The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-02-05
DR.. Diaz Leaves the Mission.

The Baptist newspapers in the South
have been recently discussing their
missionary operations in the island of
Cuba, especially work controlled by
Rev. Alberto J. Diaz, pastor of the
Gethsemane Baptist church in the city
of Havana, who for a number of years
was a familiar figure at the annual
meetings of the Southern Baptist Con-
vention. DR.. Diaz was an impressive
speaker, and his broken English was
very attractive and captivating. He
was Cuban patriot, formerly Cath
olic, and was expatriated for his re-
bellion against Spain and its author
ity. He became Baptist while an in
mate of New York hospital, and was
sent to Cuba about fifteen years ago
as missionary of the Southern Bap-
tist convention. When the Spanish
American war came on, Diaz again
took sides against Spain, and mission
ary operations were suspended. Among
other enterprises Diaz had projected
was the purchase Of theatre on
principal street in Havana, for which
the Southern Baptists paid $50, ,0o0,
in which the Gethsemane church held
it's services with a large membership.
The war inteffered with the orderly
arrangement of the church's affairs,
and complications arose as to the own
ership of the building, which is the
largest and most imposing church
building belonging to the Protestants
in Cuba, and is now valued at $780,
600. Messrs. F. ri. Mcconnell, W.
W. Landrum and George ~Hillyer, Of
Atlanta, were sent recently as a COM
mission to settle the differences be-
tween the Cubans and the Southern
Baptist Convention, which has result
ed in the resignation of DR.. Diaz as
one of its missionaries and the reten-
tion of the property by the convention.
DR.. W. W. Lndrum, member of
the commission who went to Cuba, has
made the following statement on his
return this week:
"The pastor of the church, Rev. Dr..
a. J. Diaz, resigned his position as
missionary of the board and the
resignation was accepted, but the
church refused to accept his resigna-
tion as pastor. This produced an IN
pleasant situation. It was simply
this. The church, in the exercise Of
its rightful independence as a Baptist
congregation, determined to continue
as pastor minister who was not ac-
ceptable to the board and also to de-
clare it had equity rights in a house
of worship exclusively owned by
American Baptists. It became neces-
sary for US to explain to our Cuban
brethren that, as an Independent
church, they could choose whomeyer
they wished as pastor, but if the min
lister selected was persona non grata
to the board it would refuse to give
him an appointment as missionary or
to aid in supporting him.. After sew
eral conferences between our commit
tee and the church all differences were
adjusted, and the Gethesemane
church desires to cooperate with the
board.
81 cannot anticipate the report Of
the committee, of which Judge Hill
yer is chairman, further than to say
that Rev. DR.. Diaz is no longer a
missionary of the Southern Baptist
Convention. This fact l announce
with profound sorrow. ] regard DR..
| D1aZ as the aDleSG llVlnS fIOGeSGeSCallG y
preacher in Cuba and magnetic
orator of wonderful endowments. His
| methods of work, however, are not
acceptable to Southern Baptists.
If he had been less a politician and
more consecrated minister of the
unadulterated gospel he would have
exercised an infudence in Cuba not
unlike that of Knox in Scotland. He
is warm personal friend of General
Maso, the defeated candidate for presi-
dent, but when he took the stump for
him, in disregard of his ministerial
vows, DR.. Diaz lost caste with his
brethren in the island and here at
home. Partisan politics is rarely, if
ever, means of grace to a man of
Cod
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