The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1907-08-02
Most Enthusiastic Meeting in Its
History.
SUPREME EFFORT TO RAISE
$1,000 FOR REBUILDING ROGER
WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY - TEN
NEssEE RAPTIsTs HAVE DONE
THEMSELVES CREDIT BY
THEIR MAGNIFICENT RE.
SPONSE.


A Globe reporter set out this week |
to make some little inquiry concern |
ing the Negro Baptists of Tennessee. |
1t will be remembered by the readers |
of the Globe that some months after
the destruction of Roger Williams
University by fire, the Globe by one
Of it's reporters, sounded the alarm or
warning that the insurance money of
this institution would be collected and
probably the property sold and the in
stitution would not be built upon the
same basis as it was before. 1t also
warned the trustees that in case this
was done, the youngest members of
that board would hardly live long
enough to redeem themselves from the
contempt of the people of Tennessee.
However, after a careful examination
into the legal status it was found that
ROGER Williams as a university, a
school or corporation, never owned
a dollars worth of property. All
property, furniture, buildings and ev-
erything in the name of Roger Will
Jams belonged in fee simple to the
American Baptist Home Mission So
ciety of New York. Hence it was
their privilege to dispose of it at
will and use the proceeds at pleasure.
The trustees, therefore, are eXoner-
ated from any blame, for they never
had legal or equitable rights accord
ing to contract.
The American Baptist Home Mis-
sion Society of New York, however
made a proposition to the Baptists OF
Tennessee, that if they desired to re
build the school as a Negro Baptist
school, this society would give then
a site and $4,000 in money on condi
ton that the Negroes of Tennessee
would raise $4,000. The Negroes o
Tennessee entertained some doubts
after they found that they had los
what they supposed they once had
Hence no great effort was made,
seems, to raise this $4,000
However, the failure of the Olympic
Park Company and the forced sale o
their beautiful grounds and buildings
aroused the friends of Roger William
University and an effort was made t
secure the same While this groun
and improvements was invoiced a
$4,000, it was found that under thi
forced cash sale, it could be had fo
$4,000. A representative of tn
American Baptist Home Mission 81
ciety was sent for and propositio
was made to this society by the Ba
lists of Tennessee, that if they Ctr
American Baptist Home Mission S
ciety) would pay $4,000 on tt
grounds, the Negro Baptists of TIE
nessee would pay $4,000 for tt
improvements. This proposition W;
accepted by the American Bapti
Home Mission Society, and the sta
Executive Board of the Tenness
Baptists placed a forfeit of $500!
with the receiver of the Olympic Pa
Company until August l.
The Negro Baptists having ju
thirty days in which to work, set o
like Troians. When the conventi
convened in Chattanooga on Wedn'
day last it was apparent on the ia
of every member that the long-sle'
ing, easy-going Baptists of Tenn
see had been for once aroused a
/ they were there for business. AS t
leaders of this convention had be
accustomed to being carried in
arms Of the Home Mission Society
all of these years, it was predict
far and wide that the $4,000 wo'
never be raised in so short a TIL
But the men, women, and even Ct
dren. were aroused over the prop(
ton. There seemed to be two inc
tives. The first incentive was to 81
the $4,000 offered by the Ameri'
Baptist Home Mission Society,
own the school, The second inc
tive was to save the $500 for