The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-26

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baptist CONVENTION
| RECALLS NOTED TRIAL
Senator Lecdy Figures As Cousei Eos
the Old School side Of the
Controversy.
Especial to The Richmond virginien.)
Luray. Va, August 26.--The CLOS
/ ing the Old School Baptist aseocfa-
tion after a three days session with
the Flint Hill church. Rappahannock
county, twcnty miles east OF Luray,
at which thousands Of persons wsre
present, reaching the climax yester-
day. recalls one of, the most memoir
able trials ever held in Page county.
This trial was held several years
ago, the difference In belief OF the
mem bership and the question OF
which side Of the division more close
Iy represented the teachings OF the
church at its organization being the
grounds upon whi6A the case finally
IeACnGu Tue JuulC1Al y0ACtAACs SAAc
action being for the purpose OF decid-
ing which wing Of the division that
had sprung up was the rightful owner
of Broad Street Baptist church, Luray.
This trouble arose many years ago.
when a large number OF the mem beers
said that the church at its orgAntzA-
ton believed in the use OF musical
instruments In church worship, pray
ef-meetings as one of the first teach
ings OF the sect and 4 Arm belief
in missions.
Others OF the membership declared
that these practices and this BELIEF
was unknown to the church when
organized, and that they were man
made, heretical and had no place IN
the Old School Baptist church. As
time went on and as each side secured
additional adherents to Its belief the
question OF which wing was the right
full owner of BroadStree church
came to Che front
The Old School side claimed that
these things were not the teachings OF
the denomination when the church
was built in 1s4a, the land upon which
the building was erected having been
given the organization by the late
Michael Puracker, in that day one OF
the largest landowners in Northern
Virginia. They claimed that Buracker
in the stipulations that accompanied
his bequest never contemplated that
these things should be practiced by
the denomination or even entertained
by the mem bership.
They said that he was staid old
man. not given to any OF the new
tangled things of his day, and that
his benefaction would never nave
been forthcoming If he had believed
that the house of God would nave
been desecrated by these things.
On the other hand, the other side,
which by this time began to term
themselves Regular Baptists, declared
that Buracker was firm believer in
the things for which they stood: that
he believed in everything that would
add rapidity to the spread OF the
gospel, and that all OF his life proceed
ing 1S49 was an open book, tending TO
show him a man abreast OF the times
: Search where they might. neither
side could bring out anything in writ
ino by Buracker in subStantiation Oh
musical Instruments prayer meetings
or foreign missions or his opposition
to them. In the meantime the side
claiming themselves Regular Baptists
installed an organ in the church.
which on each Wednesday night peal
ed forth inviting strains to those who
CHANGED to pass by the church, stu
ated on the main thoroughfare lead
ing to Luray's passenger station.
They also began to actively support
missions in the most practical way.
Wider and wider the breach became
as one side began to send missionaries
! into foreign fields, and the other side
| stood aghG,st at such departure
from the time-honored practices OF
the church, which they claimed held
! close descent from John the Baptist,
| The strained relations knew no re-
| taxation. In fact, they tenser grew.
| each side claiming it was the rightful
| owner of the Broad Street church
| building. The prayer meetings con-
! tinued, activity In missionary work in
! creased and the tones of the instru-
| ment as an aid to church worship
| were intensified.
: Then the time came for only one
| solution OF the knotty, vexing prob-
| lem as to which side was the owner
ofthe church building. That was that
the courts should intervene and for
ever settle the question. Up to this
| time there had been a number OF
| joint debates at various places in Page
| county by the strongest ministers OF
each side. all trying to dig up ancient
history as to what were the original
teachings of the church.
One of these debates, held m the
building about which so much had
been said and written, was between
Elder Potter, of Indiana, represent
ing the Old School side. and Elder
Pence. OF Kansas. representing the
| Regular Baptists. Both of these
| gladiators were breezy western
orators after the fashion OF the late
! Senator Dan Vooheese. OF Indiana,
and John ], ingalls,, OF Kansas. The
debate lasted for three days, and at
it's conclusion the question stood
where il did before, each side being
more firmly intrenched In its belief.
Adherents on either side said that the
man had won. But their opinions
was all.
Non-partisans declared the debate
| draw" Thousands attended this
debate. for 1t had been heralded far
and wide. that these intellectual giants
were the ablest that could be mus
tered by either side. Then came an
exchange of views by the leading men
of both sides and 1t was finally decid-
| ed that the case should so to the
courts for Anal adjudication.
All the older men OF both sides were
summoned as witnesses In the case,
believing that by their testtn1 ony some