Litchfield enquirer., 1867-08-08
FoR THE LITCHFIELD ENQUIRER.


 MIR. ED1roR:-Your two New Preston Correspondents, it seems do not agree in their statements of views respecting the &C., tion of the Litchfield South Consociation in the Ordination and Installation of Mr. Williams over the church and Ecclesiasti- cal Society of New Preston. Will you al- low third to try his hand in an effort to place the subject in clearer and more convincing light? My object in this con- munication is not controversy. It is the first time that I have ever trespassed upon your columns, and may it be, also, the last.
 If the action of the Consociation is not clear by its own language then it must be interpreted in the light of it's fundamental laws. Consociation is merely a Union or league of certain churches for certain spec flied objects. The independence, the rights and privileges of each church re- main unimpaired and distinct. The inde- pendence of each church is jealously guard ed. Nothing of it's power is surrendered to the Consociated body The Consocia tion has no legislative power. It has no judicial authority. When called together for specific object it has only to deal with the facts as it finds them. In the case under consideration, the Consociation was convened by letter sent forth from the 'schurch and society of New Preston," to Ordain and Install MT. Williams as pas- tor and teacher of said Church and Society Not from the ''New Preston Church" and "New Preston Society,"" two independent and separate organizations. But one le- galized incorporate body, embracing both Society and Church in a body as insepara- ble and indivisible as death. The Conso- citation by it's fundamental law could not regard q call from the "New Preston church. only. The terms of this funda- mental law are precise and specific, q do not stop to inquire if the Consolation has not once and in one case only, transgressed this fundamental law and ordained a pas tor over church alone and thus for the last twelve years, brought confusion into it's councils, and contradictions upon it's Records,) What the Consociation had to do was was only to deal with the facts of the. case as they found them. If they found church Society under it's legally incorporated name existing in one long ill., dissoluble bond of union they had no choice but to proceed. They found an in- corporated Ecclesiastical Society which had been in existence 113 years They found in that Society a church This no one de- nied or doubted. The Records of that church asserted an existence of no years. These Records are the highest possible proof of the fact The Consociation voteQ in accordance acah Mese facts. Your first N. P. Correspondent is therefore mistaken in saying that the name of the church was changed. 'sThe church in the Ecclesiasti- cal Society of New Preston is not a name, but the declaration of fact The church never took the name of ''New Preston Hill'' and the Consolation had no more power to give them that name than they had to annul every other command of the Deca- logue as we'll as the ninth Nor did the church assent to any change of name. It was not required of them. It could not be done except by vote of the church. Nor did the Consociation ''adnait," or vote to ''adma," the church into their body. It