Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-07-12
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH'S
WANTS.

g
mond has been having stormy time
during the past four months.
Its membership is rent by discussion
and its deliberations characterized by
a spirit of intolerance and bossism
which have Disguised all conservative
classes and made its name a by word
and reproach in this community.
. We have purposely omitted a record
of its proceeding because it would have
tendency to cause the world TO Won
der whether or not it was impossible for
the God-fearing membership to assert
its power and relegate these disturbing
elements to the rear.
, Not satisfied with having illegally ex-
cluded the editor of this journal from
its membership by vote of 56 to Ga and
despite the fact that he has been vlndi-
Gated by a council composed of 76
churches and representation Of three
hundred able divines and laymen, it
now, upon the advice of its partisans
the First Baptist Church calls upon the
Fifth st. Baptist Church to drop the
editor from it's membership upon the
pain of having the righthand- of fellow
ship withdrawn from it, by the First
Baptist Church.
After noting the disorderly proceed
ings, it will seem TO the public that the
Fifth st. Baptist Church and all other
churches endeavoring to live up TO the
tenets of the good and lowry Jesus
would welcome such a withdrawal.
During all of this discussion, no OPP
portunity was given the party most in
terested in the controversy to be heard
So far as we are concerned, our lot is
cast with the FIFTH STREET BAPTIST
CHURCH and we shall abide by its de
crees. We have found ourselves in the
midst of friends-strong, staunch
friends and we believe that we can
trust them to the end
Before the discussion is ended these
misguided people will find out that
JOHN MITCHELL, JR., is neither dead
nor sleeping in religious sense.
He has friends in Richmond, in Vir.
ginia and in the country at large, Jeal-
Gus partisans cannot cripple either him
or the PLANET.
The designing men who are spewing
hot or cold as suit their fancy will find
out that the people, the OPEN hearted
colored people will fathom their mo-
tives, discountenance their methods and
foil them in their purposes.
God knows we have engaged in this
controversy from the purest motives.
When colored men do wrong, engage in
disreputable practices, insult white and
colored citizens, disgrace and pollute
the temple of God, we shall oppose them
with all the energy we possess.
Hiscock's Directory. better known as
the Baptist Pohty, on Page 2O2 reads as
follows:
: "A Church may eXscind member
judged unworthy of further fellowship
alter due process of disciplinary law
but having cut him off, they cannot
continue TO hold the rod in terror over
him, and bar him from counsel. and
even from the sympathy of others, sim
\ ~ ON the ground of their action.
And they ought TO be ashamed of
themselves II IN any wise, they attempt
TO follow him with maledictions after
they nave cast him out"
: This is the mode of procedure defin-
ed and advice given.
( The Fifth st. Baptist Church did not
#, act of its own voition, it was advised
. by a counsel Of unprejudiced divines
and laymen. 1t took its instructions
from that source and it is hardly TO be
presumed that it viii shift its pc sition
and take orders by way of the disorder
ly characters OF the First Baptist
Church.