The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-30
ALIEN |MM[ RS|ON
Georgia Baptists in a Heated
Controversy.
Rev. Len G. Brough.oo, Formerly Of Raleigh
in the Centre of the Cor fct in The
Church.


Stone Mountain Association, which meets
at Conyers, Ga, this week, the difference
of opinion on the question of "alien INNER
SION" which now threatens schlsm
among Georgia Baptists, will come to a
CRISIS. 1t says:
AT the last annual meeting OF the as
ISOLATION held az Charleston last Septem
Der, Il resolution was passed to the ell
tecC that the ASSOCIATION would Withdraw
fellowship from any church containing
members who had been baptized by ota.
ers than authorized Baptist MINISTER'S.
The church at winch TINS resolution was
AIMED, the Tabernacle Baptist Church OF
Atlanta, has made no change III It's pol
lev and the association has to face the
proposition of either going back on It's
resolution of last year or else eNpeillng
the Tabernacle Baptist Church
The question OF 'ahen Immerslan' Is
practically Il new one III Georgia as the
churches of that denomination in this
State have always been peculiarly ortho-
doX, and there has been little occasion 1or
internal doctrinal discussions.
The Baptist churches OF Virginia and
Maryland accept into full fellowship with
out questioning their baptism members
Of the congregational, Christian and such
other churches as practical immersion.
The Georgia Baptist churches, on the
other hand, not only require baptism by
immersion, but require that the baptism
must have been administered by "a regu-
lar Baptist minister before they viii adj
nit a member of another church to full
membership.
"In the Tabernacle church are number
of members who came to 1t from Baptist
churches of Virginia and Maryland.
Among them are some who originally were
members of other churches. Thus it is
that the Tabernacle has among its mem
bership some who were admitted into the
Baptist church by alien immersion. Re
Gently the Tabernacle has grown more
liberal In this respect and has itself ad-
mitted members from other churches prac-
tically immersion without asking any
questions as to the creed of the minis
ter administering the baptism.
when this became noised abroad among
the rural churches some two years ago
there was no little discussion and from
that time the matter has been assuming
greater Importance.
"At the Clarkton meeting last year the
debate was OF the bitterest nature. DR..
Len c. Broughton, pastor of the Taber-
nacle, on the floor of the association de-
clared that the passage of the resolution
practically meant the expulsion of the
Tabernacle church from the association
as the church could not and would not
recede SO much as one inch from its posi-
ton. Despite this statement the resolu-
ton was passed over the protest of sew
eral OF the conservative members OF the
association, including some of the best
known Atlanta Baptist ministers.
with the approach of this years meet
ing the question has assumed renewed in
terest and many efforts have been made
to effect compromise, but seemingly all
have been III vain. The Atlanta
churches, while differing with the Tab
ernacle, do not believe in drastic meas
ures, but the rural churches which have
the majority are said to favor the most
radical legislation unless the Tabernacle
will turn from its present course.
There seems little prospect of the Tab
ernacle's doing anything of this nature.
ISOLATION last year Dr. Broughton submit
ted a report of the meeting and of his own
actions and expressions of opinion on the
floor. He then rendered his resignation
to the church. The board of deacons de-
chned to accept the resignation, their ac-
ton being unanimously sustained by the
church, thus giving the pastor the full
est possible assurance of support.
Or. Broughton has said that if the as
sociation eXpels his church he will call
upon the Georgia Baptist convention toI
expel the association so it seems that I'M
less some compromise is effected at the
last minute there is going to be something
doing of very lively nature in Baptist
circles for the next few months. Friends
of the Tabernacle claim that other
churches are with it, but no one can pre-
dict the action of the invading churches
before tie meeting of the convention"