Richmond planet., 1902-08-02
EDITOR MITCHELL
ANSWERS.
A REPLY To THE FIRST
.BAPT CHURCH.
THE AGITATION CONTINUES
TROUBLE IN ZION.
Wants the Journalist Cast Out
Wrong First and Wrong Last.
Rev. Johnson Helpless.-A Deplorable
Situation.

Rev. Johnson Helpless.-A Deplorable
Situation.
The First Baptist Church has at last
broken its long silence and continues
the agitation of a subject which can but
lead to its further humiliation. The
review of the trouble as stated by its
committee is as damaging to the church
as anything that has ever appeared in
these columns.
We have said nothing of the collaring
of Deacon Benjamin Harris on Sun,
day morning during sacred services by
Brother Henry G. Carter. Deacon Har-
ris about so years of age and told his
friends of the affair with tears in his
eyes.
Brother Garter was before the Deacon
Board and was required to apologize at
Its meeting July 18th, 1909. Editor
Mitchell issued the following reply:
An article recently appeared purport-
ing TO have been ordered by the First
Baptist Church at its regular meeting.
June 2nd, 1909. 1t states that silence
now necessary TO speak out in bold and un
equivocal language. So be it. 1t asks;
What have we done to merit the scor-
inge We shall be pleased to enIghten
that body in language too plain to be
misunderstood. 1t permitted scenes in
the house of God too disgraceful to be
tolerated by any Christian people.
WILL BE LONG REMEdBERED.
The calling of pastor will be long
remembered. Hats were waved on
canes, a hurrah followed and those who
were favorable to others than the
successful candidate were jeered and
hooted and the writer of this article
was threatened with bodily injury.
No one of these offenders have been
called before the church to be repri.
manded, much less to be excluded.
Despite all this and In the interest of
peace and harmony, moved to make the
election of Rev. w. T. Johnson unani-
nous, presuming that these people
would come TO their senses and treat
those who disagreed with them with
that kindness and consideration consis-
tent with good breeding and true
religion.
ASHAMED OF THEM,
God knows was ashamed of the
people who had done so much to dis
grace the church and the columns OF
the PLANET We're silent for one month
When 1 visited the next church-meet
ing, the same spirit of intolerance exist
ed and nothing was entertained not in
keeping with that spirit of intolerance
so plainly displayed the meeting before
I notice that this committee has pub
ished this alleged private letter. If il
was crime for the editor of the
PLANET to publish the letter, why should
it be a virtue for the church to do it9
PECULIAR PREDiCAMENT.
The First Baptist Church does not
deny that the vote to call Rev. w. T
Johnson was not unanimous 1t doe,
not state that the negative side was
never called for by the chair. If then il
was not unanimous, what becomes OF
that official notification to Rev. johnson
stating that he had been unanimously
called and in what predicament does il
place him in accepting a kind of cal
that had never been rendered to him
Truly may he exclaim. "Save me from
my friendsW
A DAMAGING ADMISSION
The committee makes most damag
ing admission, when it says that DR.
Jones declined to yield the floor for
motion requesting me not 70 publish
Mr.. Johnson's letter. 1t admits tha
no such motion was made either before
or since. 1t is needless 10 remark tina
had such a request been made by the
church, it would have been respected
by the Editor of the Planet, 1t was no
made. There is no law upon the book
Of the First Baptist Church prohibiting
the publication of its proceedings. The
church-meeting was an open one, II
that others than members of the Firs
Baptist Church were permitted to b
present. The Moderator did not reques
the Editor not to publish the letter. H
stated that the Editor would not do $,
and if he had made such a request /
would only be matter of courtesy as {.
whether the request would be compiled
with.
AN INFORMANT OMISSION.
The church is silent as to how cam
before the church. The constitution O
the church provides that all cases O
discipline shall first comeXbefore tn
Deacon Board. have never been cite
before the Deacon Board. No one ha
been to see me to convince me of tn
erEdr. The laws of the church wer