Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-04-26
April 90. 1891.

.uned in those resolutions, and 10 main
,he n,wers therein claimed, it will be
serious matter.
The first poin, which we wish to pre-
o., d;s,inc,Iy to view is contained IN the
oiIowing sentences Of Mr.. Bacon's De-
,uce. "Every pastor is TO control The
occupancy of his own pulpit-,his IS ot1he
yerv essence Of his Office" THE Gener-
n Association claims for every pastor the
bower Of opening and shutting his own
pulpit,-he being responsible for the
abuse ofthat power to the regular ecciesI-
astical bodies. and to them only" NO"
we maintain. that the pastor OF church
has by his office no such prerogat've as
the bower of opening and shutting u.s.
I,pn pulpit" for the pulpit is not " his
IN" at all. One Of the first principles
Congregationalism is, the right OF
.hurchcs 10 choose their own religious
|eache And if they have the right to
shoose their own teachers, independent Of
hll foreign control, much more have they
HE right 10 seek instruction from other
ieuchers as they please. A man, by De-
ing appointed pastor, no more acquires the
Fight of prescribing to the pcop,e what
other lecturers or preachers they may
hear, than Of prescribing to them what
newspapers they may read He may
make his own appointments, either t"r
himsefto preach or for any other that he
chooses TO introduce. And if the people
will come and hear, he may do all that he
can to make them think as he does But
when be comes 10 claim the power Of
shutting the puI pit against any other man
who the people desire to hear, he Sets
up a lorlShip over Gods heritage which
is the very essence OF all spiritual Iyran.
ny. The pulpit, using the term literally
+lor the wooden structure from which men
Rpeak, belongs to those who have the Ie'
Pal ownership Of the house Used fgur,
atively, to signify the privilege Of address
Jog public assemblies with the sanction oil
he church, it belongs to the church, and
nay be rightfuIy occupi by any one to
whom the church may assign it. 1t is a
grand mistake, both in church and state,
to suppose that there is or needs 10 be, a
conservative power over the heads OF the
people. The true conservative principle
lice with the people themselves. There is
therefore not the slightest pre,ext for min
isters' claiming the power to open and
shut the pul pit On the contrary, this
power, carried out, would efIectually pre-
vent all reformations whatsoever, as any
one acquainted with ecclesiastical history
may know.
We speak now Of strict right. W.
should deprecate, as much as any one, al
open issue between ministers and people
respecting the right Of opening and shut
ting the pulpit. Better that all Partie:
should exercise forbearance. And We
know the churches Of Connecticut will dc
this, for the honor they bear TO the minis
try as an institution Of Jesus Christ, so ia
as forbearance is consistent with Christian
liberty. But if the pastors are determih
cd to 90 for the abstract and absolute RICH
in the case, we need no prophet to foreteI
the result We hope, therefore, that thi
writer will not be recognized by these pas
tors as their selected defender, nor his as
4 sumptions maintained as their claim c
right. Rather. let the ministers OF Chris
RELY on the influence Of the truth the
teach. the wisdom they employ, and tn
holy example Of zeal and purity they e,
ihibit These. with the respect whlc!
their Office insures in Connecticut, will d
more to preserve order than whole quiz c
4 ofsuch resolutions and offences Aud
these will not keep out anti-slavery lee
turers. and itinerant evanpeIists, they wi
do what is better; they will give to tn
pastors that hold upon the confidence
the people in their integrity and competer
CIV, which will afford them more power t
do good than all the ghostIy prerogatlve
ofthe pope himsef-N. Y. Evan.