Heritage Column for March 10, 2005
By Fred Anderson
In July 1905 Baptists from 23 nations assembled in London for the first congress of the Baptist World Alliance. At least 23 Virginians were in attendance, as well as others with “Virginia connections.”
Who were the Virginia Baptists who attended the first Baptist World Congress? Two Dunaways (an old Virginia Baptist family) were there: Thomas S. Dunaway Jr. of Martinsburg, W.Va., and Wayland F. Dunaway Jr. of Glen Allen. Others included George Braxton Taylor, founder of the Sunbeams and a pastor at Hollins; Thomas J. Shipman of Roanoke; Rev. and Mrs. W.L. Taylor of Richmond; Robert Healy Pitt, editor of the Religious Herald and among the first of the Baptist newspaper editors to call for a world Baptist organization; Judge C.E. Nicol, a prominent deacon at First Baptist Church, Alexandria; W.L. Pickard of First Baptist Church, Lynchburg; Alexander Miller of Madison Heights; W.T. Johnson of Richmond; Allan Jones of Newport News; Ryland Knight of Calvary Baptist Church, Richmond; G.W. Hayes of Lynchburg; J. B. Hutson, the long-time pastor of Pine Street Baptist Church, Richmond; P.G. Elsom of Moffett Memorial Baptist Church, Danville; Charles Gardner of Grace Street Baptist Church, Richmond; R.B. Garrett of Court Street Baptist Church, Portsmouth; James and Abbie Buchanan, city missionaries in Richmond; P.A. Anthony, First Baptist Church, South Boston; E.V. Baldy, Bainbridge Street Baptist Church, Richmond (although then considered to be in Manchester); and A. Binga Jr. of Manchester. Binga (and perhaps some others in the above list) was one of some 50 African Americans who were at the first BWA meeting. They were pioneers in building bridges among Baptists.
Fifty years later, the BWA had grown in size and influence; and over 8,000 delegates attended the Golden Jubilee Congress in London, including over 4,000 from the United States. So many Virginians attended that Robert F. Caverlee, pastor of Fredericksburg Baptist Church and president of the BGAV in 1955, observed, “It looks like a meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia.” He even saw his neighbor, David Ray Hepler, pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Fredericksburg.
“Dr. Bob” Caverlee wrote home: “There's a real thrill to talking to Baptists from all 60 nations represented. What the language lacks is made up by smiles and the knowledge that in Christ we have the same heart language. The Christian experience is so real to them and means so much to them that I feel ashamed for so many Americans who take much of the fellowship of Christians for granted.”
Dan Stevens of River Road Church, Baptist, in Richmond recalls that his mother, Alice Stevens, worked for years in a Richmond department store to save money so that his family could attend the meeting. His father was Charles R. Stevens, who was pastor of Four Mile Creek Baptist Church during the time Mrs. Stevens was saving her money. When he considered accepting the call to First Baptist Church, Hopewell, he made it on condition that the family could still make the trip-they did! Dan was 15 and still remembers the excitement of the European tour.
Of course, Theodore F. Adams, pastor of First Baptist Church, Richmond, was present along with 26 members of his church; and before the meeting was over, he was elected as president. Following the meeting, he joined a group of Baptist ministers who toured Russia. Arnold T. Ohrn, general secretary of the BWA, stated the purpose of the Russian tour: “To visit as many of our co-believers as possible, to foster Baptist fellowship and to contribute our bit towards building bridges between East and West.”
Virginia Woman's Missionary Union sent a delegation, including Blanche Sydnor White, executive secretary; Mrs. Lester L. Knight, president; Mrs. Earl Brown; Mrs. Bessie McGahey; Josephine Norwood, then executive secretary of Maryland WMU; Connie Hall; Carrie Vaughan; and Nan Weeks. The WMU entourage toured the entire continent; and in Rome, they stayed at the George Boardman Taylor Orphanage, named for the pioneer Virginia Baptist missionary to Italy. Another Virginia Baptist woman at the meeting was the influential Mrs. George R. Martin of Norfolk, who was president of Virginia and Southern Baptist WMU. She was on the program.
Reuben E. Alley, editor of the Religious Herald, discovered fresh experiences from the very start. “Sailing from New York was a new experience, accompanied by strange emotions and positive misgivings-foolish but none the less real. Out of sight of land for five days … the large company of strangers aboard quickly became a pleasant and interesting community. What one gains through travel depends upon preparation. The younger son in the parable ran into serious trouble in a far country because he gave no thought to conditions and personal adjustments there which otherwise would have offered extraordinary opportunities for growth of mind and spirit. The important thing is to let the mind and spirit be unbounded.”
In July 2005, many Virginia Baptists will make the trip for the Centenary Congress, to be held in Birmingham, England. There are several Virginia ministers, Baptist entities and travel agents organizing tour groups. The program includes Baptist personalities from around the world. There will be opportunities to meet and greet and shake hands with fellow believers from around the globe. And just as it was in 1905 and 1955 and all the other years, the Congress will be a time for building bridges.
Fred Anderson is executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies. He can be reached at P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173.