The Twentieth Century
By Timothy Binion
The Southern Baptist Convention entered the Twentieth Century
with three general boards, no standing committees, and no continuing
commissions. The president simply presided at the annual sessions; between
sessions the office hardly existed. The convention had no “headquarters” and no
continuing officers to occupy it if they had a “headquarters”. The Executive
Committee has great historical significance because it changed the nature of the
Southern Baptist Convention. This change becomes an important key to
understanding our History. The Executive Committee did not exist before 1917 and
had little to do before its enlargement in 1927.
By 1909 a perceptive editorial pointed out, “it must be frankly admitted
however, that the real work of the Convention is no longer done by the
convention itself . . . We are coming rapidly to the place, if we have not
already reached it, when we must rely wholly upon the Boards and standing
committees to do our thinking for us. It is not best for us, . . . that our
great representative body should degenerate into a mere celebration, a place for
set and from all reports and addresses, a sort of spectacular gathering, full of
holy enthusiasm, it may be, but lacking utterly the deliberative element.” This
push for change, where standing committees and boards did the thinking for the
Baptist denomination brought about a devastating transformation. This kind of
consolidation was lead by the Baptists of Texas. The Baptists General Convention
of Texas, for example, consolidated all of its work under one executive board in
1914 and within a few years most states had made similar moves. Baptist Churches
suddenly became subjected to a whole new system of government. The Convention
(state and national) closely resembled a typical association until this
controlling influence called an executive board began.
The turning point for the SBC occurred in 1917 by creating its present Executive
Committee. Before this the SBC had no structure for correlation of its work. In
fact, legally the SBC existed only during the few days it was in session; during
the rest of the year, with no continuing organization, it went out of existence,
or at least went dormant. The Executive Committee changed all that and by 1927
the committee was enlarged and its functions expanded.
The Seventy-Five Million Campaign, 1919-1924, brought added funds into SBC
coffers to employ a staff. After the turn of the century, the Southern Baptists
launched their “Seventy-Five Million Campaign” L. R. Scarborough was appointed
as south-wide director. The Campaign Commission launched the most intense
campaign of publicity and promotion Southern Baptists had ever known, pastors
preached on the campaign, laymen were enlisted as “four-minute speakers” (a
method adapted from the Liberty Bond drives) and Baptist papers blitzed their
readers with information appeals and reports. By the end of Victory week pledges
totaled $92,630,923. At the 1920 “Victory Convention” Scarborough reported that
this response represented the greatest victory since Pentecost. On the strength
of those pledges, most SBC agencies expanded their work at once, on borrowed
money.
Its easy to see how God took the wind out of these sails, when the seventy-five
million dollars proved easier to pledge than to collect. A recession hit the
South in 1920, Agricultural prices driven up in World War I, dropped sharply.
Crop prices dropped by about 50 percent. The bottom line, Baptists had collected
only $58,591,713.69.
A great travesty occurred in 1928 when treasurer Clinton S. Carnes of the Home
Mission Board embezzled $909,461 from that agency. One final financial blow
remained that would clearly show God’s objection. In 1929 the stock market
crashed followed by an industrial depression. The message was clear, God
disapproved and the whole nation suffered once again.
The two mission boards cut their work to the bone, and other SBC institutions,
especially the seminaries, faced imminent foreclosure, and the SBC and its
entire assets could probably have been thrown into bankruptcy.
Donnie G. Melton Concluded, “Some effects were bad, others were good, but no one
could deny that after the Seventy-Five Million Campaign the Southern Baptist
Convention would never be the same again.”
The Seventy-Five Million Campaign was not a one-time shot for out of it came a
permanent convention financial plan. By 1917 the Home Mission Board was
thirty-eight thousand dollars in debt, by 1921 the debt exceeded a half million
dollars. By the end of 1926 the debt of all SBC agencies reached six and a half
million dollars and eventually exceed eighteen million dollars. While others
were persuaded to continue with these governmental changes within the
convention, we did not. Many Missionary Baptists pulled out of the convention to
preserve autonomy. We’ve continued to do our own thinking and answer to Christ
and not a board. Most churches, once sound were changed by relinquishing control
to a new way innovated and introduced to Baptists in the twentieth century. One
might say they lost their soundness by losing their mind.
