The age-herald., 1897-12-15
THE BAPTTSTS WILL
 CONVENE TODAY \ Conference Over the Celebrated Whit
 Sitt Case. IT WILL BE CONSIDERED By the Convention Friday Afternoon and
 a Vote Taken. STRONG FIGHT TO KEEP IT DOWN Was Abandoned For the Sake of Harmony Ministers Meeting Was We'll Attended Some Able Papers-Dr. Black
 wells Theme Last Night.
1T WILL BE CONSIDERED
STRONG FIGHT TO KEEP IT DOWN


 The now celebrated "Whitsitt matter" will be one of the foremost themes of ab- sorbing interest before the Alabama Bap- tist convention which will be called to or der in the chapel of Howard college this morning at 10 o'clock
 A conference of the delegates was held yesterday afternoon to decide whether the case of Dr. Witsitt would be formally brought up. The result was that resolu- tion embodying the sense of the delegates to be that a committee of seven should be appointed, to which all resolutions bear ing on the case will be submitted. was passed. The committee, according to the resolution will report Friday afternoon and full and free discussion will follow. The conference revealed the fact that the friends of pr. Whitsitt among Alabamians are numerous It is doubtful if the anti Whitsitt delegates have majority. The Whitsitt element were apparently for har- mony however They first tried to d1s- pense with a discussion of the matter at all. Then a fight was made to eliminate a discussion of the question from the con vention There was some little feeling disn1aved bv those who denounce the dis tnguished Theologian as a heretfc ana . for harmony his friends gave in step py step They won point, however, when they got the time put off until the iasl hour The convention is scheduled to ao- journ Friday and all important matters will be dispatched before that date
 pr. Whitsitt's Crime
 By many of the prominent Baptists pr Whitsitt, president of the southern Ineo- logical seminary at Louisville, is consider ed nothing more nor less than religious heretc. The crime for which he has been arraigned by many Baptist organizations is the advancing of several historical iacIs' as he claimed them, touching baptism lie wrote articles in several papers, among them the New York Independent, discuss ing the historical features of English Bap- lists. The church organs have taken thls matter up and the disSension mas grown So bitter that the friends of Dr. Whitsitt have refused to subscribe to the papers ques- tioning the soundness of his position, the papers supporting him meeting the same fate from those who denounced him. The leaders have at times felt that the contro- yersy threatened to rend the church.
 At the last meeting of the board of trust ees no investigation was made or the con- duct of Dr. Whitsitt, the board accep pting a written explanation from him, which has been variously criticised. The board Will hold another meeting in Norfolk, Va, dur ing May, 1898. The question has been so thoroughly ventilated that an investigation will be necessary.
 Dr. George B. Eager, now or Montgom- cry, is the only representative of the board who will be present at the convention which convenes today. At his instance the conference yesterday afternoon was held.
 The Conference
 When the afternoon session of the min isters meeting was concluded the delegates were asked to gather on the platform
 It was announced that pr. Eager would be in charge of the meeting. He nomi- mated Dr. w. c. Cleveland, of Columbiana, for chairman, and he was elected. Rev. Mr. Hobson was made secretary.
 In taking the chair, Dr. Cleveland said in substance that he did not thank the assembly for selecting him to preside. "It is always painful to me- he said, ito off, ciate in a meeting when I am conscious that a serious division of opinion and sen timent is likely to come among the breth- ren in Alabama" He said that he had prayed earnestly over the Whitsitt matter and would not have entered the conference had any man been excused.
 Rev. MT. Campbell then invoked the Di- vine Spirit to prevent the delegates from saying and doing things during the dis cussion which they would afterwards re- gret. Dr. Cleveland stated that the conference would act a committee of the whole and then asked Dr. Eager to tell the ob- 1ect of the meeting.
 Dr. Eager said that he called the meet ing with the indorsement of the other two Alabama representatives on the board of trustees of the Southern Theological Sem- mary. He said that the trustees felt keen ly the responsibility, and closed with these words:
 "The rigl that we claim for each nro- lessor of the seminary to free research and free speech as to his findings, within the limits of our recognized articles of faith, we could accord to the humblest Baptist in the land.
 There may be, of course, questions of times and seasons of methods and propri- cities of debate in this as in other matters, but as to the right of every Baptist to think and speak for himself, on this and all other questions, there can be no just ground for difference of opinion.
 Moreover, l am not only a trustee of the seminary. I am part of the constitu- ency of the Southern Baptist convention and as such, l feel my share of interest in all Its organized work. An Alabamian, not by birth. but by choice, I have earned the right to speak a word in the interest of our organized work by seventeen years of almost unbroken service within your borders. And what I plead for, and what feel that I have right to plead for, in this conference, Is such a discussion, or disposition, of this vexed question, here, or in the convention, as will work the least harm, not to our ministry only, but to our great organized benevolent, missionary and educational work in this state, and in the Southern Baptist convention.
 Three Plans Proposed
 "What, then, do I propose? You may ask. There have been three plans sug- gested:
 "The first That of our Tennessee breth- ren.
 "An agreement to observe golden si- fence in our convention touching the whole matter.
 "second. An agreement to allow what ever resolutions may be offered on the sub ject to be voted without debate, and Third. To allow perfect freedom in the offering of resolutions and in debate, pro- 
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