The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-05-26
The Mission oflhe Church.

The Mission of the Church.
We have always supposed that the days
of inquisitorial religion were passed and
gone-that the enlightening sun of the
nineteenth century could not be made to
shadow the illineral spirit of the eight
eenth century, at least among civilized
people; but we were sadly mistaken, and
our error is demonstrated upon soil
sanctifed to freedom of opinion by the
blood of the immediate posterity of the
age of Salem witchcraft a Presbyterian
church in Cortland, New York has de-
cided that listening to the discussion
of adverse doctrines is church crime,
punishable by unqualified expulsion
We fear that were all who are guilty of
this crime excommuncated from the
Presbyterian fold, there would be few left
to do the inquiSi ion work of 1859. Will
the Presbytery sustain the action of the
Cortland Church? IfSo, forever after
at least until the injunction is removed
that sect will wane IN moral and sectarian
influence and power. The following ex-
tract from an editorial in the Tribune
will furnish food for reflection to our Pres
byterian readers hereabouts, who never
fail to hear Beecher or Cheever, if posi-
bic, when they visit the city. Verify, the
cause of slavery extracts much FROM re-
ligious formula and creeds:
With these predatory remarks, We
may venture to state the fact that Ste
phen Brewer-Stephen is an excellent
name for martyr-heretofore an elder OF
the Presbyterian Church of Cortland, in
this State, is no longer an elder and Is no
longer a member of that august body.
| He has been turned out of his eldership,
and he has been stripped of his member
ship, and enthusiastically speaking, is no.
body. The reader who never heard of
Stephen Brewer before, will naturally
sup pose that he has enunciated divers
damnahle heresies-thaa he has denied
the creed, OF at least that he has been
guilty Of some fragrant and fashionable
immoraIity-that he has either cheated
his neighbor or fooled his neighbors wife.
They will naturally figure to themselves
Mr.. Stephen Brewer as a monster Of in
Iiquity-as an inndel, druhkard, a rob
Der, or a swindler. What will be their
astonishment to learn that Mr.. Brewer
ofense consisted in going to "the other
meeting house" on the SABBATH, to hear
discourses by those unanointed preachers,
George w. Curtis, Ralph Waldo Emer-
son, VIM. Lloyd Garrison, and Wendell
PhilIips-"thus" say the specifications oi
this Session Martial "couutenancing teach
lngs that are plainly of a secular and un.
:, christian character" The very head and
front of the offending of Elder Stephen
; Brewer hath this extent-no more The
Session was very savage with him. They
would not permit, as horSe-thleves and
burglars are permitted, if they Can, to dc
they would not permit him to show q
good moral character. They would not
allow him to introduce evidence that "ht
had been a steady and deVout attendant
upon all the ordinances and Institutions
of the Church" They would not sutfeI
!, him to show that his fellow. members haC
attended the same heretical meetings
They had met to exeommuntoate him
e and they did excommunicate him, 50 that
e as nothing worse can now befall him, h
a may 60 to "the other meeting house
whenever he pleases to do So"