A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
J. R. Flower, the secretary-treasurer, convened the meeting
specifically to suppress the so-called New Issue.
Collins, the chairman, and Opperman, the assistant chairman,
did not want to do so, and they arrived late. In their
absence, Flower took charge and asked J. W. Welch
(1858-1939) to chair the meeting.
About one hundred ministers were in attendance, and
a debate was organized. E. N. Bell and G. T. Haywood presented
the case for baptism in Jesus’ name. Speaking for
the traditional trinitarian formula were Collins and Jacob
Miller. William Schell was originally scheduled instead of
Miller, but he was prepared to speak on church history.
When he learned that the debate was to be confined to
Scripture, he withdrew. 75 The next day, however, he was
allowed to speak for two hours on “the baptismal formula
as given by the [Post-]Apostolic Fathers.” 76
The conference decided that either baptismal formula
was acceptable but that more time was needed to pray
and study the issue. It then recommended a compromise
formula: “The substitution of the name of ‘Jesus Christ’
for the word ‘Son’ (Matt. 28:19) would better harmonize
Matt. 28:19 with the book of Acts (Acts 2:38; 8:16;
10:48; 19:5) and, as a formula, would be preferable to the
use of any one passage to the exclusion of the other.” 77
Despite the professed desire for further discussion
and deliberation, the conference elected staunch trinitarians
to every position and removed everyone who had
accepted baptism in Jesus’ name or who had a conciliatory
attitude toward it. Bell, Collins, Goss, Lawrence, and
Opperman all lost their positions. Welch replaced Collins
as chairman.
During 1916, the leadership of the Assemblies of God
76