The more things change…

…the more they stay the same.  Back when our convention was still working for the “conversion of negroes and other heathen,” back in the days when our we condemned all “worldly amusements” on the “Sabbath,” back when a resolution was actually passed to change the name of the Southern Baptist Convention to the “Baptist Convention of the United States,” and back in the days when Southern Baptist ministers were urged to “refuse to solemnize” the marriages of divorced people…

We also refused any effort at collaboration between Northern and Southern Baptists because such a move would tend to “keep up strife.”  This, from an 1870 resolution on cooperation with other Baptists:

WHEREAS, Many of our brethren, both North and South, are desirous of attempting, by some suitable means, to secure organic connection between the several Boards of the Baptist denomination North and South;

RESOLVED 1. That in the judgment of this Convention, any attempt in this direction would, instead of tending to draw together the Baptists of the North and South, tend rather to keep up strife among the brethren.

RESOLVED 2. That while we desire to cultivate fraternal feelings towards our Northern brethren, we recommend to the several organizations now existing in both sections to prosecute their own work by such means as the Providence of God may put into their hands, bidding each other God speed in the work of spreading the Gospel throughout the whole earth.

So we’ve repented of our treatment of Blacks.  We’ve changed our confession of faith to soften our Sabbath observance.  We’ve voted down the study of a name change.  And today, most Baptist ministers will perform ceremonies for divorcees.

But we still clench our jaws and lock our knees at any suggestion that Baptists get together for any reason at all.