The remaining portion of History may best be summed up from portions of a book
written by W. T. Russell entitled Basic Principles Plus Their Extremes Equal
Inconsistences And Confusion: The following is from the minutes of Bledsoe
Association for 1920, pages 4-5- “Immediately after the unanimous adoption of
the above report, P. F. Burnley offered the following resolution which was
unanimously adopted.- To avoid useless wrangling, strife, and confusion at the
sessions of our association.. Resolved that only brethren from churches and
associations in sympathy and fellowship with us in our cooperation with the
Tennessee Baptist and Southern Baptist Conventions, in educational, missionary
and other denominational work be recognized either as visitors or corresponding
messengers.”
The Wiseman Baptist Association was in session at the same time at Pleasant
Grove Baptist Church, Westmoreland, Tennessee. News of the action of Bledsoe
Association came to the Wiseman, and in the minute of this body for 1920, and on
Thursday afternoon, August 19, Elder A. J. Sloan offered the following
Resolution as the answer to the one adopted by Bledsoe: "Whereas, there is great
unrest among some of the churches on the question of mission methods, and
whereas, the line of fellowship has been drawn against all who do not cooperate
with the ‘Organized work’ of the Southern Baptist Convention by the Bledsoe
Association, while in session with Chestnut Grove church on August 18, 1920, and
Whereas, we believe that said Southern Baptist Convention is unscriptural in its
origin and practices, but being willing that all have liberty in the matter of
mission plans used, therefore, Be it resolved that we, The Wiseman Association
of Missionary Baptists, recommend that the churches composing this body DO NOT
draw the line of fellowship on the question of mission methods, but that all our
churches give their means as they may desire. We further desire to go on record
as recommending that individuals heed Paul's admonition, ‘to give as they
purpose in their hearts’."
This Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Association, and it is plain for
me to see the wisdom exercised in the presentation and adoption of this
resolution. These brethren and Wiseman Association could see the ultimate danger
in building a fence between Wiseman and Bledsoe Association churches, which
would sever any future opportunity in their territory.
To my knowledge this was ever the position of Elders A. J. Sloan, C. B. Massey,
Calvin Gregory, N. C. Fuqua and all of our older brethren. To foster any action,
unless a principle was sacrificed, which would limit their opportunities to
reach out with the truth which they contended so earnestly for, was to them a
great mistake.
These servants of God did not fail to expose what they regarded as error
anywhere and anytime, but their hearts were set on so conducting their actions
as to strengthen what remained and refrain from fencing themselves and the
churches into a corner with no opportunity on the other side.
When I refer to strengthening what remained, I refer to conditions leading up to
the Dixon's Creek and Bledsoe Association affair. This all started as a result
of the Seventy-Five million (dollar) Campaign, fostered by the Southern Baptist
Convention, which was to raise this amount of money from the churches to finance
their many enterprises. These men fought it in the pulpit and in the press and
won the victory for the truth on scriptural methods of financing the Lord's work
in carrying out the great commission given to the church.
The Convention had almost captured the territory. Even Enon Association in her
earlier history affiliated with and was in cooperation with the programs of the
Convention until the uprising against the Seventy-Five Million campaign. As a
result of our forefathers taking a stand against the methods and design of
Conventionism, the result was a voluntary withdrawal of churches from this
system and a continuation of methods used before the Southern Baptist Convention
was heard of.
Just here I want to take up the Resolution introduced and adopted by the General
Association of Missionary Baptist which met in Nashville, Tennessee, March 29,
1969, found in the minutes of this meeting, pages 5 - 6.
BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That since the days of Christ and the Apostles, the true churches, known
today as Missionary Baptist churches, have been traced through twenty centuries
by the strict adherence to the observances of the two ordinances of the church -
baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
2. That since it is a known fact that today some of the churches of the Southern
Baptist Convention have departed from the Biblical observance of these
ordinances, but at the same time others are still scriptural in the observance
of the ordinances.
3. That under these considerations that we do not withdraw fellowship from "all"
Southern Baptist Convention churches, but rather make an investigation of each
individual church in our granting or receiving letters, as to their stand in
observance of the ordinances.
4. That this rule for fellowship be used regardless of whether the church be of
the Convention or otherwise. That an eye of love and consideration be kept even
among our own churches.
5. That this recommendation be made to all the churches representing in the
three associations named in paragraph 1, of this instrument, and all sister
churches who share with us the interest of the Kingdom of God.
6. That a copy of this Resolution be mailed to each of the churches of the Enon,
Wiseman and Siloam Missionary Baptist Association and any sister church who
cares to have one. Signed: H. C. Vanderpool, W. T. Russell, F. L. Ray.
The reader will note that the very premise of this Resolution is the principal
by which true Baptist churches have been identified down through the centuries,
that being, strict adherence to the observance of the two ordinances, baptism
and the Lord’s Supper. That there has been a departing from the scriptural
observance of both by some churches in the Convention is a known fact, and that
our fellowship with any church should be based upon the soundness of each church
in their observance of the same. We are restricted, by this Resolution, from
refusing to fellowship all churches identified with the Convention but
investigate each one individually as necessity may require in the granting or
receiving of letters from them. This rule is to be followed concerning any
church, the practice of which we are not able to know, whether it be a
Convention church or otherwise.
Just here I (W. T. Russell) want to give you a copy of a Questionnaire that is
used in every case of this kind by Fairview Memorial Baptist Church, Bowling
Green, Kentucky, of which I am pastor.
Fairview Memorial Baptist Church, in a recent business meeting inaugurated a new
policy regarding the granting and receiving of letters. We are sure you will not
refuse to co-operate with us in this matter; therefore we request that you give
us the information we need by answering the following questions;
1. Does your church require those coming to you for baptism to have an
experimental knowledge that they have been born again?-...If not please explain.
2. Do you receive into your fellowship members of denominations, other than
Baptist, on their baptism? ...... If so, explain why.
3. In your observance of the Lord's Supper, do you restrict it to: a. Church
members only ...... b. Church members, and visiting Baptist church members c.
All who consider themselves qualified ......
4. Does your church believe that baptism can be administered scripturally in any
other way than by a duly ordained minister, and by the authority of the church?
Sincerely yours in Baptist Faith and Practice
Fairview Memorial Baptist Church ------------------ Clerk
This Questionnaire is a good way to determine the soundness of a church in their
observance of the ordinances as well as their soundness in requiring a converted
membership. The church has had to refuse correspondence with three or four
churches as a result of this investigation. Furthermore, it is in keeping with
this Resolution and the following.
The following is a Resolution adopted by Wiseman Association in 1969. Minutes of
1969, pages 19 - 20.
BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That we show the world that we are determined to be consistent in faith and
in order, in doctrine and practice.
2. That we acknowledge that we have neglected to adhere strictly to the phrase,
"of the same faith and order," in our correspondence with other Baptist
Churches.
3. That we make inquiry into the practice or churches, about which we do not
know, as to their requirements of candidates for baptism upon receiving and
granting letters.
4. That each candidate for membership in our churches be required to give
evidence of a change of heart (and experience of grace) regardless of how they
come to us, by letter, as well as for baptism.
5. That we refrain from seating in our association, and in our business
meetings, members of churches which we regard as out of order in practice.
6. That we refuse to correspond with churches which are out of order in
practice, neither take letters from nor grant letters to go to them.
7. That we recommend this action be taken by the churches.
Signed: W. T. Russell
