The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-27
THE wHIrsIrT CONTROVERSY.

| Theological Seminary will meet at the
First Baptist Church in Atlanta on Thurs
day to elect a president Of that Institution
10 succeed DR.. w. II. Whitsiu, who re-
signed last May. DR.. j. 2. Greene, Of MIS-
souri,, was elected to the position. but he
declined II. 1t IS not improbable that the
! trustees VIII nave some difficulty in getting
a president that VIII be entirely satisfac-
| tory. owing to the existence Of the con-
troversy which brought about the resigna-
lion of Or. Whitsitt
This controversy arose in a rather Gu
rious way Or. Whhstt was the professor
Of history in the Southern Baptist Theo-
logical Seminary before he became its pres
| ident. Nearly twenty years ago, while on
a visit to England, he studied the records
of the British museum for the purpose of
informing himself respecting the history
of the early English Baptists. What he
found in these records led him to believe
that immersion was not practiced by the
English Baptlsts prior to 1871. He
regarded this fact as curious
one, but didn't consider that 1t in
any way affected the integrity of the
Baptist creed or tended to impair the con-
fidence of Baptlsts in the doctrine of i'm
mersion. He presented the results of his
researches in the archives of the British
museum TO the public in a series Of articles
in the New York Independent. They were
not published over his signature, however,
and the name of the author of them re-
NAMED a secret for a long time. About
five years ago he prepared an article on
the same subject for Johnson's Encyclo-
pedia. Less than four years ago he an
nounced that he was the author of the
articles in the Independent, and also the
one In the encyclopedia.
Then there was a great outcry against
him. The man who attacked him the most
bitterly was DR.. T. I. Eaton, the pastor
of a Louisville, KY, church, and the edi-
tor of a Baptist paper. In these attacks
DR. Eaton was assisted by his son. The
position taken was that DR.. Whitsitt was
teaching the students of the theological
seminary heretical doctrines.
Dr. Eaton didn't confine his writings to
the paper which he edited, but published
pamphlets and scattered them broadcast
throughout the South, and he attended
Baptist gatherings and conventions and
made Dr. Whitsitts alleged heresy the
subject of his dlscourses. Naturally the
Baptsts began to take an interest an the
matter and it wasn't long before there
were two factions in the church-factions
which differed on the question of DR.. Whit
Sits heresy. Up to this time Dr. whits.tt
had said nothing in his own defense, though
his partisans had said all that could be
said in his behalf They declared that it
was the hight of folly TO make a COM
paratively unimportant historical fact the
test of Baptist faith and loyalty. They said
further that the evidence appeared 10 sus-
tain the statement which DIR. Whitsitt had
made, and that, as the professor of his
tory at the seminary he would not be true
to his duty if he failed to teach what he
believed to be the truth.
The controversy waxed so warm that two
eminent Baptist ciergymen were sent to
England to examine the archives of the
British museum and report the result of
their Investigations. One of them under
took to show that DR.. Whtsitt was mis-
taken, but he was not successful, and the
other stated that there was no doubt of
the correctness of what DR.. Whitsitt had
said about the early English Baptists not
practicing immersion.
Then the Baptist conventions took the
matter up. The convention which met al
Wilmington, N. c., two years ago was
asked by district and state Baptist bodies
to pass a resolution requesting the trus-
tees of the seminary to call for DR.. Whit
Sits resignation. The trustees, however,
decided to sustain him. But there was no
dminution in the vigor in the fight which
DR.. Eaton waged against DR.. Whitsitt.
When the Baptist convention met at Nor
folk, Va. the following year, the resolu-
lions offered against DIR. Whitsitt were
even more vigorous than those which had
been offered at Wilmington. The trustees
stood firm, however, and the doctor re-
NAMED at the head of the seminary.
Thinking men OF the church, however,
felt that if the controversy continued much
longer there would be serious trouble in
the church, and therefore they advised DR..
| Whitsitt to resign. He accepted their adj
vice, and when the Baptist convention met
in Louisville last May has resignation was
forwarded to the trustees who, although
they didn't want TO accept it decided that,
all things considered, 1t would be advisa-
| the controversy is ended. Assuming that
| the foregoing statement relative to the
origin and progress of the controversy is
correct. it seems to be fair to say that DR..
Eaton is responsible for the whole trouble
that he and those who agree with him
determined TO drive DIR. WhItsitt out of
the seminary, even though they were not
able to show that the statement he made,
namely. that the English Baptists, prior
to 1641, didn't practice immersion, was not
true.
The Charleston Post wishes to see the
commercial bodies of Charleston and Sa-
vannah form an alliance for the promo
ton of mutual interests. The two cities
''yoked together would make powerful
team" says our contemporary. We are
sure that the commercial bodies of Savan-