Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-12
Congregation Divides
Into Factions
My Orthodoxy Is Correct
Says Minister
Pillar In Church, Melville Dozler, Says
He Has Not Been Ousted
and Refuses to
Leave

1.-THE First Baptist church has been
afflicted with a one-man rule and that
one man has been Prof Melville Dozier.
He has been the First Baptist church
of Los Angeles. 1 was slow to believe
this, but have been forced to it. He
takes this positions: I think a certain
thing is right, and because 1 think so,
it is right"
This was the statement made late
last evening by Rev. Joseph Smale, who
resigned the pastorate of the First Bap-
tist church Sunday evening.
Prof. Dozier in his statement says:
1.-The things that have most alienated
many members from their cordial sup
port of the pastor has been his public
and persistent declarations in favor of
an undenominational church and de-
nunciation of all organizations con-
nected with the church"
To this. Rev. Smale says:
"I am still a Baptist, and can chal-
lenge all the world upon my Baptist
orthodoxy. The difference between me
and my Baptist brethren is not that I
omit any of the beloved doctrines, but
that believe more than they do.
Says BaptIsts Fall Short
'"I regard the Baptists today as re-
fusing to embody in the beliefs and
doctrines what they claim, namely, to
stand for all the revealed will of God.
While they are strenuous advocates of
baptism by water, they slight the very
vital doctrines of baptism by the Holy
Ghost. Technically, in the local church,
there Is a subscribing to the headship
of Jesus Christ and the administration
of the Holy Ghost. But let them be
enforced and there is rebellion"
What promised to be a repetition of
the long continued strife which divided
the First Baptist church into factions
two years ago came up last Sunday.
Prof. Melville Dozier, by vote of those
present, was given his letter of good
fellowship unasked. This he refused
to take, stating that it was unconstitu-
tiona and says that he still considers
himself a member and officer of the
church, and shall act as such. AT the
evening service, to avoid tug of war"
as he stated, Rev. Mr.. Smale resigned
his pastorate.
The trouble has by no means been
averted, as was the wish of Rev. Mr..
Smale, and it is expected to come up at
the meeting tomorrow evening, when
the annual nomination of officers wiL
be made, which are to be elected next
Tuesday evening.
Rev. Mr.. Smale says that a called
meeting, such as desired by Mr.. Dozier,
would not be fair to either party; that
it would but cause factions in the
church.
Should Avoid Narrow Lines
81 regard the present situation" said
Rev. Mr.. Smale, mot as a rejection of
myself but that for which 1 stand.
Therefore 1 think the church will in
lines as by its recent conduct it refuses
fellowship to Christians of other de-
nominations"
A strong factor brought forth by Rev.
Mr.. Smale's enemies is that he is
separated from his wife Mrs Smale
left Los Angeles about five years ago
on account of illness, and is now resid-
ing with her family in San Francisco.
No definite statement has ever been
made concerning the separation. 1t
was investigated at the time of the
former trouble, but no definite facts
were made public. Mrs. Smale is held
in very high esteem by her friends here.
S. 1. Merrill, a staunch adherent of
Rev. Mr.. Smale, says that the vote re-
garding the pastors resignation was
cast by his friends through kindness to
him and that there was true grief man
ifested at the service.
David Selling, another prominent
member of the church, says that Prof.
Dozier is one of the Oldest members
of the church and has helped to make
1t what it now is. He says: "Mr. Smale
and others have gotten control and put
all the others out except Prof. Dozier."
DR.. A. p Graves, veteran evan
gelist, says that he thinks Rev. Mr..
Smale should give up pastoral work
and enter that of an evangelist. He
said:
"There are three things that the
friends and enemies of Mr.. Smale say,
and that is that at heart he is good