The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-03-02
DIR. BROWN TO THE CHURCHES.
Pastor OF the First Baptist Church Has
Something TO Say OF the Formation
Of the New Baptist Association In
terestine Reading it Is.
TO The CHURCHES OF THE sANTEE


eerestIne Reading it Is.
TO The CHURCHES OF THE sANTEE
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION.
BRETHREN:-Iti is said that on my
account, four churches, some of
them quite widely separated from
others a to location, have been in-
duced by leaders unfriendly to me,
to take their letters and leave the
Santee Association. The churches
referred to are the Manning Church,
the Bartlette Street Church, the
Pisgah Church and the Salem
Church. Il is due to those who
know nothing of the facts in the case
to state them.
Two years ago, Mr.. Cough, the
pastor at Manning, took it upon him
self without any sort of premonition
given to me by any one, to go about
among some of the churches. seek
ing to induce them to vote against
me at the Summerton meeting,
which was then near at hand. For
some reason, he failed to find suf-
ficient number of voters, and the
project failed Of realization. There
upon the larger part of the Manning
delegation returned home, and took
no further part in the business OF
tina, session of the Association. The
next year, at Sumter, Mr.. Gresham
was nominated for the office Of Clerk
of the body; but again there were
not enough votes to elect him. Last
year, in November, when the Asso-
citation met in Manning, I received
53 votes out of the 8S that were cast;
and that afternoon. the Sumter dele
cation, excepting myself, not desir-
ing to remain in attendance upon
what was not much more nor less
than row, and at my advice and
suggestion, returned to Sumter.
This aroused bad feelings in certain
brethren, some Of whom on a former
occasion, had acted just as the Sum
ter delegation acted; and therefore.
on Saturday, the whole business OF
the Associa ton was sidetracked, IN
order that we might hear the read
ing of the paper which is published
on page of the Minutes of the AS
ISOLATION. In discussing that re-
markable paper, various expiana
tions were made. / myself sought
to make a few; but it was manifest
that explanations were not what wa.
demanded, and all that was said,
though bad spirit was shown by ne
one, was unavailing. The Assocla
ton granted to the offended brethren
the privilege of publishing the paper,
and T myself voted that it be spread
on the Minutes. I felt then as I do
now, thatNhe paper itself is its own,
hest answeE The minority seemed
to feel much hurt because the ma
iority did not yield. Mr.. Cough felt
called upon to say that l was 1.-The
only man in the State who would
continue in Office in the face Of such
a minority" The truth was [ had
more respect for the men than had
for their methods.
The charge against me was that /
was playing "boss,' and this boss
ism was obnoxious to some of the
brethren. No other charge, however.
was preferred. In fact, Mr.. Cough,
who was leader in this enterprise.
has said to me in letters which /
have, ana also on the floor Of the As
sociation, that against me personal
ly he had no i'll feeling. Then it
could be only my official self that
was odious to- him. At any rate,
nothing but general "bossism" was
ever made use of as an argument TO
show that I should be elected from
the Office of Clerk of the Association:
When / began to review the situa-
ton, came to see how they might
have shadow Of foundation for the
charge. have been in Sumter q
tong time. I organized the Santee
Association. and sought the office Of
Clerk, which is the place of SER
vaut, and avOwed that / wonld never
consent tn serve as Moderator, which
office have refused on three Occa
sions. The Office of Clerk / have
held throughout the history Of the
body, and I'll venture that ours is
one of the few bodies in the State,
twenty-five years old, whose archives
fact that one man has kept them
through all the years of the life Of
the body. A frequent change of
Clerks generally results in the loss
eventually of all papers and records.
IF possible, it is best for one man to
retain this Office for long time, un-
less he develops manifest unfitness.
For this reason, and because l hon.
estiy believed I could fill the office,
I have gladly held it, regarding it all
the time as u place Of service more
than nf honor. Latterly, when ten
or twenty brethren, out Of nearly
three thousand, wanted to eject me,
1 refused to resign because they had
not sought to accomplish their object
in a righteous and Christian way.
I have always felt a profound in
terest i'm the welfare Of the Sanlee
Churches. It came to pass that the
brethren wrote to me about almost
everything. [ have been directly or
indirectly instrumental in getting
pastors, at one time or another, for
almost all the churches in the AssO-
citation, during my twenty-nine
years soiourn at Sumter. Then,
besides. Sumter being So central, the
Executive Board was located here,
aud ane or another Of the Sumter
f.. L.