Richmond planet., 1902-08-02
AN IMpARr1AL COUNCIL.

AN IMPARTIAL COUNCIL.
/ did this and that church called
council OF disinterested and unpreju-
diced divfnes and lay-men. The First
Baptist Church WAS invited They rec.
commended that be received and this
was done by the Fifth Street Baptist
Church.
The Baptist Polity, which the First
Bapt. church seemed in my case to be so
anxious to uphold and sustain, SAYS that
should sister church receive a MEM
Der who had been denied a re-hearing,
and denied Mutual Council, the
church which excluded him could hay Q
no just ground for complaint"
THE PAYNE-LEwIs COMBINE.
To discuss the ex-parte council called
by the First Baptist church would be to
tell OF the Payne-Lewis combine and
the deal whioh have been thoroughly
aired before the public. The statement
that the white churches were repre-
sented is on a par with other assertions
Will the Fifth Baptist church, the
Ebenezer Baptist church, the Mt. Car
mel Baptist church, the Third Street
Baptist church, the Sixth Mt. Zion Bap-
tlst church, the Rising Mt. Zion Bap-
tlst church, the Calvary Baptist church,
the Mt. Tabor Baptist church stand by
the action of that council? Will the
Second Baptist church and the Zion
Baptist church of Manchester stand by
lE Will any of the white churches al
legged TO have been represented stand by
lS To ask the questions is to answer
them.
THAT ISSoLEyT DEMAND,
The First Baptist church demands
shat the Fifth Street Baptist church
drop me within sixty days. is this in
the proper spirit? Is it not in violation
of the Baptist Polty which the First
Baptist church is so anxious to uphold
and maintain?
On Page 202 il says: "a church
may exscind member judged unwor-
thy of further fellowship, after due
process of disciplinary law; but having
cut him OF, they cannot continue to
hold rod OF terror over him, and bar
him from counsel, and even the sylnpa
thy of others, simply on the ground Of
their action. And they ought to be
ashamed Of themselves If in any wise
they attempt to follow him with male
dictions after they have cast him OUT"
ALLEGED PROSPERITY.
The churoh's committee says that the
church is prospering, and then makes
the following additional damaging ad-
mission: 1.-THE spiritual and religious
condition, while not as good as we
would like to have it, is steadily on the
increase" What other way is there to
gauge the true progress OF q church?
The meetings are stormy and the dis
cussions acrimonious. Attempts are as
yet being made to oust the Deacon
Board.
Money Is made at dance halls, gamb-
ling dens, theatres and upon the race
course, but the spiritual growth is pri-
mary IN the progress of a church.
DIDN'T REMEMBER THIS.
The church and its committee are 81
lent on the committee Of ten, consisting
Of five members from each side, that
met in one of the ante-rooms Of tho
church and after praying upon bended
knees reached compromise agreement.
1t did not tell of the action Of Chair
man Briggs and Nelson Williems, Jr.,
IN adjourning the meeting, while this
| committee was trying to make a report.
1t does not state that the member who
| forged the names to the meeting called
| for the purpose of bringing about my
| exclusion has never been up for trial
before the church or punished, although
| his offense has been time and again
brought to the official notice Of the
| church.
NO FEELING OF BITTERNESS.
For our part, we are permeated with
a feeling Of pity rather than by pang
Il hfffa~NNnoc a H. -
! l could in behalf of humanity and in
the defense of the race with which ]
am identified. Standing in the pres
once of God, affirm that the meetings
at the First Baptist church in connec.
ton with the call of a pastor were the
most disgraceful ever seen here, that
the allegations in the resolutions re-
/ ferred to can be substantiated and we
stand ready so to do.
| Its with regret that we say this, but
when men insist in forcing upon us a
| policy so at variance with true religion,
the issue must be met.
STILL FEEL SECURE.
| / am in the Fifth Street Baptist
church and the feeling there is such as
to Justify me in feeling secure. If
however, my elimination from the Bap-
4 GlSb CAuICA WOulQ lnSuI6 peace, huu H.
hearts blood satisfy the irTeooncila.
bles, stand ready to make the sacri
fee. If the stormy scenes through
which have passed and am now pass
ing are true indexes of the composition
Of the Church, then confess that an
| ready to retire from the arena Of earth
ly religion and take my chances with
Gods pure and unadulterated gospe
as set forth IN the teachings Of the good
and lowly Jesus. 1 have done the
best / could.
WEARY OF TURMOIL.
We are tired of the strife and Turmoil
of this life and we are ready whenevel
the end comes to await and receive on.
reward, being brave enough to face tn,
horrors Of hell OF happy enough 10 vel
come the joys of heaven.
One thing we know; with all Of on
sins Of omission and commission, w
| have done the best we cOuld and w,