Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-02-10

last two cOIored men-Messrs Cook and
Wail-made application al a meeting Of the
! pastor, lRev. Or. c. B. Boynton) and the dea-
/ cons Messrs. Hodg 5, Bliss. mite and Mich
! ois,) OF the Congrs gatioDal Church in this city
/ TO be admitted TO membership upon profession
oil faith. The examination seems to have been
satisfactory, and the applicants were informed
I that y hIle the pastor and deacons would be
| glad 10 receive them in the church, yet no final
action could then be taken, and il nigh be bet :
| ter for all concerned il the eolored people re-
manned in their own organizations. Soon after
| this examination the pastor DR. Boynton)
| preached n serunon in which he referred 10 the
character, power and influence of the races and
expressed desire to receive into the
church all persons, regardless of color,
but again stated his. opinion that where it was
possible II would be best not to merge n few
| coloTed people with many whit 6, but that as a
| friend I'D the colored race he would prefer to
| see them have their own schools and churches
Soon after this sermon the colored men with
| drew their applications, but colored woman
who made application at the SAM time. was
| subseq ntly received into full fellowship.
The question created a division in the church,
| and number OF the members, said 10 represent
majority, held meeting and adopted a series
| OF r. SOLUTIONS sustaining the views of the pas
tor, Rev Dr. Boynton, relative t. the admis-
sion OF coIored people as members OF the So
clety To-day we print the following protest
of the dissenting members, with the signatures
thereto attached:
I'VE, the undersigned, members of the First
Congregational Church and Society of Wash
lngion, ID. e., differing in opinion from our
brethren with regard TO the resolutions copied
ABOVE. desire TO express our views freely and
frankly, so that we may not be misunderstood
upon questions fundamental in importance.
and deemed vital 10 Us as a congregational
body. Most of us were not present at the pas
sage OF the above resolutions, and others did
not vote upon their adoption. Our position
can best be explained by stating an incident
that occurred in connection with this matter -
Two young colored men presented themselves,
az meeting OF the pastor and deacons of the
church, for admission upon profession of faith
After they had undergone a thorough examin-
alton, they We're told that they We're welcome
10 unite with the church. Ar the same time.
however, the pastor, in general discussion as
TO the future position of the negro gave an
ests would be best conserved if in telligent COL
ored men. and indeed ali colored people, should
remain in their own Organizations.
On the next Sabbath succeeding this meeting.
the sermon. which has been so extensively crit
icised. was preached by the pastor Upon this
the Young men in question concluded not to
complete their union with our church. In this
sermon the same opinion is set forth in these
words: 81 In view Of their own best interests
and highest happiness, should we induce or al
wise them TO come Where they have no church
organizations of their own that they can enter,
i should do so; but in a community where suit-
able churches and schools of their own people
abound, L cannot, conscientiously. as a friend
10 the blacks, advise them TO avoid these organ
iZations of their own, and bury themselves in a
living grave, an unheeded little company in
the larger masses of the Whites
Anu Nv Y dHO1u 10 receive the coll
ored people, but their own race cannot afford
to lose them"
Without meaning any disrespect 20 our pastor.
we wish to say that we do not endorse this opin-
ion. We have quite large number of colored
people in our Sunday school, and we earnestly
desire that they shall not only be welcomed to
the Church on profession of faith, but that the
same reasonable inducements and advice shall
be extended to them as TO other people to be-
come followers of Christ and members of the
First Congregational Church OF this city. We
hsax- III -
spirit of caste and of slavery; and unless we
make our doctrine Of "Love thy neighbor as thy
SELF as broad as humanity, we cannot succeed
The practical effect of the sermon referred 10
has been TO keep our colored Congregational
brethren from uniting with our church; and if
such a sermon should be preached in all the
white churches OF our polity, we believe the
effect would be the same, and that we thereby
should build up q wall of partition between
races as real and impossible as any that ever
was erected TO destroy the unity OF the Chris
uan body. As ours is the only Chur ch of our
polity in Washington. the direct effect of our
pastors sentiment Is 10 send colored Congrega-
journalists Who may come here into other denom-
nations. n result that we, as Cong reyational-
lists, deprecate. We do not feel called upon at
this time TO express our opinion with regard TO
other points presented in the resolutions
These being our sentiments, we wish them
published as extensively the resolutions
which fully endorse our pastor in these mat
tiers.
lSigned1-O O. Howard, s H. Hodges, D. l..
