The Washington times., 1895-06-05
ColOred Baptist Ministers Side
With Walker Memorial.
JEALOUS OF HEX OFPSHooT
Shiloh LIS the Mother Church and 1t Is
Claimed She Has welcomed Mem
hers Expelled in Disgrace from
Memorable She Persists She Win
Become Independent Congregation.


The colored Baptists Of the District find
that they camel dEeif together in unity and
an acrimonious correspondence has for some
timepast beencarr rried on bet ween the pastors
and congregations of Shiloh and Walker
Memorial Colored Baptiet Churches. The
trouble dates back several years to soon
after Rev. j Anderson Taylor took charge of
the Shiloh flock in 1891
AT that time many of the members took
oflense at the style in which Mr. Taylor
wore bis ministerial robes and the manner
in which he handled himself. ard faction
from Shiloh went forth and the flourishing
Walker Memorial was established. Months
and years passed and the infant church grew
and waxed strong.
The green-eyed monster was, however, all
the while at work with the Shilohites. Not
breing able to break up the seceders they
contcnted themselves by completely ig
noring the latter and acting as If unconscious
of their existence.
CALLED A COUNCIL.
Through the efforts of the Walker Me-
mortal people, a council of the thirty-fOur
! colored Baptist churches in the District
and Alexandria assembled on July 4
1893, and the newly-organized congre-
CATION was Officially recognized and the
right hand of fello wship extended to it byall
except Shiloh. Time has passed and the
Walker Memorial congregation has grown
apace, but no brotherly love has been felt
for it by the mother church. Several lit
tie differences and difficulties have from
time to time cropped out, but these have
always been smoothed over through the
united efforts OF the Baptist ciergymen
of the city.
But the crowning triumph came a short
while ago and il led to reassembling
of the original 80 council for a eonsidera-
ton of the Shiloh congregations course.
Rev. I. " Bryant, pastor of Walker
Memorial, in explaining the matter last
| night, said some members have been eN-
pelled from his church because of their
refusal To abide by its rules and regula-
tions, but it transpires that the trouble
causing group, dismissed from member
ship because OF habitual drunkenness, for
non-attendance. and contempt OF church
authority, were received by the Shiloh
people with open arms and their names
put on the church books. although two
OF them had been expelled from and the
others were stin members OF sister
church.
They did not at the time, he said, deign
to make any explanation, but the reason
they now give for their action was that
they did not recognize the walker Memo
rial Church as a regularly instituted Bap-
tist congregation, and therefore admitted
the applicants because there were no
charges against them.
AGAIN IT CONVENED
The council convened again yesterday
and ministers from thirty-four churches,
representing over 20,0 600 coIored Baptists
| in and around Washington, were present,
| Shiloh alone being without a delegate.
The matter was referred to committee
| consisting of Revs. r. FL. Porter, j H Lee,
| G.. w. Lee, ID. D., J. T. Clark, R. Johnson,
| c. R. Champ, W. j. Howard, D. Morris,
| and j G. Dent. The committee submitted
| the following report. which was unani-
mously adopted;
| BE it the sense of the council that any
church belonging TO the District OF Columbia
| or to Alexandra, va, that will receive
| into its fellowship members who have
| been excommunicated from other regular
| Baptist churches or without said members
| having been duly dismissed by letters
| shall be regarded as irregular and disor-
| derly. We further recommend that Shiloh
| Church be requested to reconsider her
action touching the reception of all
| members who have been excluded or ille-
| gally received from the Walker Memorial
| Church, in order that the fellowship which
| has so long existed between her and the
| sister churches Of, the District of Columbia
| and vicinity may continue.
| 1t was then moved and carried that the
| proceedings of the council and a copy of the
| above resolutions be sent to the Shiloh
| Baptist Church.
Just what effect this stiuging rebuke
/ will have upon Shiloh Church is not known,
| but if she refuses to take the proffered adj
vice she viii not be recognized as a regular
! Baptist Church and il Will be necessary for
| her TO declare herself an independent con-
| gTegation.