The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-30
.DOLORED BAPT|STS
ARGUE LENCTH|IY.
Much Confusion Last Night III
Fifth Street Baptist
Church.
BALLOT. FAR INTO NIGHT
Or. Willinghan,' Kept Busy
Pouring Oil On Troubled
Waters.

Pouring Oil On Troubled
Waters.
Until near o'clock this morning
the question as to the rctainment of
Rev. DR.. A. Il. Edwards as pastor of
the F'lfth.Strect Baptist Church. col
ored, was fought over by both the
factions which SO long have existed
In that grently-dividcd church Sc
rious though the matter was, and one
OF unparalleled Importance to the con-
gregation, It's discussion and It's set
Element were the cause OF many amus-
ing incidents. Several times during
the course of the night and the early
morning the air was fraught with
danger, for feeling In both factions
was at higll-tide, and more than once
TINS feeling threatened to burst its
bounds and flood the thousand or more
people present In a billowy sea OF woe.
Dr. Wiliingham presided over the
Incetlhs which was to end the fac
tional fight, and he was kept con-
tinually busy pouring oil on the trou-
bled waters. Had 1t not been for his
calm presence and his persuasive voice.
lifted at all times when danger OF
trouble appeared on the dark horizon.
trouble, and serious trouble. would
surely have cnsued. But he was ever
ready at the least sign OF impending
conflict, and what at times threatened
to become serious conflict passed off
in only wordy passages. AT times th,.
speakers Of the evening became ex-
ceedingly fiery in their invectivc, and
the pastor came In for apparently
more than his share OF the eloquent
abuse that was poured forth in free
and fiery language, although It had
been practically agreed that no speak
err should indulge in personalities, and
that only the interest Of the church
should be considered, without regard
T to individuals.
Discussion Begins.
After DR.. Wllingham had opened the
meeting with divine service, a discus
sion was begun as to whether thsre
should be a discussion of the question.
According to the order OF Judge tree Gd d,a-
oussion was to be allowed. and It's
limit was to be left to the arbitrator
DIR. Willlngham. Several took the
discussion on the question. and mo-
ton to that effect was acted upon
fayorably. DR.. Willingham then ruled
that the speakers of each side should
be limited to twenty minutes. This
met with the general approval Of the
body assembled. and discussion was
entered upon;
who appeared for the anti Edwards
faction. did not think that the present
pastor should be retained He declared
ton. and thought that the bone should
be removed and the contention step
ped. He was appealing In the inter
est OF the church, and not making a
Ytnr a
OF AYE" aye" greeted him, and his
faction cheered together, alarming tn
ushers. who thought an outbreak OF
feeling was imminent They paraded
up and down the aisles and waved the
people back INTO their seats;
Fields Reads Affidavit.
The climax OF the evening came
when w. W. Fields took the floor. H c
read an affidavit from woman named
Mary. Johnson, OF Goldsboro, KY, where
i DR.. Edwards had held a former pastor
ate containing q gross attack on DR..
EdWards's moral character It was
charged that he had ruined the. daugh--
ter OF the affiant5 The announcement
was greeted with derisve yells on the
q one side, and with satisfied cheers on
the other. In her statement the wo-
man said that she did not wish to see
DR. Edwards this side of the Judgment
scat. The speaker also charged that
the pastor had said he was UNIT to re-
main with the church. and tAat he had
ns after
the reading Of the document. and DR..
Willingham narrowly averted trouble.
j. Henry Crutchheld, a pre- Edwards
list, thought that the man who would
read such an affidavit In public was
himsclf bad. He considered Edwards a
fit pastor, and said that the church was
never in better financial condition.
More aftidavits as to DR.. Edwards s
character were read by both sides, and
the last speaker appealed to the man
~ hood, womanhood and fatherhood OF
the congregation to vote no" agains,
the retainment Of the present pastor
Time was up. and Dr. Willinghan
ordered that the balloting proceed II
! lasted far into the morning. Muci
confusion resulted The voters were
required to stand up and announce
their votes. On question as to the
identity Off one woman, voter, she
persisted In saying that her name wa.
Annie" She had evidently forgotten
that she had a last name. Another swo
man was asked how she voted, and she
replied forever" Often5two like names
We're called, and confusion always re
suited. Half a dozen police officers
In chargelof Sergeant Brown, were KEEP
on the scene. At an carly hour thi!
morning the voting had not been con
cluded.