New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-07

The Proceedings Of the First Baptist Church in
William sburgb in relation 10 tho ezpuision ofJudge
Culver from its communion, Will be likely to raise a
legal question of considerable interest and im-
portaIce THIS is the question Of the extent of the
authority possessed by church judicatOlies, and Of
the degree 10 which courts Of law will recognise
them as invested with right Of investigation and
power of passing judgments as to matters IN
volsiIg Lot merely points OF church orthodoxy,
but questions Of moral conduct.
Not oily has Judge Culver been expelled from
the First Baptist Chu-oh il Wi.Ism'buigh upon
points involving BIZ. moral character but upon
points involving the character also OF two ladies'
VITA when he is accused Of having maintained an
intimacy 90 unNarrsntaee as to d'squal.iy hun Tor
being lo:ger recognized 81 Christ an and mora!
msn qusl;fed 10 be member Of the First Baptist
Church Ct WlIsm:burgh. |. ispaio, therefore,
that this decree of expulsion strikes not merely at
Judge Culver, but stll mere fatally at the two
ladies' ahose characters and conduct have been
draw Tito this inquiry; because although ecclesi-
sstcally considered the ofleuse Of which Judge
Culver las bee decided to be guilty by this church
tribunal IS equsll. heinors whether committed By
HAL Ut WCUdf u! tHc VA WV 'NA-"' "A~
Of courts Of law. it is far more urpsrdo2sble IN
W. man.
With respect to the sentence passed upon him
and not only upon him, but upon his female friends
JUDGE Culver complains that it was based far less
upon any evidence before the ecclesiastical tribu-
nal that passed it thsn upon strong prejudice
sgain,t min, arisiDg from wholly eItraneous coz
bo1 "A cartain IF
the church members stIorg disposition to get rid
of his Christian Iebukes, # lot indeed to blacken
his character; AID, furthermore, that the whole
proceeding from begin mig to end was conducted
in totsl disregard Of the cOnmonest rules Of equity
and just;ce-frst, in the reception Of large
amount Of ueIely hes.say testimony; and, sec
ondy, in the exclusion of Judge Culver from sny
cross-e1ominaton of the witnesses, or even from
berg present when their testimony was given.
But eveu allowing that the course Of proceedings in
this case we've ever go contrary to the recognized
rules of civil tribunals, and that the conclu.
sion aIiytd at was wholly unwarrantSd by the
evidence, get, short of the proof of express
malice ard decision rendered by his Judges con-
tray to their owa intiu ate conyctOns-s point
-uCsI W cstspilou Al Soec uVWo'VA
fagrant-we do lot see how Judge Culver could,
whether Ia the form Of libel suit or otherwise,
obtain review Of the proceeding and still less
damages for the injury done him. As member of
the Fnst Baptist Church Of Wlliaasburgh be has
subnttej rot only bis theological OPi1ions, but his
moral conduct ss we'll. to the scrutiny ard oversight
| Of DIS fellow church Members. He has been tried
by tribunal of his own selection tribur al which
i, the judge Of It's own method of proceeding aud OF
tie character Of the eSideIce hch it viii receive;
and shor, Of establishing express malice, or at least
total lack Of colsr for the judgment rendered
which would in itself 80 strongly to prove express
malice 20 far as Judge Culver is alone concerned
we do Lot see how civil tribunal could interfere.
But TIE case of the two la,ies whose character
ara conduct have been called in question 10 thi:
inquiry, aud are involved in tie sentence rendered
would stand upon wholly different grou5d, suppOs
rg them net TO be members Of the Fi.st
Baptist Church Of WiTismsburxh. which does no.
appear 10 be tie fact. However il might he with
Judge Culver, they have never submitted 70 the
jurisdiction Of tAe Fret Bsptis. Chu,ch Of VII
liSnsbureh, and are ia no wsy snsxtr.be T. il.
A, TO ttcr their conduct s;d their ch,,.c,er. the
Fret Dspts' Church Of Wil,msbur,h CA, claim