The Denver star., 1915-10-02
BAPTISTS IoSJE
final STATEMENT
Cause Of Trouble at Chicago
Meeting Explained.
HOW The CONFUSION BEGAN

Largest Organized Body Of Baptist De-
nomination Divided on Question ot
Publishing Board Which Bears Its
Name Legal Battle Stops Mixup
For Time Being.
After lively week in Chicago the
national Baptist convention closed on
Monday evening" Sept. 13, with the
election of DR.. E. C. Morris of Helena
as president. Rev. w. G. Parks. l.. D.,
Philadelphia. vice president; Professor
r. b. Hudson, Selma, Ala, secretary
A. j. Stokes. Montgomery, Ala, treas
urer; c. H. Parrish, Louisville, Ky,
statistician; L. G. Ewing, Nashville.
Tenn, attorney; NJ. NJ. Rodgers, La
Grange, Tex, auditor. 1t was meet
ing fraught with many animosities A
faction headed by Rev. E. P. Jones
attempted to capture the convention,
and in the confusion DR.. Jones declared
himself elected to the presidency and
then went into court and got an in
junction against Revs. E. c. Morris w.
g Parks, l.. G. Jordan, p. ]. Bryant,
S. E. Griggs and A. Barbour. The
same day the injunction was dissolved.
The convention has issued the fol-
lowing statement:
THE cause of the confusion mani
tested at the national Baptist conyen-
ton, Sept. 8 and 8, was the attempt
and purpose of the convention to CON
lrol its publishing board. located at
Nashville Tenn. By reason of the
regularity of the laws of Tennessee
this board elects its own members, al
though for many years the conven.
ton thought by electing its own mem
bcrs in open session they really he
came members of the board. To its
great surprise, in the course Of time
it became known that no one was a
member of the publishing board un.
less elected by the board itself. That
created distrust and suspicion and the
convention at once began to make eff
forts to come in possession and con
troll of property that is really convcn-
ton property. The board. through
its secretary, defied the convention and
refused to allow the conventions andi-
tor to audit its books.
when the convention convened in
Chicago on Sept. with impressive
dev votional services conducted by Eevs
r. NJ. Cohron of st. Joseph. Mo.aAsiO
Williams. Atlanta, Ga. and w. ID
Carter, Seattle. Wash, the program
prepared by the executive board "f the
convention vas read. 1t was then
that the faction opposing the conven
ton started confusion. headed by
the Rev. DIR. Brooks of South Caro-
lima, The resolution offered by DIR
Brooks provided for the transaction OF
business before the enrolment OF the
delegates, and after some cOnsiderabl.
discussion it was ruled out of order b.
President Morris. 1t was after tiiis
ruling that II faction. with DIR. T.. J.
Jones Of Mississippi, attempted to take
charge of the convention.
"Great confusion followed. it being
impossible to transact any business.
motion was made that the convention
stand adjourned until time for the
afternoon session. The motion was
voted on and declared carried by Pres
ident Morris. 1t WAS then DR.. Il. +
Jones declared himself chairman and
attempted to hold convention Al
the time for the convention to meet III
the afternoon DR.. +. G. Morris was
there and attempted to call the con
vention to order. but was prevented
by the disorderly crowd. Disorder was
kept up until the adjournment Of the
afternoon session.
nnh
but before doing so the enrolment com
mittee and finance committee were sta
toned at the door. and no one was al
lowed to enter the hall who was not
a regular delegate. wearing a badge
When the delegates were seated Dr
Morris called the convention to order
and after the opening devotional sery
ices and the reading of the journal DIR
Morris began the reading of his annual
address. 1t was In the midst Of the
reading OF this address that DR. f. p
Jones entered the hall, followed by .
deputy sheriff. and interrupted tht
speaker. and the deputy sheriff served
on President Morris an Injunction is
sued by Judge Smith, prayed for b5
Rev. z. +. Jones, X. ii. Boyd and C.
]. M. Boyd.
This was the turning point because
many of the delegates began to leave
the Boyd faction. declaring that he was
trying to destroy the convention. At
o'clock in the afternoon DR.. E. G.
Morris and others representing the con
vention appeared before Judge Smiti
with attorney. and by 8 o'clock the In
junction was dissolved. the judge say
ing to DR. Jones: 1t is clenr to th'
court that you attempted to take the
convention In disorderly way. The
injunction il dissolved
"Dr. Morris returned to the cOnven
ton. finished the reading of his ad
dress. heard the report OF the commit
tee on enrolment and finance: then tn