Sentence:  Fortunately , the honor of the denomination can attest that Cyrus Bartol <WSD>defended</WSD> Parker 's sincerity , as did also Gannett and Chandler Robbins ; whereupon Parker broke down into convulsions of weeping and rushed out of the room , though not out of the Fellowship . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  argue or speak in defense of