Baptist Theology at the Crossroads: the Legacy of E
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Baptist Theology at the Crossroads: The Legacy of E. Y. Mullins R. Albert Mohler, Jr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is President Introduction was a liberal arts college with a military and Professor of Christian Theology One of the towering figures of Southern cadet corps. As William E. Ellis comments, at The Southern Baptist Theological Baptist history, Edgar Young Mullins led “A. and M. displayed two dominant char- Seminary. He is the author of numer- Southern Baptists through some of the acteristics during these early years of ous scholarly articles and has edited and most tumultuous decades of American existence: a pervading southern ‘Lost contributed to important volumes on religious history. As a Baptist statesman, Cause’ atmosphere and a lack of clear theology and culture. Dr. Mohler’s writ- theologian, educator, and denominationa- direction for its chartered purpose, the ing is regularly featured in World maga- list, E. Y. Mullins shaped the denomina- training of young men in the agricultural zine and Religion News Service. tional consensus that, in turn, shaped and mechanical arts.”2 As a young cadet, Southern Baptist life and thought well into Mullins received lessons in both discipline the twentieth century. and leadership, and served as a cadet Born January 5, 1860 to Seth and Cor- officer. His military bearing and tall stat- rine Mullins of Franklin County, Missis- ure became life-long marks of distinction. sippi, Mullins’s most formative years The “A. and M.” experience was charged were lived during the Civil War and with both military discipline and Confed- Reconstruction. A Baptist minister with a erate memory. Jefferson Davis was invited Master of Arts degree from Mississippi to be the first president of the school and, College, Seth Mullins spent most of his though Davis declined the offer, the school ministry as both preacher and school was a powerful symbol of Southern pride teacher. When Mississippi experienced a and resistance. Though Mullins would breakdown of order during Reconstruc- later serve as a world citizen and as a tion, Seth Mullins moved his young fam- bridge to Baptists in the North, his roots ily to Corsicana, Texas. were deeply and decidedly southern. Taught largely by his father, E. Y. Mul- After graduation, Mullins returned to lins demonstrated an early love for learn- service as a telegraph operator in order to ing and reading. His first part-time job save money for a legal education. At this came at the age of eleven, and his teenage stage, Mullins planned to enter the law, vocational experiences included stints and had shown no interest in following as typesetter for the local newspaper in his father’s footsteps. and telegraph operator. Demonstrating Indeed, Mullins was not converted administrative as well as telegraphic gifts, until 1880, when he attended revival ser- Mullins took full charge of the Corsicana vices in Dallas under the preaching of telegraph office at age fifteen.1 Major William E. Penn. Shortly thereafter, At age sixteen Mullins entered the Mullins was baptized by his father at the first cadet class at the Agricultural and Corsicana church. A “definite call to the Mechanical College of Texas. In reality, the ministry” came just a few months later, and young school was neither agricultural nor Mullins departed for The Southern Baptist mechanical in focus. In general terms it Theological Seminary within the year. 4 Arriving in Louisville in 1881, Mullins and professor of theology, Boyce exerted quickly immersed himself in seminary a powerful influence on the young E. Y. studies. Southern Seminary had been Mullins.5 established just one year prior to Mullins’s When Mullins arrived as a student, birth, and had been in Louisville only four Southern Seminary had just emerged from years.3 Louisville was a new experience for its first great theological crisis. The first Mullins, whose entire life had at that point faculty member added to the founders, a been spent in the deep south and Texas, young and promising scholar, had been which at that time also reflected a distinctly forced to resign in the face of charges that southern culture. As a border city, Louis- he had accepted the conclusions of Ger- ville was an important intersection of man biblical criticism and thus rejected the influences from both north and south. full inspiration and authority of the Old Mullins chose to pursue his theologi- Testament. The young scholar, Crawford cal education at Southern Seminary Howell Toy, resigned in 1879 and was because of its academic reputation and its replaced by Basil Manly, Jr., one of the standing in the Baptist denomination. As original four faculty.6 The Toy controversy his widow later reflected, Mullins went to threatened the very existence of the young Southern Seminary because, to his mind, seminary, and Mullins arrived just