Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-19


NAIIoNAL THEATRE-Nlss Maggie Mitchell
appears this evening in the Pearl of Savoy
supported by Mr.. j. W Collier and the full
stock company.
ODD FELLOWS HALL.-Tableaux and Musl-
cal SOiTse. for the benefit of the Ca rch OF the
Incarnation.
OpD FELLOWS HAIL, Navy Yari.-Fair BY
the Ladies OF the Rebakah Degree Associatioi
for the benefit of widows and orphans
HARNONIAL HALL. - TableIux, M4rches
Rsci'atiOns, SC, by the Cnildreas roSres5tye
Lyeeum.
PRoF. A. V. :. SMITHS Art Gallery, 3i
Pennsylvania avenue, between 9th and IJIn
streets.
Council OF the First congregational Church
fIRsT DAY-Ereniag Sessi0E.-rhe atten-
dance az the evening SESSION OF the pdris
Council Of the First Congregational Church,
held last night at the church edIdcs, on the
corner Of Tenth and q streets. was q ute large,
including four cOiOr-d persons who occ1pisd
seats on the floor one OF them heIng q female
Atseven O'Clock, Rex. DIR. NeeSs, of VI trie..
"a, resumed his seat as Moderator, with Mr.
Edward Halves, As secretary.
The morning session closed with propOs,-
ton that the majority of the Church should
consent 20 consider the persons who had r--
spOBded 10 the invitation a mutual Council
and submit all The affairs of the church to it.
Considering the fact that scarcely auy of the
more i'm pOTtant ch urChes has con ent.d 70 coma
and. further because none of these hal been ill.,
yiied by the majority, the matter was referred
70 a Comm Ittee of the church. ani the first
thing a. the evening session was 10 have n re-
port from the Committee. To this proposition
the church returned the following answers:
We decline TO make this sx rdTte council
mutual council. In the mutual council now
called by the church for the 18th Of January
ns1., any member OF the minority IN the church
Will have the same rights as any other member
We do not propose 10 recognize the m nority as
an organized body. 70 b. represented "a such in
the council; ISisnedl-Cnariss b, Boynto1.
a II ~ u part ID
Stevens, J. :. DelanO, A. l.. Sturtevant
The committee from the part council
also reported: That the pastor and committee
representing the majority of the church decline
TO appear before the present council IN a mutual
effort with the minority to secure a Just a har
monious result. Your committee. after hearing
.nls Grelsion, on their own responsibility put
the following question:
Whether, IN case the minority would conssn,
To place statement of their grievances before
the eouscll- which, 10 Is unGers TODD, has baen
called 70 meet in January next so that thu
council then to assemble might be able to M.
dlaie between the majority and minority As a
mutual council, they would be allowed 10 do
so. This question was answered in the mega
tive We will only add that the con yersation
was kind. earnest. and protracted, but without
the possibility, On our part, of securing a con-
cluStOn mole IN acc0r dance with your wishes
aud our own ISigned Ed win johnson
ThCs. :. Berry, Alex. &. Twining
The Clerk then on the part of the cburch.ds.
tailed the regular and usual order of its pro-
cssdings in calling the mutual council, and
read he letter missiye addressed 10 yartous of
the mCst prominent Congregational Churches
IN the country. II further was made 10 appa,r
that the chnIch had COnformsd TO the usual
rules governing the Congregational Churches
Aitr long reading from the church records
called Tor by the council he question arose
whether any one OF the church should De al
lowed 10 speak. Finally, by vote. the pastor
OF The church, Dr. BOyntOn, was granted per-
mission 10 make n statement regarding the
action Of the church. H stated that the
church, by Its votes. had marked out a definite
policy and hat. in the regular order of church
proCreGiugs- the body h@d called a muruaI
council. and now expected to await its action
and th3t when il met any member of the
minority could be heard. and any one could
bring aDy MISTER he 81 n, before the clunr,
and II would be for the council ID deterrnin,
whether % should b. taken up.
