The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-12
MISSION WORK CLOVIS
SPEECHES BY DRS. SIMMS. CAR
TER, HUFHAM AND OTHERS,
CAR TER'S STARTLING DEFENSE
DR.. IHufham Struck Home in His Picture Of the
Old Minsters--Power of the Laity in
the Baptist Church Dis
tinguiShed Visitors.

!; Oxford, n. c., Dec. 11.-Editorial Cor
, respondence. .)-They are all here.
| do not mean that every one Of the
10000 Baptists are attending the Com
vention in session in the elegant new
Baptist Church in this place, but that
their representatives are here in large
| numbers, making this one of the most
| successful and harmonious Conventions
in the history of the Baptist Church.
The environment is conducive to a.
, pleasant meeting, Granville County is
full of Baptists and many of the leading
business men in this good town belong
to that denomination. 1t has been
long time since the Convention met
here, and the people of the town and
| county have looked forward with pleas
ure to the coming of the body Of earn
est Christian men and women whs
meet in annual session.
The Convention is composed Of q
fine body of men. They have met to-
gether after a year of faithful and
fruitful work to review their successes
and plan for the future growth and
progress of the denomination. Every
step forward by these Baptists not
only means increased power for them,
but it also means elevation of a large
proportion of the citizenship Of the
State. The man who would take our
OF the history of North Carolina the
achievements of Baptist men in all our
past would rob the State of much of
the heroism and true progress that
mark its rise from a handful of colonists
mEre than two million 3 sdJi1s.a d}Jffsat State Of
'ehis Convention, more than any other
previous session, has emphasized the
glorious past of the church. A step
forward has been made in providing
means for the collection and preservation
of the history of the men who planted
the Baptist Church in every neighbOr-
hood of this good commonwealth. North
Carolina has made glorious history in
every department of life work 1t has
neglected its heroes in church and State.
What Col. William l.. Saunders com
menced to do for the State, Rev. j. d
Hufham has undertaken to do for the
Baptist Church, and in Thos. Nj. Pitt
man. ESQ, of Henderson, who publishes
the Baptist Historical Papers" DE,
Hufham has an enthusiastic co-laborar
and helper in the work in hand.
The Whitsett controversy, which has
almost rent the church in twain iii some
of the States, has been passed upon bS
this body without friction or bad teeIInsv
| am not familiar enough with the
| Whitsett controversy to give the facts,
hut as | understand it, many Baptlsts
feel aggrieved at some statement made
by DR.. Whitsett, the head Of the
Theological Seminary, to the effect that
| sprinkling or pouring, was the method
of administering Baptism in the early
church. Many of the Baptists, who DE-
/ clare that DR. Whitsett is historically
| wrong, think that he ought not to re-
main at the head Of the Baptist Theolo-
gical Seminary. Many more who are
| quite as strong in the belief that im-
mersion is the only right made of Bap
! ii Ske the ground that DR.. Whitsett
| h, lgAse nothing against the Baptist
| I'd NJ he teaches as to baptism ths
! 81 81 a baptism that characterizes
| tlN ee ST Church in all parts OF ths
| " Ind. The matter came up before tbs
| Convention in resolution introduced by
Rev. John q. White, expressing the
sense of the Convention to be that DR..
| Vhitsett ought to resign. DR.. K. L.
| Vann offered a substitute that the Con-
vention ought to make no expression,
| bat refer tie whole question to the
| Trustees of the Theological Seminary.
| In favor of the substitute DR.. j. w,
/
/ ablest arguments ever heard in a religi-
ols body in North Carolina. 1t was in
good temper and taste, free from heat
OF feeling, and while it won the Conven-
ton by decided majority, it left ne
bitterness to those whose position he
assailed. Before he began to speak il
was generally believed that the White
resolution would be adopted. When he
q ma "
4 the Convention was with him. Few
sAeeches in my recollection have had
81 ah direct and apparent influence. Al
l NAYS esteemed as one OF the foremost
2 a. teachers in the State, this speech es-
Iblished forever DR.. Carriers reputation
Al an invincible debater.
/ IThe State Union work, plans for the
development d Of Wake Forest College
ed thusasm for the completion OF he
| Baptist Female Seminary IN Ra e'gh,
I tile care of the Thomasville OTphauage,
| all ID the increase of the Ministers Relief
IN md were perhaps the most important
mH Hatters that have been considered. The
spN eeches have been of a very high order
uH ION all thl se pressing topics. Two or
=. rec of thd deserve to rank as truly
bquent. ypect to speak of at least
e Of them\ my next letter at some
9Th.
Me speaking at the Historical Soeie-
ty Friday night, opened with an address
by wProfassor II. w. Skies on "The ReS~
so rs for Preserving and Teaching Bap~
tbs It History" Only an hour before the
delivery OF this fine address, Mr.. Skies
htH ID been elected to the newly establish
edS chair OF History at Wake Forest Cols
leAe. His argument was as eloquent aa
it was sound, and made 1t certain to all
who heard him that every young man
who comes under his instruction viii
bJ imhued with love of and reverence foE
the men whose self sacrifice made pos
Concluded ON fourth pagel 4s