The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-10-17
MIR. PROPER UPHELD.
Baptist Convention Sustains Its
Assailed Missionary.
LivelYcoNTEsT OVER CHARGES.
His Opponents Wanted q Fourth Hear
ipg-Meeting OF the Congregational
Association Today.

The seventh annual session of the North
west Baptist convention closed yesterday
after a rather stormy meeting. The topics
on which the brethren disagreed most
were the adyisability of establishing
boys brigades'' in Sunday school work
and the old grievances of Rev. W. z.
Squires, of Mount vern n. and Rev. W.
A. G. Rowse, of Woolley. against General
Missionary ID. d. Proper.
The course of study at the North Pacific
university Was recommended to young
men preparing for the ministry in private
study.
Centraiia was selected as the next place
of meeting. and Rev. w. c. Fieenor chosen
to deliver the annual sermon.
A long discussion on the proposition to
change the time of holding the annual
meeting was had, the second Thursday in
October being finally decided upon and it
was also decided 10 appoint missionaries
in July of each year instead of November.
There was a warm discussion of the
proposition TO establish boys brigades"
in Sunday school work, but the question
was finally laid on the table.
The Iiyeliest part OF the meeting came on
the reading Of the report of the committee
which had been appointed TO examine into
the charges made against General Mission
airy ID. u. Proper By Rev. Mr.. Rowse and
I Rev. Mr.. Squires. This committee was Sc
lected from those who were not ministers
or members of the board and consisted of
E. w. Craven. Seattle; Z. A. Sisson. Bay
View. G. NJ. TerriIl, Charleston; A. B.
Mcneil. Victoria, b. c.; A. C. Griswoid.
Puyallup; C. E. Griffin. Tacoma; e. B.
Knox, Fairhayen. The complaints against
Rev. Mr.. Proper were that he had preju-
diced the executive committee of the board
against them so as to have denied to them
any financial aid from the missionary
funds in the way of salary. STRAINED per-
sonal relations have existed for some time
between these parties. and their grievances
were aired in the public press last spring
and have been examined by the board and
declared groundiess. They were brought
up again, however. and q COMMITTEES of
laymen appointed TO examine them. This
committee spent all day Saturday and until
midnight considering the charges and
made the following report yesterday:
Your special committee appointed to
hear certain grievances have patiently aud
in love performed the delicate and un-
pleasant duty. Five of the seven ap-
We find as follows:
THAT, while some grieyous misunder-
standings have occurred and some mis-
takes been made by all parties concerned,
aud possibly some errors, as is oltentimes
found in human conduct. yet we are unan-
irnous in our judgment that there is no
occasion whatever tor further action in
this matter upon the part OF this eonven-
ton.
THAT nearly all hequestions raised ap-
pear To be resurrected matters, which have
previously been mutually talked over and
explained, or confessed and forgiven. In
other matters OF grievance, explanations
were given which il seems TO the commit
tee ought TO be sufficient, and to be re-
ceived by Christian brethren aggrieved.'
Rev. Mr.. Squires and Rev Mr.. Rowse
objected strenuousiy to adopting the re-
port, claiming that the committee had not
given them fair show in presenting their
case. The meeting soon got into an in
terminable wrangle over parliamentary
procedure.
Rev. Mr.. Cairns proposed that joint
committee, approved by the convention
and the executive board, should take the
matter in hand. Mr.. Rowse and Mr..
Squares consented to this proposition, bu,
Mr.. Proper objected. He said that this
was the third time these charges had been
examined by committees, and he had been
exonerated each time, and he did not pro-
pose going before another committee to
defend himself. The previous question
was finally moved and she report of the
committee adopted.
The board was in session until late
hour last night considering matters per-
tanning to the good and welfare of the mis-
sionary work in this field.