The Portland daily press., 1897-06-21
BAPTISM.
Shall 1t Be BY Immersion Or By
Sprinkling.

Sprlnkllng.
Troublous Time at Bethany Church-Dif
| ference of Opinion Between Pastor and
Supporters-A Congregational Council
Held In Regard to tho Matter.
| The people of South Portland are just
now deeply interested in the troubles
of the Bethany Congregational church,
difference of opinion between the pas
tor and his supporters, and an opposing
faction which led last week to the hold
ing of council of Congregational clergy
men to consider and advise upon the
matters in dispute. Bethany church is
a young one, having been formed a year
ago. Its pastor is the Rev. Charles E.
Andrews, who is also pastor Of the Free
church, Morrill's Corner, Deering When
the new church at South Portland was
formed, there were included among its
members some who had been affiliated
with other churches. 1t is this fact which
seems to have been the cause of the
trouble. The controversy has largely
centered upon the method of baptism
there being those who desired to be bap-
tized by immersion. Now, baptism by
immersion is not contrary to the polity
| of Congregationalism, and so Mr.. An
drews, last April, arranged with Rev.
MIR. Woodward, pastor of the Second Ad-
vent church. to have two baptisms by i'm
mersion in the case of two applicants who
desired that that form be used. The
service was held in the Second Advent
church in Congress place, on the eve
ming of Sunday, April 4, Mr.. Andrews
| participating in the meeting. In anoth-
er case similar arrangement was made
with the Rev. Mr.. Gate, then the pastor
of the First Free Baptist church. Later
in the spring, other attendants at Bethany
desired to be baptized by immersion and
applied to Mr. Andrews to perform the
ceremony in the waters at the shore.
To this request, it is stated, that Mr.. An
drews replied that he must have time to
consider the matter. Some of those in
terested, evidently believing that the pas
tor had refused or would refuse to com
ply with their request, then went to Mr..
/
ceremony. This lead to an interchange
of letters between Mr.. Woodward and Mr.
Andrews. The Portland clergyman wrote
to the South Portland pastor that he con-
sidered it duty to accede to such re-
quests, but felt that Mr.. Andrews ought
to understand the matter. Mr.. Woodward
said in this letter that he should prefer
that Mr.. Andrews do the baptizing, or
to do it himself simply as assisting Mr.
Andrews. He added that he should con-
slider it his duty to go ahead if he did
not hear from Mr.. Andrews.
To Mr.. Woodward's letter, Mr.. An
drews replied, protesting against the
terial courtesy.
Mr.. Andrews replied that if persons
connected with his parish were to be
baptized by immersion, the arrangement
should be made by him and he was per-
fectly willing to make such arrangements
in this case as he had in others.
The next chapter in the trouble came
when Mr.. Woodward went to South Port
land and baptized several of the appli-
cants. The service was held on the shore
of the cove, near Birthstone point. At
ter this the relations of the pastor and a
portion of his people did not improve
and finally the council was called and
was convened last week with Rev. DR..
Jenkins as moderator and Mr.. A. H.
Small as scribe. AT Wednesdays session
of the council, the two sides to the con-
trary were presented. Then an adjourn
ment was taken to the Y. M. c. A.
rooms in Portland, where the members
of the council formulated their decision.
That evening, DIR. Jenkins and Rev.
Mr.. Wright met the church members at
South Portland. In their finding, the
council strongly advised the members of
the church to retain Rev. Mr.. Andrews
as their pastor for the present at least.
The council urged the members of the
church to heal their differences and de-
precate any irregularity in the manner
of withdrawal by those who felt they
could not remain, saying that withdraw
ais should be made in the regular way by
means Of letters of dismissal to other
churches. 1t was also pointed out that
the church had been organized as Con-
gregational body, that it had been great
" aided financially and otherwise by
Congregationalist churches and clergy
men and that it had been made bene-
ficiary of the missionary society of that
denomination.
There the matter rests at present. Some
of the disaffected last Sunday held
meetings in hose house and it is I'M
derstood that there are some who declare
that they will not return to the Bethany
fold. There is considerable feeling dis
played over the matter in South Port
land, the disaffected, or some of them,
being firm in their claim that Rev. Mr..
Andrews refused the request for baptism
by immersion.
.. The retail dealer who advertises, ''We
always give just what you ask for,' and
: live up to his promise. is certain of a