IttOUY l.. DesIlt. III. Bliss. j Is. john
son, J. w. Alvord, S. r. Giddings, Z. ]. Brook
ings, w. r. Hooper, Alfred Wallace. Daniel
Tyler, Albert p. Eastman, ID. b. Nickols, Vim.
G. tinney, Henry ID. Tyler, G.. +. Daley, VIM.
+. BascOIn, r. W. Robinson, Geo. W. BillOch.
Chas. IL. Howard, Leonard Watson, Dwight
II. Hiss, J. IL. Kimball, e. T. Shepherd, o. A.
Pratt, VIM. Webb, ]. i. Diver, f. Goodrich
Smith. q. A L. Garifield, Samuel G. Fessen-
dan, William Gray, Henry q. Walcott, +. b.
Cutler, $ r. Kilbey, ]. II. Combs, j. I'll. Bush
nell. Joseph j.. Hutton, II. X. Gilemnis ID. X.
Smiley. W. G. Morris, Edward A. Fay, Sam
uel Porter.
AN INTERESTING CAsE.-Mr. John ID. Nc
Pherson. as counsel, has commenced a suit
in the Courts here for the Phoenix Mutual
Life Insurance Company of Hartford, Con-
necticut, against Mrs. Elizabeth A. Bailey
OF this city. for the return OF insurance
policy. and for Injunction to prevent defendant
from commencing suit against the Company.
The bill in the case sets forth that plaintiff
is an Incorporated body, and is doing business
IN this city. that in June, 1867, an application
was made by one Albert w. Bailey, for an in
surance on his life for $1,000, and that he was
required TO make the usual statement
as TO his health and habits, and in that state
ment he said that he was not troubled with 4
cough; was not addicted to the use of intoXica-
ting liquors, &e, and that he referred TO Eliza
betn Won kamacher, (who subsequently mar
ried him, who made a statement corroborating
the one he had made, and that a policy in the
amount named was issued; that she subse-
quently applied for and obtained another policy
The bill charges that these policies were obtain
ed fraudulently: that the1 answers made We're
untrue; that he was at the time in an dyanced
stage OF consumption; had been and was ad-
dlcted 10 drinking; that he had lost a leg, and
the wound was still discharging, and that the
parties concealed these facts thar Baily di ed in
October last. and in his last sickness she failed
TO render him the care and attention which was
necessary and which she should have done,
and by this neglect his death was fastened. &c,
g. To- TIT
ment, which took place AT the Skating Park on
saturday afternoon, was 2 decided success.
There We're IL knights entered, and after the
tilting, which occupied about one hour the
Judges, Messrs. Henderson, Wagaman and
BILLS announced the knight of the Rocky
Mountains (Mr. McCauley) the victor, and the
knights of the Turf ~. l.. Kennardl and No
Chance Mr.. Ernst) next in order. Miss TIllie
Smoot was crowned Queen Of Love and Beau-
~, and Misses Waganan and Arson Maids OF
Honor. after which, with the victorious
ted sleigh In which they Were seated and drawn
around the pond by the unsuccessful COMPETE
tors, followed by a long line of skaters, the
novel procession being headed by the 5Ih Cav
airy Band. AT night the Park was brilliantly
illuminated by tower lights, fireworks, &c, aud
until a late hour the sport was kept up.
There were present many OF our oldest citi-
zens Some of them had not been on skates for
a number OF years. but surprised the boys and
hxf heir Apnn no nli arn