The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-08
The Great AsSemhlage Of the Southern
Branch of the Denomination COnVenes.
THE WHITSITT CONTROVERSY SETTLED
The Trouble Caused by tho Prcsi.ieut
ofthe Southern baptist Thcologt-
chi Seminary, satisfactorily Ad.
Justcd-Ali the Old 1nicers ofthe
Convention Reelected.
Wilmington, N. C., May z. 1897.


Baptis. church at 10 a. M. to-day.
The president, the Hon. Jonathan
Haralson, Of Alabama, called to body to
order.
The enrolment Of delegates was the
! first order Of business. and according,
| to the announcement of the secretaries.
showed delegates present. 721. The
election OF president was the next bus-
ness, and Ex-Governor Northen, OF
Georgia, nominated the Hon. Jonathan
Haralson for reelection.
OFFICERS REELECTED.
The secretary of the covention was
| authorized to cast the ballot OF the CON
Vention for the nominee.
Presiden HARRISON said that he had
| been so pre-occupied that lie had had
no time to prepare his inaugural ad-
dress. He expressed his appreciation Of
| the honor.
Upon the motion Of the Rev G. w
Gardner, Of Georgia. the present secre-
taH.es, Dr. Lansing Burrows. of Atlanta,
| ana DR.. O. f. Gregory, of Baltimore,
were reelected for the ensuing year.
addresses OF welcome Were delivered,
with lifting responses, and the conven-
| ton adjourned. to meet at $3.50 D. M
ne convention was occupied in the
afternoon with hearing repurts f.om for
| eign mission. home mission and SUNDAY
Schoo! boards, and the transaction Of
the routine business except for about
an hour. during which the very i'm
| portant statement and letter given be-
low We're read before the convention.
THE WHITSITT TROUBLE
me WhltS!:t controversy, which has
excited so much IN teres: among the BAD
| lists of the country. came up before the
convention to-day The Rev. DR.. Whit
| slit, president Of the Southern BAPTIST
Theological Seminary a, louisville, Ky.
| wrote SeVe;al editorials for the Inde-
| pendent, in which he took the position
| that prior to 1Gil the rite Of baptism
among the Bap:is;s was performed bv
| SpElhgilnS This started q controversy
which it WIS feared would result in a
| nsated debate during the sessions Of
| the conventions
Apparently, however, the ION has
been settled by the action OF the con-
Vention to-day T7-'.
Inc statemtn is the official action Of
The BOARD or trustees In sessions Of
night before last and this morning. and
the letter was written by d.. Whits,t,
on invitation of 4 committee from Tho
board Of trustees.
THE STATEMENT.
me trustees Of the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary assembled IN their
annual meeting in Wilmington, N q
May 6;h, 1897. desire 10 submit - ne
GaptiSts OF the South the following
statement in regard TO the instilutinn
whose Interests have been committed 10
Their care and management
oa.; !'''> we account TINS fitting
occasion TO reaiiirm our cordial and
thorough adherence to the fundamentol
arilcies adopted al the time when The
seminary was established ana ia as
sure those in whose behalf we old in
trust and administer the affairs of M.
lhSti!ut t!on OF our steadfast purpose 10
require hereafter as we have in the u /, ST
mat the fundamental laws and Sc.;ptu
TAI doctrines embodied in these articles
shali be faithfully upheld by those oc
cupEihg chairs as teachers
Second That we cannon undertake 10
sit IN Judgment on quets lions i'm B.ptist
history Wch do not lmperil any of
Ihose principals concerning which all
zap ISIS are agreed, but concernine
Mnlch se;ious. conscientious and schoi-
a!iy students are not agreed We can.
however. confidently leave to continued
research and discussion the satisfactorv
solution OF these uuest tions.
ihird. Ihat, believing the seminary to
,,',. ,,ulu an important relation to the pros
peFlty ana usefulness Of Southern Ran
tlsts. we consider it our duty. whiIo do
inandlng Of those in charge Of lis DO
paTtments Of instruction. the utmost m
siehce IN research, and the greatest dis |
I.et.oI IN utlerancc, to foster rather
than TO repress the spirit Of earnest and
reverent investig
rooTtn. ihat. being fully assured that
me tender affection which we cherish
ior TINS institution, founded by our IN n
y, "iil pcluca tncu by them to us IS |
shared by the Baptists of the South. we
caii safely trust them. as we ask them
70. 20 .rust us, TO suaro; rs nonor, promote
us usefulness and pray for It's prospcrity. |
DIR. WHlTSITT'S LETTER.
10 The Board of Trustees of the South |
ern baptist Theological Seminary;
Dear Brcthren:--I beg leave to return
slncerest and heartiest thanks for tho |
noble and generous treatment that Won
nave bestowed upon me. I have ouIy
words of affection for every member OF !
the board. After consulting with the |
committee have the following to saw: |
tlrst. That in regard to the articles
written as editorials for the Indepcn-
dent. ! have long felt that it was 81 |
mistake and the generous action OF the !
board OF Trustces-renders 1t easy for me |
TO make this statement What / wrot. |
was from Pedo- Baptist standpoint. |
with view to stimulating historical re-
search with no thought that it would IN :
lure the Baptists, and with no inten- |
lion 10 disparage Baptist doctrines or
practice nFa |
Second. That the article in Johnson's !,
encyclopedias has probably passed be-