The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-05-14
Tho Lebanon Church mattez.

FIVE FORKS, s. c., May II, 1891.
Editors Intelligencer !: In behalf of the Le-
banon Baptist Church and Pastor I deem
it necessary to come before the public in
yindication of the false statements and
gross Inisrepresen tations that seem to be
quite generally believed by those who
know nothing about it. Now to the facts,
which would be far from bringing before
the public gaze but for the circumstances !:
Our Church is badly divided up, las was
referred to by "a member at Leban ON
and "Sine Die,") and it became necessary
that we refer to our rules Of decorum, arti-
cles of faith and covenant, when, to the
surprise of many, we found that we had
none. No one for an instant believed that
ne never had any, but they had been mis-
placed, and could not be found. So you
See we could do nothing without them, as
everybody had right to say that he was
right. Some Of them believed in 'second
blessing" some in doing just as they pleas
ed-get drunk, or anything else they wish
ed. with impunity. And then we have a
class that believe they have right TO stay
at home, and have nothing to DO with the
Church but to grumble at and say things
that never happened about the Church.
do not know whether "a member at Lee
Uauou pelouSo W tu1o AaoL CLASS VI uoti
but judging from his knowledge of what
believe. The Moderator did not say that
we were not Church. He said that he
could say so, and challenged us to prove
it. He simply meant that we had no Gre
dentials, which the Church accepted as
true.
Now, then, with these facts glaring us in
I, fno 1l,ot 11ynf Ia dn2 q Iod
the documents and could NOT find them,
thought the easiest and shortest way would
be to get copy of one of our sister
Churches that was known to be orthodox,
and have them read before the Church,
latter months notice. either for adop.
tion OF rejection. There was at first q little
squirming by some for fear they could not
sign, but that soon gave way, and they
were unanimously accepted, no one raising
his voice in the tone Tor even thought ol
it, of "a member at Lebanon" No, We
claim to be the same organized body as be.
fore. We meant simply to replace thai
which was lost that We, as Baptists, believe
is needful to have in an organized body
like ours. Now, if "a member at Ls
banon" knew of better way to get out o.
the trouble than the one We pursued, why
did he not bring it before the Church (ir
proper shape) and have it acted upon
Everybody that knows anything about tht
Church's work knew that that question
was going to come up that day. Then, he
sides, they were unanimously adopted
and gave their hand to the Pastor in toker
of their satisfaction OF ''the remarkable
proceedings"
Come, Brother, from a standpoint o
facts and show Us our error. We had NJ
articles of faith, nor Church covenant
nothing but some rules Of discipline; ant
If there is anything wrongin replacing tha
which was lost we cannot gee it, and ",
did it the best way we knew how. We d.
not claim to be perfect or infalllble: Th
reference of the Pastor to our being NJ
Church was to our not having papers b.
which We could prove ourselves to bo
Church. Simply that, and nothing more
If the Brother Ia not satisfied let him come
in the spirit of meekness aud lay his CLAIM
before the Church, and I venture to So.
that all will be right.
Very respectfully.
T. T. WAKEFIELD.