The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-10
TO NAME GOVERNOR NORTHERN
FOR PRESIDENT or THE SOUTHERN
BAPTIST CONVENTION.

Rev. John ID. Jordan of savannah
win Place His Name in Nominal
tfOn at LouisyiIIe-GOv. Northen's
Ability as n IsresidinG officer GEN
orally Recoe nized by the Baptists
of the South--saVannah's DeIeSa-
ton TO the Cohvention-Dr. Whit
sets Resignation as President OF
the Theological seminary.
Ex-Gov, Northen. who presided over the
recent session, Of the state Baptist conven-
ton in Sayannah, wir in an probability
be elected president Of the Southern Bap-
list convention, which conyeues with the
Broadway Baptlst chqrehs st Louisville,
KY this week. W
This is Interesting news In Baptist cir
cles wen as to Gov. Northens many
friends generally Hon Jonathan Haral
son of Alabama, who has presided over
the sessions of the convention for the last
ten years, has given notice of his resigna-
lion and the sentiment of leading Bap-
| lists throughout the South has turned so
generally toward Gov. Northan as to prac-
! tically assure his election
| The place is one of much honor and i'm
| portance, relgiously speaking. The South
| ern Baptist convention represents a
| larger body of organized Christians than
any other Protestant assemblsge in the
| United States, and the convention is said
to be one of the largest deliberative bodies
in the world. there being usually about
| 1900 delegates in attendance. To preside
| successfully over such a large body re-
quires a man of rare Judgment tact ana
| discrimination with complete self-posses-
| sion under all circumstances and GOV.
| Northen probably combines in a greater
| degree these requisite qualities than any
other man that could be named for the
place. Those who witnessed his work as
| the presiding officer of the state conven-
| ton recently held in Savannah had ample
demonstration of his capacity. OF impress
sive presence, dignihed manner, prompt
| and positive in his decisions and firm in
his enforcement of the rules governing the
| convention, he was the type of the model
presiding officer. 1t is not many years
since Gov. Northen was presiding over
Farmers conventions. His able admi1is-
tration of the affairs of the State Agricul-
tural Society resulted in his elevation to
the Governors chair.
Gov. Northen win be placed in nomina-
ton by Rev. John D. Jordan of the First
Baptist Church of Savannah. He is certain
to receive the solid support of the Georgia
delegation, and Georgia usually has the
largest representation al the convention.
Should Gov Northen be elected president
| of the convention he would fill the position
held for SO many years by the late DIR.
Patrick H. Mel, of Georgia, who was also,
until the time of his death, chancellor of
the State University of Georgia.
The Savannah delegation to the conven-
ton consists OG Rev. John d. Jordan and
wife, Mr.. and Mrs. w. L. McCauley and
niece, Miss Mamie Sannaman. Mr.. w. h.
Pearee and niece, Miss Alice Mccall, C.
W. West, JT,, Charles F. Fulton, DR.. A.
M. Holt and Miss Ida Fenimore, of the
First Baptist Church, and Rev. ]. D.
Chapman OF lie Duffy Street Church. Most
of these left last night
Another matter Of interest to the Bap-
lists Of the South and, in fact, it might al
most be said 10 The Baptists of the world,
is the resignation of DR.. W. H. Whitsett
as president OF the Southern Baptist The
illogical Seminary quite commot,on was
caused in the denomination three or four
years ago by certain publications by DR..
Whitsett which were widely at variance
with the views held by Baptists generally.
Among these were criticisms of the Baptist
beliefs from the pedobaptist standpoint,
which appeared in the Independent,
widely circulated religious journal and an
historical sketch. of the Baptisls written
for Johnsons encyclopedia. Statements APP
peared in this sketch which were diamet-
| TlCat.Y opposite 10 the NEdultlOuS anu
teachings Of the Baptsts generally, and
which were very distasteful to the ma
jority of the denomination. The English
Baptists took special exceptions to the
statements male by DIR. Whitsett with re-
gard to their origin and early church his
tory and were tine first 10 call attention to
the matter. Since then the subject of DR.
Whitsetts views has been one of sharp
ana oftentimes acrimonious debate in the
| and he
ventions The Baptists of Georgia have
wisely absiained from taking any active
part in this controversy, but In other
states the question has been rather warmly
discussed
The fight has been made to bring the
trustees of the seminary to demand Dr.
Whitsett's resignation. This the trus-
| tees were unwilling TO do, because Of the
gell-known ability of the president of the
seminary and his distinguished intellec-
tual and theological attachments. There
was a general sentiment, however, that
he had acted very unwisely in attacking
accepted Baptist beliefs and traditions
without having first discussed these ques-
lions with the leaders of the denomina-
ton. That these apparent attacks should
have come from the theological head of
the denomination and that they should
have been made without notice in publ
cations outside of the denomination Gre
ated intense feeling in the denomination at
large and the tide of opposition has been
so strong shat the many friends and adj
mirers of DR.. Whitsett have been unable
TO stem it, DR.. Whitsetts resignation re-
lieyes the situation and leaves the field
clear for the selection of some one who
will be likely TO prove more satisfactory to
the denomination at large, Dr. Franklin
Howard Kerfoot of the seminary facul-
ty. who was prominent in the recent state
convention at Savannah, is among those
| v,anttona d for the pOsition.