The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-18
THERE WERE TWO REPORTS
And Both We're Laid On the Table By
Vote Of SO to 81.
WARM DEBATE PRECEDED VOTE
DR.. Hawthorn of Nashville, Led the Friends
of DR.. Whitsitt, and Or. Shackelford
Championed Minority Report
Convention Has Adjourned.

The Baptist convention took no action on
the Whitsitt matter. The matter was
brought up in the shape of majority and
minority report from the committee yester-
day afternoon. After a heated discussion
both reports were laid on the table by
vote of SO to So
The majority report held that no action
should be taken for the sake of harmony
and expressed implicit confidence in the
trustees of the Southrn Baptist Theological
seminary to deal with the case.
The minority report recounted the charges
and asked that DR.. Whitsitt be removed
from the head of the seminary
The Question Brought Up
After Scripture reading and prayer Rev.
L. o. Dawson read the majority report in
the Whitsitt matter. He said that the com
mittee had unanimously agreed to devote
three hours to the consideration of the
subject and was sorry that it was neces-
sary to bring in two reports DR.. Shackle-
ford read the minority report after a
motion was carried to lay the majority re-
port on the table while the former was
being announced.
After some discussion the majority report
was taken from the table. DR.. Shackleford
moved to substitute the minority report for
the majority and that DR.. Schaeffer open
the discussion. Carried.
]. B. Stewart offered an amendment to
the minority report, pledgng the convention
harmony in all its work undisturbed by this
discussion, and, Furthermore, not to per-
nit it to be injected into the work again,
which was unanimously carried.
DIR. ]. B. Shaeffer spoke for the minority
report. He said 1t was the duty of the
convention to express an opinion in the
matter as guide for the board of trustees
of the Southern Theological seminary, who
alone had the matter in charge, as there
was Baptist church universal to try men
for crimes. "Outside his book we hold that
DIR. Whitsett has undervalued the felow
ship and intelligence of the masses of Bap-
fists, or he would have taken them into full
confidence"
"When some sixteen years ago he con-
cluded to publish his editorials in the New
York Independent, his whole action lacked
the wisdom and grace that should have
characterized a Baptist leader"
DIR. Hawthorne For Waitsitt.
DIR. j. B. Hawthorne said: sit is very
sion will proceed and end without the
semblance of unkindly feelings. 1t is
scarcely in range of possibility for Bro.
schaffer and myself to be estranged I
know him and his contributions to Baptist
state history and will love and honor him
to the last day of my mortal life.''
"Who is w. H. Whitsitt? l have known
him for over half my life. He was born
to in, ha che of old his
toric church of Baptist parents His ia
Their was a Baptist minister In his young
boyhood he gave his heart to Christ, was
buried with Christ in baptism God called
him to His sacred work of Gospel
ministry and he was set apart TO his lofty
calling. He has risen until he stands
among the foremost scholars of the nine
teenth century, the peer in ecclesiastical
| history of any on this or any other con-
| tinent.
What Has He Done?
| What has he done? He has published
book on Baptist history What is the
opinion on Baptist history which has given
offense? Dr. Schaffer says it Is needless to
discuss this. But why not discuss it?
That Is the offense. DR.. Whtsitt has
never apologized; he confesses that the
method of publication was a mistake.
HE doesn't say immersion was not prac-
| ticed prior to 1911. He says 1t was taught
and practiced by John the Baptist and by
| Christ and His apostles. Doesn't say there
were no immersed people in England, but
/ that there were Baptsts who practiced
| sprinkling and pouring. That in 16n there
was a transition period when immersion
| was revided."
ssWas DIR. Whitsitt alone? No. Robinson
wrote a Baptist history and Cosby's &C
count is substantially the account given
by Whitsitt, Newman and Wedder. We
have another, Evans, who gives substan-
italy the same account"
| Dr. Hawthorne asked If man could not
| hold an independent place in history. DID
| he have to teach only those things dictated
| to him? He said that DR.. Whitsitt did not
resign because he knew he was right. He
had provoIxad Investigation and in q few