7
7
school did not care to be changed. "The two year history of Des Moines University is a
history of the blunders of Shields, who assumed the presidency."
25
Later Shields hired a new
president, Harry Wayman, whom he had not thoroughly investigated, even though Wayman
had been let go from William Jewell College. Shields still ran the school from Toronto with
the aid of his secretary in Des Moines, Edith Rebman. Apparently the faculty and students did
not get along well with her, and they reacted strongly to several administrative decisions.
Rumors spread about Shields relationship with Rebman. A violent campus riot broke out in
1929 during a board meeting while Shields was in Des Moines. Shields had to flee for his
own safety, and the board decided to close the school down.
26
Shields retreated from BBU
leadership so as not to further embarrass the movement--but it was sufficiently embarrassed
already.
By 1930, Riley, upset with Shields, would not take leadership in the BBU. Van
Osdel called an organizational meeting at his church in Grand Rapids. A committee was
selected to draft a new constitution and issue a later call for a meeting. The committee
included both Ketcham and Shields, and Shields wrote the new draft. Ketcham opposed the
new structure, and resigned, being replaced by Van Osdel.
27
No meeting was called in 1931.
28
Van Osdel finally called for a meeting himself in 1932. Neither Shields nor
Ketcham would attend.
29
This last meeting of the BBU took place at the Belden Avenue
Baptist Church in Chicago. Of the 30 named registered messengers present, 14 were from
Illinois, 1 from Indiana, 2 from Iowa, 6 from Minnesota, 2 from Ohio, 3 from Michigan, and
2 from California.
30
They decided to reorganize and change their name, though they had no
constitution at this point.
31
Harry Hamilton from Buffalo, New York was elected president of
25
Ibid., 17.
26
Murdoch, 127-128.
27
Ibid., 129
28
Bauder, "Chronology."
29
Shields wife was dying, in addition to the strained relationships (Delnay, 184).
Ketcham had also recently assumed a new pastorate.
30
Paul N. Tassell, Quest for Faithfulness: The Account of a Unique Fellowship of
Churches (Schaumburg, IL: Regular Baptist Press, 1991), 385. Many GARBC documents say
34 delegates were at the meeting, but only 30 names appear listed. At least a couple of men
elected as officers do not appear on the list (Hamilton and Muntz from New York). I grew up
at First Baptist of Eldora, Iowa, whose pastor in 1932 was one of this group.
31
Joseph M. Stowell, A History of the General Association of Regular Baptist
Churches (Hayward, CA: J. F. May Press, 1949), 32-35. Stowell lists some of the minutes of
that first GARBC meeting.