The daily sentinel., 1909-07-08
TOO LIBERAL
WAS REV. DAVIS
Members of Bapust Unurch Reported
to Have Objected to Glee Club
Appearing in the Church.
NO ENTERTAINMENT IN CHURCH


About two weeks ago The Daily
Sentinel exclusively announced the
resignation of Rev. William T. Davis,
as pastor of the Baptist church in this
city and the resignation. coming as a
complete surprise, caused a great deal
of comment
Rev. Davis at that time declined to
go into details as to his reasons nor
has he done so since but last night at
business meeting of the church he
stated that he felt that his resigna-
tion should be accepted for the best
interests of the church. He declared
that he did not have a united mem
bership back of him and that fac
tional differences had arisen which
made it hard for him to do effective
work. He stated that he had no i'll
feeling in the matter and urged that
his resignation be accepted.
By vote of the members the res
ignation was accepted and will take
effect on October /.
1t is known, however that a large
number of the members of the church
are loyal to Rev. Davis and believe
that he has proven "A most efficient
and able pastor and that there is no
reasonable excuse for the differences
that have arisen in the church mem
bership. In fact from what can be
learned by talking with various mem
bers of the congregation and with
others in touch with the situation,
Rev. Davis has the united support of
a large majority Of the members of
the church.
According to reports that are cur
rent number of members of the
church, not large number, how
ever, have maintained that Rev.
Davis is too liberal in his ideas.
meaning il would seem from what
can be learned and from review Of
the incidents of too much liberality'
cited, that Rev. Davis is not straight
| laceds enough concerning his views
regarding entertainments, etc, to
suit n number of his members.
1t is said that owing to the fact
that the pastor of the church per-
mitted the Central Glee Club. a pop
ular organization sent out by a large
Baptist college in Iowa and under
the chaperonage of one of the deans
of that institution, for tour of the
west, to appear at the local church
| for concert on the evening of June
| 6. these persons who believe that
Rev. Davis is too liberal" objected
most strenuously, declaring that such
entertainments should not be allowed
in a church. Rev. Davis, like nine
cut of every ten persons in the coun-
try, could see no harm in a high class
glee club sent out by religious
school and en- route to the northwest
to appear before the great Northern
| Baptist association. Such organiGa-
| tions appear in churches of every de-
nomination throughout the country.
II is said that one or two popular
airs sung by the glee club especially
grated on the nerves of some of these
people who believed that Rev. Davis
was too liberal"
1t is reported that objection was
made by these same members because
another musical organization COM
posed of local talent was allowed to
appear in the church a short time
before the glee club.
Other instances of where Rev.
Davis is alleged to have been too
liberal in his ideas or actions have
been cited. but 1t would be hard for
reasonable people to believe that
there is the least cause for complaint
on the part of the most pious church
member in any action taken in any of
these matters by Rev. Davis.
Rather than to have any differ
ences in his church whatever Rev.
Davis decided to resign and last night
his resignation was accepted and ac-
cepted with sincere regret by great
proportion of the members of the
church.