Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-01
Rev. W. t. Johnson and Others in
Reuity.-More Words About
The Raglan.
(Lynchburg, Va. Christian Organizer. )

(Lynchburg, Va. Christian Organizer
The evident unhappy condition in
which the old First Baptist Church of
Richmond finds itself can be explained
only in the dispositions of some unre.
generates to operate the church in their
own selfish interests. The desire on the
part OF two or three to force themselves
into prominence over barriers that are
insurmountable, because they are nat
ural. These men until recently, had no
acknowledged place in the life of the
church developed. Their inability to
lead Alright is found in their lack of the
fundamentals in renovated life; they
have shown themselves to be both pig
and pup, and it is most difficult thing
TO tell when they are the one or the 9TH
er.. Their weapons are purely carnal,
and their ulimatum is fore-ordained
failure. The surprise which has ceased
now to be surprise, has been TO most
persons, whose acquaintance with the
Rev. w. T. johnson had led them Co
think most highly of him. was thst be
should have accepted the church under
the circumstances. This act BETRAYED
IN him streak of character that no one
could have guessed; what followed on
Sunday morning, 9th inst, was nothing
more or less than legitimate resultant
from that same streak of weakness
which will eventuate in the overthrow
of an otherwise good man. Rev. w. T.
johnson has already lost his place in the
hearts of his people. That Is the first
place that a man is overthrown, and
that is the most serious overthrow.
This Is TO be regretted. The hope of
tiNs BAPTIST Church, as OF any church,
is in the purity and strength of the min
lstry. The young men who are stepping
up into the splendid places left vacant
by the fathers are TO exemplify in them
selves by reverential stoicisn born of
the lowly Eazarine as he walked beneath
bended palms of Palestine. The charac-
ter of man filing q place will depend
very largely, almost entirely. upon the
character of the people calling him. This
nsstrue IN the F'~saazer, the 9th Mt Zion
ana otner churches Whenever the viii
f'the people is frustrated and tricksters
are employed TO engineer matters, the
real life OF the church suffers violence,
the real purpose of the Church is thwart
ed and.though it may go for time, re
versal must come; it may come by peace
ful means where the pastor finds him
self the irritant and that he is likely to
continue such; if he is sufficiently en-
lightened spiritually, he resigns peace
fully. The reversal must come, and if
AC udS ACt LlftA bfittl heavenly VISION, lC
may come through baptism of blood.
The Negro has now but one institu-
tion TO govern outside of his individual
home, and that is, his church. The
Baptist Church at this late date, can not
be converted into a monarchy. We have
been taught that the Baptist Church
is democracy of the purest kind, and
we will contend for this phase of the
faith once delivered to the Saints; any
thing less than this freest and fullest
recognition of his every right as a men,
Der in full standing in a Baptist church,
will be met; will be resented ON Sunday
morning, or any other morning.
1t is indeed difficult to understand
how the Rev. w. T. johnson could al
low himself to be led so far from the ac-
cepted-the common parlance. Nothing
IS more evident than that he is systemat
u5cally planting the seed that must ger
~ and soon sprout into discord,
disruption, disgrace and death. Will
none of his real friends cali halt? We
are informed that you are laughing in
your sleeves at him, shame upon you
The young man Absalom is still alive.
There is chance yet. tell him tell
him he is wrongi He is plunging in an
abyss and dragging few deluded fol-
lowers with him
truth, though sad at times, is still the
truth. We read, learn and inwardly di-
gest the word of God in vain if we have
not come up to this height.
The leader of people can rot afford,
by vicious, unparliamentaTy and unbap-
tistic ruling, show himself weak to the
extent that he would take the smallest
advantage of the humblest member of
his church, and this has been greatly
aggravated to the view of the outside
world when it is seen that these things
are preconcerted and artfullY contrived
to be done at time when no intelligent
self-respecting church would transact
its business; when it is done under cir
cumstances, to say the least. are ques-
tionable to the last degree; when they
are done to the end of trampling the
most sacred ordinances of the church in
dnst; when they are done by men
&zke training certainly should be re-
binder to them of better things, and
Fhen they are contriving to enable the
5 preacher, who had failed in his regular
3church meeting to win outwith am ''un-
&dercut, y hs should be too manly to &C
ce2t any such unholy victory. The fear
is, that Rev. johnson has fallen into the
= hands of advisors who do not register
&very high upon the righteous scale of
Christian ethics in the estimation of
pen and women of enlightened con-
siences.
~ 1t might be well for Rev. johnson to
ook about himself and note the trend
sevents. He may recognize the old
lamilie- iipc' "God moves in myster-
ious ways" .Nhe court records will help
him some by showing him that there
lre men and women in the church who
believe in branding infaIny, shameless
y ess and treachery in high places, and
B reverse these people, is to put him
Elf in the category of the loose and inn
noral. 1t represents him as siding with,
iding and abetting those who would
i ob the nome Of its light, truth and
bye. Can you do this, brother? These