Ih- letter mtsslVt was then read BY the clerk
10 how Us character, which proved that a
mutual council had been defeated nv thu r-fu-
sal OF the minority in the church 20 sign a
letter calling one. The pastor afprward re-
signed, which necessitated a council: but sub
stqueniiy. at the request OF a large majority OF
The members and p-w-hOldeTs, ne Withdrew
MS r sgnatiCn. Snd asked the church 10 mite
IN calling a council. This had been dona and
the call hid gone ont, and some Of the churches
called mad To spoDdsd.
Cor sidersble discussion followed the readice
OF the letter missIve, IS 70 what was authority
IN congregational UsSges. in which great diver
sity OF opinion was expressed, bat NO decIsIon
reached.
Permission was then given DR. Barber.
Church, 70 speak. who said thar the Church
Commute had directed him to say that when
alltalk OF the minority was sifted il turned
upon desire 70 dissolve the present pastoral
relation. This question had been long and
earnestly considered, and the Church had re.
pearediy expressed its determination by votes
epd Otherwise not 10 consent, and now they
found themselves called upon TO NEE. an r.
part council, when regular Council b nd been
called The dissolution of the pastoral reIs-
tons had not been mentioned in the letters
hghn .yrrfz
ever 20 dissolve 10.
Finally. IL was agreed that those calling the
cornell could present their case tomorrow.
Today and that after that the Church should
b. heard.
The Council then, at 10 o'clock D. m. adj
eurnsd TIL haif-past @ clock this morning.
SECOND DAY.
The council reassembIed this morning At the
appointed hour. with the Moderator in the
char, and spent a short time in devotional
exercise.
The regular business of the council this
morning was, by resolution, 10 receive the
forra stats u er Is Of zach party. These papers
we've ready To present. but were DELAYED by
some SrneIal debate upon the Journal and tue
ChnfCh records. We, however, are able to
present fIll abstracts of the papers ON each
side.
The charges were signed by General O. O.
Howard aIo four members OF the church, and
were as fellows:
cHAKGzs OF THE MINORITY.
Grave dlfhcnlues. general dIssatisfact ion, and
want OF hsrmoDy eXist IN our Christian body
showing a deplorable state, socially and spir.
Itually- oCcasIoEIng psculiaT financial embir-
ssnent, az threatening the very existence of
our organization.
These difficulties, dissatis factions ana dis.
agreements are believed by those calling this
Connctl 70 be- mainly traCeable 10 the course
pursued BY the pas.Or OF the church. With
deep solicitude for the welfare OF the church,
aud with an earnest hope that the council will
devise efficient measures tor -emedying exist
ing evils the members calling the council sub.
mt the following as grounds of their COM
Plairt They believe that the pastoral rela-
ton should &c dissolved becaGse--I. He has
neglected. pastoral and ministerial duties
fiTsf, In not visiting has people, especially the
siCs; Second. In not visiting or recommendin
the Sabbath school; Third, In uoI noticing or
sustaining The monthly missionary concerts
and rot taking up collections for missionary
purposes; Fourth. In not wishing or aiding
weak churches IN the vicinity.
II. he has disregarded congregational prin-
ciples and usages; first by attempting TO con-
rol and govern the church through the deacons
: hereof, second, In trying 20 have members adj.
m iliCd on The Recommendation OF the deacons
al one, without giving the church an opportu-
m lty 10 examine them; third, in aiding aud su-
c ouraging the Suspension of Bro. Daily with.
out charge or hearing; Efth. teaching that our
church should take stand independeut OF
other sister Congregational Churches: sixth
Withholding from the church letters addressed
{ a.: seventh, refusing to call church meet.
4 pg when formally requested by Twenty-Five
m embers so 10 do; eighth, IN aiding and iucit-
IA & members OF his church to adopt schemes