The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-06-20
For the Register.
Tho Senior Pastorship of DR.. Mer-

In two articles signed. " A member of
the Cong Church in Middlebury." it
has been denied that Dr. Merrill held
this relation to that church, on the
ground that ho had asked to be released
from the performance of pastoral duties.
and that the church had released him.
1t appears to me that the author ,ab,rs
under misapprehension of the term
Pastor. as settled by ecclesiastical usage
generally, and the express rules of the
consociated churches in this county.
What then has been ecclesiastical usage?
1t has been uniformly that he held this
office until dismissed by a council of
churches. DR.. Emmons asked Of his
church and society to be released from
the duties of Pastor ten years before his
death, and they accedcd to his request.
lie never preached afterwards, nor offer
ed prayer in public, but he retained
the relation of senior pastor, and the
honor pertaining to it. In many III.
stances, ministers have asked to be re-
leased from pastoral labors, on account
of feeble health, or the in6rmi,ies of age
and their request has been acceded to 4;
bat still they have been regarded and
treated as Pastors, unless they have
been regularly dismissed. The continu
ance Of this relation. after duties cease
to be rendered is often desired both by
Pastor and people.
But what are the rules of the conso-
ciated churches of the county. a min
lister can be invested with this office on
Is by council called by the church and
candidate, anC a majority of the council
must belong to the consolation, and lie
cannot cease to retain it, until he is dis.
missed by like council. \ minister
. cannot be Invested of that Office, e7cn By
his resi- gna,ion OF its duties, nor by the
the acceptance Of that resignation BY the
church. If Pastor should retire from
the post of duty, and 90 to some foreign
country, he would still be Pastor, unless
dismissed by mutual or expartc coun-
Gil. In accordance with this rule, the
church in Middlebnry decided this qucs-
ton.
In his request to the church, to be OK
cused from performing pastoral duties
and his proposal to relinquish his claim
to control or superintend their concerns
as Pastor, he says: I" l propose to retain
the pastoral relation" The church ac.
ccded to that proposal. And according
ly DR.. Merrilfs name has ever since been
returned as Pastor of the church in Mid
dlebury, to the consolation and to the
General Convention Of Vermont. and
has ever appeared in their published
minutes, as Pastor. AS he was the old
est Pastor. be was of course the senior
Pastor. Though not the acting Pastor,
he retained the honor Of the office, by
vote of the church itself q consideration
GoIbtess of more value to him. who had
loved and served the church SO long than
any emoluments Of the Office, which he
relinquished.
4 member Of Addison Association.
p. S. Since writing the above | find
that DR.. Emmous had resigned all min.
isterial labors among his people and that
Rev Elan Smallcy D. d and Rev. Tar
thus ID. Southworth, his SUCCESSORS, both
regarded that venerable man as senior
Pastor, and themselves as associates,
with him, though he uniformly declined
to exercise any control over the concerns
of the church and society. or to interfere
with any OF the arrangements of the act
ing pastor