as the there was “no conception of school work institution was emerging from the inten- except that it should be of the highest sity of the conflict. grade obtainable.”4 Quickly establishing himself as a leader The Southern Seminary of Mullins’s among students, Mullins was elected to student experience was a school with serve as administrator of the student’s clear theological convictions and a much- residential hall—a post that included respected faculty, which included the responsibility for purchasing food and school’s founder and faculty chairman, supplies, as well as adjudicating student James Petigru Boyce. Boyce, later appointed disputes. Later, Mullins was to take satis- the school’s first president, was the most faction from the fact that no issue related formative figure in the seminary’s estab- to the hall had required faculty attention lishment and early development. A robust under his charge. and energetic figure in both thought and Mullins was recognized as a “full life, Boyce had been educated at Brown graduate” of the seminary at commence- University and Princeton Theological ment in 1885, and was chosen by his peers Seminary, and had thus received his uni- to speak at the graduation ceremony. Mul- versity and seminary education in the lins delivered an address entitled “Man- North. Nevertheless, Boyce was a commit- liness in the Ministry” and shortly there- ted southerner and the only son of one of after began service as pastor of the the South’s wealthiest families. historic Baptist church in Harrodsburg, A Charlestonian by birth and a Calvin- Kentucky. ist by conviction, Boyce shaped Southern Prior to accepting the call to the Har- Seminary into a greatly respected theo- rodsburg church, Mullins had planned to logical institution—and placed his per- serve as a missionary to Brazil under the sonal stamp on the seminary’s doctrinal charge of the Foreign Mission Board of the stance and substance. As both president Southern Baptist Convention. He had 5 written the board and indicated his will- tre Baptist Church in suburban Boston, ingness to serve, but had received no Massachusetts. Mullins—son of the South response. Mullins was aware that finan- and graduate of Texas A. and M.—now cial constraints had severely limited the found himself pastor to a prosperous, well number of missionaries the struggling educated, and cultured congregation in board could support. Later, his physician one of Boston’s most exclusive neighbor- would warn Mullins against foreign hoods. The church—identified with north- service. ern Baptists, and not the Southern Baptist Soon after arriving in Harrodsburg, Convention—also put Mullins in close Mullins married Isla May Hawley of Lou- proximity to the Newton Theological isville. She would later bear two sons, but Institute as well as Harvard College and both would die in childhood. According Boston University. Mullins thrived in the to Isla May Mullins, the Harrodsburg rich intellectual environment and enjoyed years were happy and productive, though his ministry in Boston, but his service E. Y. Mullins was prepared for a more there would last only four years. metropolitan ministry, and such an oppor- In Mullins’s absence, his alma mater had tunity would soon arise. been thrown into its second great theologi- In 1888 Mullins was called as pastor of cal crisis. This time the issue was Baptist the Lee Street Baptist Church in Baltimore, history and the claim of historic succes- Maryland. He would serve this church for sionism made by some Baptists. President seven years, learning a great deal about Boyce had died in 1888, and had been suc- the challenges of an urban church in a ceeded as president by John A. Broadus, diverse city. Like Louisville, Baltimore another of the founders and the leading was a meeting place of northern and Baptist preacher of his day. When Broadus southern cultures. The city would later be died in 1895, he was succeeded in office associated with H. L. Menken, as well as by William Heth Whitsitt, whose argu- with J. Gresham Machen, who was the son ments concerning Baptist history soon set of a leading Baltimore family. off a firestorm within the Southern Bap- According to Ellis, Mullins developed tist Convention. a growing social consciousness in Balti- By 1898 the controversy had reached a more.7 Clearly, the presence of the urban fever pitch, and the seminary’s future was poor and increasing social stratification again called into question. After failing to presented challenges to Mullins’s theo- ameliorate the crisis, the seminary’s trust- logical reflection. After seven years of ees accepted Whitsitt’s resignation, effec- ministry, and the death in infancy of his tive in 1899. second son, Mullins accepted appoint- In searching for a new president, the ment as associate secretary of the Foreign trustees sought a leader who would, if Mission Board, thereby reconnecting with possible, be untouched by the Whitsitt his early missionary impulse.