The Portland daily press., 1865-01-26

TO sit In Council with the STATED Supply, be-
cause they bad voted TO sit with the "Third
Church" And it is implied, in the Protest. +"
that there was just the same reason TO suppose
that be would be present, as that the Pastor
of any other Church would.
Is that sos l. there no difference between
the ecclesiastical position of Pastor whom
the Churches, called In Council. have, agreed
10 recognize In ihst relation, and Stated Sup
ply, whom they have just as distinctly refused
so to recognize? Is one, just as probably as
the other, to be looked for, when Churches
assemble in their Counc'lsP
The Churches knew the Third Church had
no Pastor. They knew, furthermore, tina.
they had untqnlvocally refused to acknowl.
edge Its Stated Supply as such. The functions
Of that mutual Fellowship characteristic OF
Orthodox Congrega,ionalisnl had been dis
timely denied to him,
Was it so certain, then, that he would as
sumo to exercise those functions? A fatal OBJ
stacie lay bstween bin and doing SO, viz: the
Churches emphatic negative when solicited to
accord him that character to which those
functions appertain. A1s
In voting, therefore, that they would sit with
the Third Church." they entered into no
agreement. construction or otherwise, that
they would unite, also, with its Preacher.
They did agree to sit with the Delegate of
that Cnurch. and were happy to do SO. But
thatuGder the wing of that agreement any one
would come in another character, character
, which they had distinctly declined to accord +,
was looming" which really did not seem very
probable.
What II one man on the Council heard
"three days BEFORE" that the stated-supply OF
the Third Church ,ooasld be present? Even
he somewhat doubted the rumor. He went
not more than halfexpecting the statement to
be true. z % lsfgisaat sii e q '-il b9Vefq sa
When. therefore, assembled in Council, the
fact was manifest that such person ,uas pres
ent, the members passed no vote of ELECTION"
as the Protest asserts /; they simply recorded
their conviction that the attempt to exercise
the Pastoral function in mutual Church Coun-
ell, in the face of the solemn refusal of the
Churches last July to permit it, was sim
proper. = 81 I I'll - IS 8& - 81
Iv.-But the Third Church and its Acting
Pastor were inuited 1t is said. SAnd tone Of
language has been largely employed, which
implies that the Bethel Church has been
wronged, and its desires disappointed, by the
action OF the Council. ~ Nf8
1t is but right, therefore, that the public
shOuld ho Ua Of Of ba e
this Invitation lIl5ii1 Zt4oN a1b
+ The Bethel Church is a small organization,
dependent Tor its support on the benefactions
OF its stronger sisters. Contemplating set
ting Pastor, 1t appointed committeeto act
for It in extending letters Of invitation to The
Churches. 1t has since TRANSFERRED that hes
itation was felt, in the minds of more than one
OF the committee, about including the Third
Church in the invitation. 1t appears that the
possibility had suggested itself to these gen.
temen, that occasion might be taken, If let
ter was sent to that Church, for the Acting
Pastor to und srtake what he calls in his 'Pro-
test" test of this NATTER" and that if be
did so, trouble might arise. One of the mem
bers of that committee, therefore mentioned
this apprehension to some of the officers Of The
Third Church, and was substantially told by
the one Who afterwards acted as its delegate
in the Council, 'Invite us, or expect no more
assistance from u.s." ~
Between two difficulties, therefore--st diff
Guilty, on the ons side, Of trouble arising ii pc,
haps matters were tested;;" and the difficulty
on the other hand, OF losing the patronage o
one of the Churches which contribute to the
I support OF the Bethel, the committee ertendee
The sincitdtion, leaving with the, Council; thu
respolsieiatyof acting ip any event which
might arise.
The author of the "Protest" admits that h
went to the Council to "test" his standing
Does it not appear, also, as II an "invtatioh'
was secured, that there might be opportunity
10 test it?j sasss4 AA@NsA AAAN N4lk
The public will duly estimate facts lik,
these, when an attempt is made to throw obi
an upon Council, because of wrong done Il
"a Church. n ssyr-ryr,trrs e rru
La taking leave, Sir, 80 far as yeur column
are concerned, OF this most painful matter,
can only say it causes no one more SINGER,
a grief than it does me. These difference
among brethren are not to my taste. Coz
kaows that anything short Of a compromise 0
Gospel principle, would have been cheerful.
sacrificed, could have prevented the Rssul
4 of last July, or the transaction of Monday.
Still repeat, what then said, that the frs
hour the respected Preacher of the Thir'
Church, will stand squarely on the broad, com
monty -recognized platform of Congregations
doctrine, and show It, to . Council called &C
cording TO the usages Of our Polity, ! will,
he will permit me, extend to him the Right
hand of Professional Fellowship, as LIDO nov
that Of sincere amity and good will. e ssoi
Yours truly, ca @ g. L. WALKER.