The Portland daily press., 1865-01-17
Ecclesiastical Council.

AT the request of the Bethel Church, a coun-
Gil assembled yesterday afternoon to examine
Mr.. Hartshorn, recent graduate OF Bangor
Theological Seminary, and ascertain whether
he was sound in doctrine and qualified to be
ordained as the pastor OF Bethel Church.
Tnere was quite congregation of both sexes
PRESENT, beside the members of the council,
and from the expression of their counten-
ances we inferred that they expected some
thing extraneous to the usual proceedings on
such occasions, and they were not disap-
pointed. nls Lssaa
After the council was organized and the
names Of the delegates called, Rev. Mr..
Walker of State Street Church rose and read
a resolution, the grauanaen of which was to
exclude Rev. Mr.. Walton, Acting Pastor of
the Third Parish, as member OF the council
to which he had been invited by the Bethel
Church. Mr.. Walker backed up his resolu-
ton by few remarks, the substance of which
was that the Third Parish had no Pastor, who
could, according to Congregational usage, sit
as a member of that council. "Acting Pas
tors" were not eligible to such position, and
had no right to act in such capacity. Mr..
Walker disclaimed having any personal feel
ings in the matter, and if he knew his own
heart, he was not actuated by any improper
motives.
Dea. Gould Of the Third Parish, then rose and
spoke short time, and among other things said
Mr.. Walker was mistaken in his main point,
4lo A d.
were invited, and did sit as members of such
a council, and there was present one from st.
Lawrence Street Church. This fact seemed
to shake the basis of Mr.. Walkers argument,
and he did not press it, but assumed another
ground, and said he did not see how they
could sit in council with an Acting Pastor,
whom council had refused to recommend for
ordination over church. To him there SEEM
ed to be an inconsistency which he could not
well overcome. He also read letter from
Rev. Mr.. Fiske of Bath, adopting the same
line of argument, and referring to Mr.. Walton
as one of the members Of the council.
There was now evidently some feeling in
the audience, and many eyes were turned up
on Mr.. Walton who rose and remarked that he
regretted exceedingly that such resolution
had been offered. 1t seemed to him there was
a want of Christian appropriateness in it. He
was there by express invitation of the Bethel
Church over which the pastor was to be or
dained, and he knew of no other body Of men
who could properly invite him. He could
not see how this council could go behind that
authority by which he held his seat. If any
action was proper. to be taken, he thought the
churches ought to have acted upon it in their
respective church meetings, and not as mem
bers sitting in that. council. He said, how
ever, he should feel it his duty TO Withdraw in
case the resolution was passed.
After little more discussion the resolution
was passed Mr.. Walton then said he was
willing 70 do all in his power, consistent with
his manhood, to make peace, and withdrew,
followed by .Dea Gould and several ladies'
We have no comments to make, presuming
all acted according to the dictates of their
consciences. If our space would admit, we
should be glad to give longer account of this
somewhat extraordinary proceeding, but it
will not, and we give our readers this meagre
outline. u saa sfl s-aio
The council then proceeded to the examin-
alton of the candidate, and that proving salts
factory, 1t was voted to proceed to his install
aation in the evening. u
The services ofinstallation took place in the
church at o'clock in the evening, and were
as follows: Introductory services and prayer
by Rev. MIR. Windsor of Saco; Sermon by
Rev. George L. Walker Of State Street Church,
from the text, "But soho is sufficient for these
things;n Ordaining prayer BY Rev. Mr., Nor
dough of St. Lawrence Street Church; Right
hand of fellowship by Rev. Mr. Tewksbury Of
West End Chapel; Charge to the pastor BY
Rev. Mr.. Putnam of Yarmouth; Concluding
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Thurston, Of Searsport
Benediction by the pastor. =