The DeLand weekly news. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1887-190?, 1904-07-29


i.tcrs vas held in Gainesville last
week. at the invitation of the chuTch
1T that city, To pas upon the actiOh
ui the Jacksonville church In With
drawing fellowship from Rev. }. u.
lIollcy, who assaulted his pastor, Rev.
d. ". A. Hot'sOn. The reply Of the
Jacksonville church l. given In the fol-
losing correspondence from Gaines
vile
LETTER oF DEACONs.
Gainesville, Fla July The First
baptist church Of the city has re-
,,i,ed the .olloWing reply from the
Fir.t Baptist church of jacksonville
relative Ia the HOlley controversy.
To the First Baptist church, Gaines
vile. Fla., Greeting: Dear brethren
The FIRST Baptist chur, b Of Jackson
vile l. notified Of the action Of a
council called by the First Baptist
church of Gainesville, in which the
ton of this church l. called In ques-
tiun ia the administration of discip-
llnC toward Mr.. ]. Il. HOlley ,One Of its
mrmbrTs. and the church here u al.
i-cd Ia reconsider its action, on the
rruund of undue haste aud IRREGULAR
Is. Ia reply NC wish tn say:
QUESTION oF JURIspICTIoS.
/. That We fail tn sec hos the cOun-
.,H al Gainesville vas in position to
pas Judgment On the action of the
lac ksonyille church. a. indicated in
yOur communication. since we de-
Clined Ia GO into the council with the
evidence In the case, on account of
the hasty and irregular action Of the
Gainesville church In calling a COun-
Ill without the knOWledge. consent or
cooperation of the jacksonville
church. Such a council j. advisory,
aud net mutual An "a paTte coun-
Ill cannot 90 into the merits Of the
Casc a. between tao Baptist churches,
u. duties being limited To the matter
of giving advice to the church calling
such council Only a mutual council,
10 which both churches are equally
represented. WOuld Ia Justified In pass
Ine an opinion az To the merits OF the
ease. and then ,aly after such a COun.
I'll had gone carefully through all the
tVidrnce. The Gainesville council
Sas ia duty bound To give advice To
the Gainesville church a. to what
course IL should pursue, but the cOun-
I'll OycTsteppcd It, Authority and du.
ties In passing criticism on a sister
church that vas not represented In
the council
ACOUSTIC REPLY.
>. We do not consider the action Of
the Jacksonville church a. being
''hasty" and irregular" bat. on the
contrary. the church, through It's
deacOns. nd according Ia the bylaws
ot the church, gaze the most thorough
aud careful consideration To the mat.
ter of Dr. HOlley's Osfense, and the
proper course of discipline tO be adj
ministeTed, having held i've sessions
of long hours each. Nor vas there
anything irregular In the action Of
the church, since the church, a. a
tsOiy, took action on the TecOmmen-
dalton of the dcacOns In a perfectly
regular and orderly way.
MATTER up CUSTOM.
J As To calling a council 20 pass
upon the case Of a minister before
action j. taken by the chuTc of whic h
b, j. a ne mlrcr custom among Rap
lists differ. Ia some instances such a
course j. puE-urd. in others the church
deals directly with a minister a. " q
layman. ON the principal that min.
i-tsrs have no privileged order among
4 A
in the South, the former among cur
brethren in lhc North, either lbcing
regular We can readily see that In
a ca-e Of discipline where there Was
reasonable doubt a. "a the guilt Of a
minister, ar even ayman, the churc b
wOuld b. pursuing = wise course 10
call dis,Tret bTcthren from other
churches to assist them In coming to
"A correct conclusion a. TO whether
the mCmbcT was guilty OT innocent:
lsut when a brother, whether minister
OF iayman. j. guilty of a high crime
against the law Of Gspd and the land,
and has a. know lodged his guilt before
the Criminal Court of the county, and
uis conduct j. a rcPTOach TO the
church, sc fail tO see the necessity.
either from reason az scripture. Tor
calling cOuncil Of ministers To sit on
the case.
Z. Furthermore, IL has been publicly
stated by MT. Holley that be has
made repeated efforts la apologize Ia
the Jacksonville church and is pas
'Or, and that be has been denied the
privilege Of doing 80. We Wish tn
'ay that Mr.. HOlley has made no apOl.
'gy that Was not conditional. Mr..
iOlley's apology a. held la writing by
dT. ID. u. AcMillan reads a. foil Jws;
u regret the little encounter of yes-
erday more than can express, and
irplOre the fat that DT HOlu-on Of.
cred the ur>t n sult. but In order To
'h1U my willingness To DO right, u Dr
toi~On will apBlagIke for his cxpres
ION that ! had told a falsehoSd, I
.'and ready To apologize for striking
aim
WY THE WORD VAS ElfPlyoYED.
The charge of fal-ehsod a. referred
90 ~ this spOs0gy gTcu cat Of Mr..
Holley's statement that DT. HOb-On
had taken every conceivable advznt-
age of him in the details Of arrange
mcni IN bringing the Florida Raptist
Nttncss and the southern Baptist To
gether. Mr.. HOlley stated TO Dr.
liOssoa that his motives In yieliing
eeTtald Points Of differences In affect.