Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-06-20
WOULD BAR TORREY
FROM CITY OF ATLANTA
Ministers Say Revival Did Not
Help Churches.
DON'T WANT HIM BROUGHT BACK
Leading Parts in Discussion Were TAX
en- by Drs. w. w. Landrum and Jno.
E. White-Methodist Declared As
Also DispIeased.

Atlanta, June ia fight has been
started on the return of DR.. Torrey,
and his workers to Atlanta, and it
has originated in no less formidable
quarters than the Baptist Ministers
Association Of the city.
After q somewhat stormy session,
held Monday morning at the First
Baptist church, in which loud "amens"
and expressions such as, 'Now, that's
the truth" and, go after him, broth
err" fell from the lips Of those who
felt the Torrey campaign had been
failure, the meeting finally decided
that representative should be sent to
the Business Mems Gospel Union to
protest against the proposed return of
DR.. Torrey.
The discussion of the matter came
about when DR.. Landrum was called
upon by the association to make a re-
port as to the result Of the Torrey
meeting, especially as regards his own
church
In his usual frank and honest man
ner he went into the detail Of the mat
ter, and though he was apparently
very reluctant to do SO, he seemed
forced to admit that his church had
hardly received any effect at all from
the meetings. He stated that most
of the cards signed were Of members
Of his own or some other churches. He
had received a few on profession,
but only very few.
"As ministers of the gospel" he
said, 1--WE cannot afford to oppose any
body who breaches the gospel, unless
he preach essential error. There were,
however, many things said and done
during the Torrey meetings that
could not and do not indorse. When he
came to certain issues upon which the
Baptist church stands firmly, he beat
about the bush in a most unsatisfac-
tory manner.
Then, too, believe that a cana
paign which is conducted like his and
other evangelistic campaigns, which
are not under the guidance Of any re-
ligious head, tend rather to disor-
ganize the churches more than any
thing else. And do not believe that
many of those who are brought un-
der conviction at such times join the
church, unless they have some very
close church ties, such as being in the
Sunday school of some particular
church, or having q wife, husband or
parent in some particular church and
they themselves being attendants upon
the same"
At this point Rev. John E White
broke into the discussion and said:
mo. I'll venture to say that not
200 persons identified themselves with
the Atlanta churches as a result of
this meeting"
Continuing, DR.. Landrum said:
Now, dislike very much to seem
to oppose or even to be out of sympa-
thy with such movement, but we
must face the facts and have the
frankness, the love and the manhood
TO recognize them. So far as the
Torrey meeting was concerned, my
church got no revival at ALL"
At the conclusion Of DR.. Whites
remarks, number OF short address
es were made in the same vein by
various ministers present, and 1t was
decided that committee composed of
Drs. Landrum, White, Millard and
probably several others, call upon the
Gospel Union president, Governor w.
J. Northen, and see If the return Of Dr.
Torrey could not be stopped, and the
union persuaded to adopt q plan Of
campaign different from that pursued
in the past. During his concluding re-
marks DR.. White said he was sure the
Methodists OF the city would cooper
ate with the Baptists in the effort
to prevent DR.. Torrey's return, and to
change the past plan of campaign of
the Gospel Union.