF our associations.
and neither the conventions or associations
under our Baptist pOlity has ecclesiastical
or plenary powers in the churches, but
simply advisory, not mandatory. Then
how could they decide the priority as they
reportedf In their zeal to bolster up a
weak claim in favor of brother whose
egotisn suffers himself to be styled in the
papers the "E2,- Bishop of GeOroin. y
and so SANDER our Baptist faith
and practice, has made them over hastily
come to the conclusion upon the ex parte
testimony he gave; doubtless prepared as
read to the convention before tn bad met.
giving nm FOR personal ends ana pride, not
the church's interest priority c aim in a
case, the facts of which they knew but little
about, and which time and truth will
surely reverse when the impartial seeker
after the truth will have read our history
written and founded upon it, to crown our
centennial year, and give to our posteritv
what they never before had, the history of
the wonderful preservation Of this old |
church BY our God, while she has passed
through the many fiery trials and persecu- |
tons In her earlier years endured. and
which we have most aifectionately dedi- |
Gated in memory Of our reverend fore
fathers and mothers in the gospel of Jesus |
Christ. Yours very respectfully,
JAMES a. SIMMs.
SGUdnndh, June II, 1855.