Gilbert Beebe predicted this over 150 years ago: "We find this grave assemblage of dignitaries, including 1 President, 35 Vice-Presidents and 30 directors, in parliamentary form, legislating upon the destiny of the world, and voting away the moneys belonging to the Baptists of this State by tens of thousands, to be collected, appropriated and expended in such form as their Hons. - the Presidents, Directors & Co. of the convention, shall have decreed, viz: To the Home Mission, $10,000; the Tract Society, Sunday School Union, Literary and Theological institutions, &c., all that they can extort from the people. Instead of allowing to individuals the right of disposing of their own property in their own way, they dictate to them the amount to be raised, and the objects to which the same shall be appropriated; hence we conclude this argument cannot belong to them."