Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-07-06

III.
Then arose Brother Briggs to a point
OF order. Mitchell continued TO demand
the ruling of the chair. While admit
ting that he had done as Brother Mitch
ell charged, Chairman Wilder said the
speaker could appeal.
Mitchell urged that he must have his
ruling before he could have anything on
which TO base an appeal. After a ring
ing protest, the chairman ruled that re-
port OF deaths was now in order.
Then, Clerk y. p. Vandervau read a
letter from Rev. w. T. Johnson, B. ID.
1t was as follows:
REV. JoHNsoN's s LETTER.
LEXINGTON. VA, June z, 1901.
To The FIRST BAPrIsr CHURCH of
Richmond, Va:
Dear Brethren and Sisters
Your letter notifying me OF
the unanimous call TO the pastoratate of
your church is now before me-. Permit
me TO say TO you, that have the call mn
der prayerful consideration. Whatever
shall be the promptings and leadings of
the. Holy Spirit, ishall be my course to
pursue.
TO PRAY AS DID MOSES.
feel to pray as did Moses on one oc-
casion, Lord suffer one not to go up
hence unless thy presence go with me.''
The work OF the church of God is sup
erior to all other work and consequently
/ firmly believe that the HOLY Spirit
should influence the decision of Gods
called servants in the performance of all
duties involved on the account of said
work.
HOPES 1T DID.
] truly hope that the Holy Spirit ac
tuated you in unanimously extending to
me the call TO pastor of your church. /
have no fear whatever of placing this
entire matter in Gods hand and abid-
ing his decision.
Well do / remember that Gods word
teaches us, without Christ we can do
nothing, but with Christ we can do all
things"
Now, request that you would pray
that the Lord Will guide me in making
the decision in this all important mat
ter.
QUESTION OF FUNDS.
take for granted that you will AM
PLY provideifor your Shepherd, although
you did not say In your letter of June 4,
H. ~.
Your servant in Christ Jesus,
w. 7. JOHNSON.
p. s. / will have to give my people
here three months notice should J. come.
So You see how important it is for me
to hear from you.
w. TT.
Deacon Harrison Smith desired TO
know by what authority Rev. johnson
had been notified. He observed that
the notification had been sent the day
after the church-meeting and the church
had not authorized any one to send such
notification. 1t was finally disclosed
that the clerk had sent it by the direc-
ton of Chairman R. T. Hill. Deacon
smith entered his protest
Rev. DIR. j. e. Jones stated that in
order TO get the letter properly before
the church that he moved that it be re-
celved for consideration. This was car
ried. Upon this, Editor Mitchell OBJ
tanned the floor. He declared the letter
TO be remarkable in many particulars.
de referred to its Cody spirit and ask
ed If the news of the disgraceful pro-
ceedings at the other church meeting
had not reached Lexington, Va.
Brother T. H. Briggs objected. He
insisted that Brother Mitchell confine
himself to the letter. Mitchell proceed
ed and was interrupted by Robert Wat
kins, who was guard at the Virginia
Penitentiary during Readjuster rule,
and by Henry G.. Carter and by some of
the females.
WANTED ORDER.
He demanded that he be given order
and declared he would not proceed un-
less he secured it. Editor Mitchell stat
cd that objections had been made to his
not confning himself to the letter, and
now he was being interrupted by these
people, although he was reading extracts
from the letter Of the minister, whom
they had called as pastor. Theyecould
not stand sound doctrine. He Mitch
ell had been member Of the First Bap-
tist Church for 2S years and this was
the second time that he had ever arose
to say anything in a church-meeting
although thec chNych gecQrds would show
'0'a'is' "a R's'7