EIGHTEENTH SESSION.
Held in the Sixteenth Street Church, Birmingham, November, 1885. Officers of previous session re-elected. On the 10th of November, one day prior to the sitting of the Convention, the Ministers’ Union met and appointed a committee on the character of the author of this pamphlet, and which reported the following:
“We, your committee appointed on Bro. C. O. Boothe, beg leave to submit the following: On account of the complications of his marriage relations, his oppositions to the State work, and on account of his want of loyalty to truth, we recommend that we withdraw from him the hand of fellowship as a minister. C. S. Dinkins, J. Q. A. Wilhite, J. Dosier, committee.”
The brother, who was excluded (?) by the adoption of this report, asked and was allowed to put in the minutes of the Convention the following: “To all who may read the resolution passed by the Alabama Baptist Ministers’ Union bearing upon me, I affirm my innocence of each and all the charges therein presented, and appeal to the King of Kings, whose just judgment I patiently await.
“C. O. Boothe.”
Dark times follow upon the work and upon many individuals. The total receipts for this year, as reported by Bro. Bouey, were $2,200. Rev. J. P. Barton was made State missionary, and Rev. J. Q. A. Wilhite was made financial agent of the school.
The school was getting into debt, and serious losses threatened. The founders of the work were not sufficiently willing to confer with each other.
NINETEENTH SESSION.
Held in Opelika, November, 1886. The same officers were re-elected, except Rev. J. A. Foster replaced Rev. John Dosier as vice-president. Rev. C. L. Purce was made president of the school, Dr. Brawley having resigned. The school was $6,000 or $7,000 in debt. A resolution looking toward moving the University from Selma was adopted. Marion was proposed instead of Selma, and the larger cash donation was to fix the location. The contest was heated, and here and there rather ugly. The Baptist Leader favored Marion. Finances were rather short. Revs. G. W. Berry, from South Carolina, and E. J. Fisher, of Georgia, were present at this session.