Richmond planet., 1904-12-10
THE CHAIRMAN'S EXPLANATION
Rev. Di. Graham Says a wOrd.-Trou-
BILE Among the Brethren.
MEMBF RS OF THE VIRGININIA SEMINARY
BOARD. -GhEETING:-

ole Among the Brethren,
MEMBt RS OF THE VIRGININIA SEMINARY
BOARD Oh BITING
write this public letter in order TO
set myself as Chairman of the Board In
the proper light. Some time about the
lst OF November / wrote to DR.. Bowling
the Secretary of our board telling him
that thought for the good of our work
there oue ht to be board meeting. He
expressed himself favorable but desired
before issuing the call that l should
name the brethren who had expressed
themselves as desirous of having a board
meeting; The names were furnished him
Or. Bowling next said to me in letter
a1ter L had named Lynchburg and the
Seminary as the best place for the board
meeting TO be held, that he could not
attend unless the meeting was called
III Washington at the time of the Dis
trlct Convention, Dec. 10th, l then
agreed with HIM that the meeting would
DE called In Washington. 1 am certain
that as nan man OF the Board / am the
one 10 authorize the call of special
meetings and especially when many
members Of the board have urged me
| to make the call
have never known of a Secretary
,, OF u board assumlng to himself the right
20 say board should not be held when
that board has been called by it's chair
man so mat you may nightly Judge my
! great surprise VIII received thi, day
(Dec 6th) letter from DR. Bowling
statlng that There will be no meeting
OF our Seminary Board at Wash ,npron. >
LIT Bowling gives his reasons for not
issuing the call, TO be that there is a
! great hight on hand TO put Prot. HAYES
down ahd that myself with others are
waglbg an under nan a fight to accom-.
phsn mat aim teImlt me to say
! brethren tbis all bCsh. Not a single
, member OF our boaro has ever said 20
Inc that he oesireu To put Prof Hayes
COW n or out OF his position Not a sim
gle man 90 earth h'1s ever hear Srcn
words from my lips IL that be trce
then, why is DIR. Bowling afraid to call
the board! he must know something
tnat DO not know, and IL there is any.
thing grave enough to make anyone
afraid of IA board meeting, that of itself
ls proof that there ought to be a board
meeting.
But now viii say to the members of
the board just as | ", rote DR.. Bowling
there ought TO be board meeting of rhe
seminary as SooI. as possible IN order
that our brethren may better understand
one another; IN order that internal dif-
ierences may be settled; and in order
that The financial affairs of our educa.
tioual MorSl may be looked after. There
Is no use OF anyone tying to deceive
the people by the false declaration thac
convention men and General Assoclation
men are trying TO get together in one
DOdj. This is not true. The General
Association men are fixed and lmmoy able
Iii their principles methods, plans and
course OF action. They wul never come
hn 10
we VINO are msmb of che Blptiss
State Convention are equally firm and
Interchangeable.
We shall never go over 60 the General
Association. The Virginia Bapust
State Convention is here 10 stay. | was
IN lt long before DIR. Bowling was and
have been as faithful TO it as any man
lvlng, 50 there is no use of the brethren
whosping and following about Graham
this and Graham tnat IN his relation TO
the Baptist State Convention | am 60
ing 10 stay III 1t and at the same time
contend for peace among the brethren.
firmly believe and know that 1t is time
Tor the men on both sides TO stop quar-
relng. slandering and devouring one
another. Like Abraham and Lot we
may divide on great principles, have our
organic bodies separate in State and Ma.
tlonal work, and yet be at peace one
with the other.
There will always be an A. NJ. E.
Church with Negroes controlling It's
affairs, there will always be an Nj. f.
Church, whose directors and rulers will
BE- white; and so according TO my mind.
there will always be National Baptist
Convention, a Virginia Baptist State
Convention, whose machinery and en-
terpises will be run by Negroes. There
will remain Conventions of Negro Bap.
lists who will allow the white Baptist
brethren TO enter into their govern
mental affairs under system of co-ope
ration.
Now / want to state here that I have
reached the point where l can forever
remain with our National body and our
State Convention without forever being
IN an unchristian, unbrotherly warfare
with the brethren on the other side.
Therefore hope that the members of
the Virginia Seminary Board will meet
IN Washington and let us adjust our af-
fairs in such a way as to bring peace
and harmony in our own ranks.
Respectfully,
w. +. GRAHAM,
Chairman of the
Virginia Seminary Trustee Board.