ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 1996 TAG: 9606260037
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
ATTORNEY GENERAL Jim Gilmore promised to pursue anyone burning or otherwise damaging any house of worship.
Along with discussions on Christian education and evangelism, messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Virginia meeting at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center this week are talking about another subject - fire.
The continuing destruction of black churches - more than 30 nationally in the past year and a half - has hit home in Virginia and in this association of predominantly black Baptist congregations.
The Rev. Wilson E. Shannon and his flock at First Baptist Church (Centralia) in Chesterfield County outside Richmond watched their historic 129-year-old building go up in flames April16.
Just a year ago, Shannon said Tuesday, the building was defaced by vandals who painted Ku Klux Klan symbols on it. The pastor wonders if publicity about a plan to send books to South Africa a few months ago might have brought the church back to the attention of someone with a grudge.
In Shannon's view, there is no question that the fire was arson, though it has not been included in the list of suspected arsons being investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
That will change soon, Shannon said Tuesday shortly after talking with Virginia Attorney General Jim Gilmore just before Gilmore addressed the convention.
Gilmore, recently elected to head the Southern regional association of attorneys general, has organized a bipartisan meeting of its members at the Howard University Divinity School in Washington, D.C., on July 7 to discuss coordinated reaction to the fires.
In an interview before his address, Gilmore said there is "no evidence yet of a conspiracy" - though there may be copycat arsonists at work. People should "be calm, then draw conclusions from the facts" that are gathered about the different cases, he said.
The attorney general repeatedly drew applause from the crowd at the morning business session as he pledged to pursue those who would destroy or vandalize not only black churches, but any houses of worship - including those of Jews and Muslims.
He quoted Scripture as he pledged to defend those who are "attacked by the enemies of the Lord."
Rising from the ashes of hatred, he said, "We will wait on the Lord, and we shall renew our strength. We shall mount up with wings like eagles, we shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not be faint," paraphrasing Isaiah40:31.
"If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple," Gilmore added, quoting 1 Corinthians3:17.
The decision of national, state and local authorities to quickly go after the perpetrators of such crimes shows just how far the country has come in 50 years, Shannon said.
"We're telling these people that they can't get away with it. That's a good statement for us to make. ... They will be brought to justice. I pity the individuals who did this" because they will have to pay for their crimes, he said.
This is the 97th annual session of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, which drew an estimated 1,800 to 2,000 messengers.
Just as Virginia's predominantly white Southern Baptist congregations are starting to think about splitting into two separate state associations, these Baptists will be voting on whether to rejoin a group from which they split almost 100 years ago.
In May, the Virginia Baptist State Convention approved a resolution to "undertake steps to merge into one Baptist state body" with the Baptist General Convention. Thursday afternoon, the general convention group will vote on an identical resolution - which its leadership is endorsing.
Participants also will hear a report from the Commission on Christian Social Concerns, proposing the formation of a political action committee "to strengthen our voice in elections on the local, state and national levels." A printed report from the committee said it "will seek legal advice to ensure that all actions are handled properly." The Internal Revenue Service in recent years has acted to lift the tax-exempt status of churches that violate agency regulations limiting political involvement.
The convention session ends Friday.
Donations for the burned churches may be sent to: AmeriCares, 161 Cherry St., New Canaan, Conn. 06840, or call (203)972-5500.
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS/Staff. State Attorney General Jimby CNBGilmore (left) talks with the Rev. Wilson E. Shannon, who suspects
the destruction of his Richmond-area church was a case of arson.