Evening star., 1898-12-17
BAPTIST SOCIETIES At ODDS.
Conference of Churches Proposed to
Settle Differences

Two matters of grave Importance espe-
cially to northern Baptists one of them of
long standing, are, it is said approaching
an acute stage. Baptists carry or their
missions and publication work not through
boards, but through distinct societies. each
independent of every other. The Mission
ary Union administers foreign work, with
headquarters in Boston, ard the Home
Missionary Society the home work, with
headquarters in New York. The latter sup
ports general missionaries and missionary
pastors, erects churches and maintains
educational work among the negroes in the
south. 1t is also in cooperation with the
home board of the Southern Baptist con-
Nentlon IN prosecuting work among the
negroes.
The Baptist Publication Society. with
headquarters in Philadelphia, is chiefly
concerned with the publication and distri-
button of books, tracts and Bibles. 1t has
also for some years done some work in
establishing and fostering Sunday schools
or late years it has incorporated into its
work what is known chapel car mis-
sions, and, 1t is alleged, has gradually en-
croached upon the field of the Home Mis-
sion Society, supporting general mission
aries.
At the Baptis congress recently held in
Buffalo the Rev. DR.. George f. Horr edi-
tor of a leading Baptist periodical, himself
a vice president of the Publicat ton Society
called attention to this overlapping of mis-
sionary effort and suggested that the Pub
lication Society might do well to confine
itself to its legitimate sphere of activities.
This utterance called forth d sharp criti-
cism from the Rev. DR.. a. J. Rowland,
secretary of the society, mentioning among
other things the discOurteSy of criticising
society of whose board of managers he
was a member. WhereuDon the Rev Dr.
Horr resigned vice president of the
Publication Society.
1t is said the affair will result in a con-
ference between the two societies or to
the calling of a great Baptist conference
similar to the one held in Saratoga in 1SS:S
when it Is possible the Pubicat ton Society
will be asked to discontinue it's missionary
work and to either transfer its chapel cars
to the Home Mission Society or to sell
them.
The Publication Society is also at odds
with the Southern Baptist convention The
latter employed DR.. A. j. Diaz in Havana
and accumulated property to the value of
S6O,OOO After DR. DiaZ was expelled from
Cuba the Publication Society saw fit to
take him up and send him to Mexico. I'm
mediately the protocol was signed Dr. Diaz
returned to Havana, resumed work for the
Publication Society, but occupied the prop
erty of the Southern Baptist convention.
At once the Publication Society sent out
to Baptist churches of the north and of the
sohth appeals for the support of their work
in Cuba. Secretary Tichenor of the south
ern board, who had just returned from
Cuba, reported at conference held in
Washington that all matters had been ad-
juSted, whereupon Secretary Rowland of
the Publication Society read a letter from
DR.. DiaZ, stating that he had resigned all
connection with the Baptists of the south
and would remain in the service of the
Publication Society.