The national Republican., 1869-01-14
LOCAL DEPARTMENT,

the CONGREGATIONAL church and some Of its
members. This council assembled yesterday
when the following churches were Represented
BY ministers Church OF the Pilgrims, Brook.
lyn, pr. Stotrsi Plymouth church, same city,
Cincinnati, Ohio, Or. Moore, New Bedford
Mass. DR.. Quinta, and otherr.
The council was org aniRed by the choice OF
Dr. Thompson as chairman, and DIR. QuInts as
d, MSIsSy IsSypSsop nc 9,,. s.,o ;st'ment
The church and Its pastor deeply regret the
necessity Of sending for brethren to gather In
council from such distances and At such
Ssted al the nations ] a capital, hs. had The at al.
tention OF the country directed to II, aud we
have, In a measure, been put on trial before
scter have been widely circulated, both
against the church and pastor, we felt that the
i9terests Of Consregationslism demanded that
these charges should be Investigated and pro.
noaneed upon by the representatives OF our
Those who trst formed this church came
from some hfteen States, and from about hfty
churches, representing all the various shades
OF doctrine and phase Of church polity found
lIo.,Iv IN The >. Congregational mgr body; They were
most belonged to the class Of radical reform.
ers, with sharply defined opinions, and ever
SsS beer iSs&
ministers, some officers Of high rank in the
army, and others who, from variety OF posi-.
Washington. 1t, then, is no, remsrEa able IN Al
some strife should arise. When trouble did
arise, there were two opinions as to the meth.
string the church to take the usual course OF
inysatigation, and u necessary proceed to dis.
s,pnns anst n, oa ths other hand majority, small
demanded that the majority should dismiss
The pastor, and thus Yield both their wishes
From the very undamental principles Of the
congregational policy, the majority must be
and suitable discussion, II is the duty Of a
minority to submit to the decision OF the m a.
Jority or withdraw. The Church holds that
minority has no right to call even a mutual
council, and much less an sr pdrts one, to con.
slider q Dismissal OF a pastor, when a large
majority, after due consideration, have decided.
from church authorities, The question Of 5is.
missing the pastor has been presented directly
each time the church decided tS.t SSils n m ans
ready TO Investigate and settle all difneuitIes |
II was not willing to take anystep looking to.
ward unsettling the minister. An inyestIgat- |
ing committee subsequently reported that such |
port was adopted.
together by the minority, after hearing the
statements OF the minority-and theirs alone
declined TO recommend tho seyering OF the
While the church holds that minority, or. |
ganized as such, has no right to be heard be. |
,9te ,,e this eounell upon the question Of ending |
quite willing that the same psf.ou. he si.tm an
TO act In behalf Of the minority. should appesI
here, and represent all who choose to be rep
resented by them, with liberty TO lay before
you, and sustain, II they can, the same eh argos
which which were made against the pastor at the so
contained In printed circular, In a printed
list Of charges and speeihcations, and in a
the minority by S. H. Hodges. should the
minority decline to present these charges be-
fore yoa, ins.nuch ,sI .s they have been widely
circulars, and through the press, and because
the implied censures OF the so-called cr pdrts
Sounc,l were based upon them ask the priyi
such testimony as the case demands.
The pastor concluded with a very warm
church throughout these troubles, and ex.
pressing his opinion that the church is sound
In the Congregational faithj that 1T has disre-
the majority are united and earnest In the
prosecution Of all Christian works, and that
and support OF Its sister churches.
DIR. Hiram Barber read the statement of the
Shureh, Swing detailed history of its affairs.
They anirm that the central and controlling
question from nrst to last has been, whether
= minority should control the church and pas.
tSr, or whether large majority, never less
rights and influence. The pastor has been |
steadfastly true to the interests of the church,
as viewed BY the majority, and as the minority |
remained at the head of the church, they |
formed very early the design 10 remove him 10 |
accomplish their ultimate purpose. 1t appears
mat II was hrst agitated by a single Individual
who desired that friend OF his sh ould become
pastor, and afterwards assumed partially the
Pss's ws,,stS 81 sec1SHSi party against the pastor
the little conservative element in the body
which regarded the pastor as affected by anti.
1t was the settled design Of this COMPANY TO
remove the pastor, and charges OF various
Kind. were made against him, which had for a
q a laml 81 -.
TO excite prejudice elsewhere, Up to Decem-
' oer, isS,' not more than twenty person. were
that II those member, would now wit6drsw
decided at several different times-three at
missed. and a council had ed 80 to recon.
mend, yet this small minority still insists upon
continuing continuing The agitation, and demand to be
and pastor cannot consent, saying the question
Of dismissing the pastor has been settled but
i, 70 regard 70 AZ those proceedings they Invite
DR.: Boynton urged the proprIety OF only
bearing such charges as the minority presented
should be permitted to come before the coun,
ell at all.
DR., Barber read to the council the proceed.
lngs OF a church meeting held Nov. Is, 1865,
wherein the pastor was sustained in his re-
quest Tor mutual council, }, W. Rumsey, II,
). Delano and A. l.. Sturteyant being then ap.
pointed d eomIhittee to call the council. A |
y tSst se9lssssns ss Ss on the part Of the mi
at which to determine as to the repfeseniatIon
OF the minority before the council, wss also
II. Bliss, W. q. Flnney, d, b, Nichols, o, o.
Howard, d. l.. Eaton, and others. He also
read letter from Mr., SturteVant, for tho co N. |
mlttee, declining to call such ccunoll on the |
ground that they had not the power to do so. 1
Ihe proper manner OF calling church meet.
nBs was discussed, when
Dr. Barker read a letter, aligned by General
y, ". howardt q. IL Howard, q. W. Bslloch,
present, This was referred to a committee.
Or; Boynton said, In calling this council 1t
was me purpose 70 exclude the question OF
plete inyestigation OF the charges preferred
ag ainst either the pastor or church.
DE- Storrs submitted resolution, that they
SSw SSrs, hsST .he s,stenents OF diSaHected mem
MIR. Baseom said they would prefer not to
proceed unless they had the right to discuss
i6hs t6s whole whole question. Up to the assembling OF
oyeot: or had been invited to II. II now ap.
pears thAt II was called to take action in refer.
y, Inoe 70 the minority. They had called a mu.
ny me chutehi the churches TO be called se. ,
eetel, and the pastor presented letter Of Ave
rSSes Sh o. loolseap, which two Of the committee
,rhsa rsa ,he the minority. They never o6ntended .
'nn VI. " she va majority should not rule but they Z
aot 6een M Fe.,sos ms rights Of the minority had
letter mlsslvej the eGa lttee n.ver NJ s I'm tne
poft. Ihe Minority never claimed to he an ,
wsrd nSas Sody They did not desire to go for
General Howard called attention wnoie y, ,s csse
mat by the resolution pamphlet rarsnHf 'sus
circulated by the church could not be eoHSiI. :
Rev, DR.. q uinta asked DR.. Boynton II be nm.
iteiIisa0oa tIiins thst the minority could &C to the
DR.. Boynton replied tn at IL was not intsnds, Z,
hat they should 20 farther than thay ~ :