Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-13
Council of'Csn.resationai Charches

On
Inc council ca I'd some time since cy tn
Fret tongrecaI) aai Church OF this city -
consider ~ aEzIrs, me; al their church build
ing this morning. The call for the Council
ss pending when the late e1 parte CJanciI
neld tie session. The following churches were
represe atsd: Church of Pilgrims, Brooklyn.
Dr. Storrs; Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, DR..
Thompson: churches at Cleveland, Ono. DIR
Woolco.t; Cincinnati. DR. Moore: Ne y Bedford.
Mass, DIR. q UNITS; also churches at Springfield,
Mass. Chester, VT, and Princeton, Ill
Dr. j. Il. Thompson was chosen Moderator.
and Dr. A. H. q UNITS Secretary.
Aler the organization of the Council by a
vote, the past6r, Rev. y. b Boynton. presented
preliminary statement, OF which the follow
ing ara the main points:
The church and its pastor deeply resre, thu
necessity of sending for brethren to gather ia
a Counel from such distance, an' al such
great inconvenience. But this charch, situa.
ated at The National Capital, las mad the at.
fention OF the country directed to IL, and we
have, in a measure, been put on trial before the
country. And as charges, Of a serious charac-
ter, have been widely circulated. both against
the church and pastor, we felt that the inter.
ests Of CoDgregationalism demanded that these
charges should be investigated and pronounced
upon by the representatives Of our sister
Those who first formed this charch -ame
| from some fifteen StaGs, and from about fifty
churches, representing all the various shades
OF doctrine and phase Of church poity found
| IN the Congregational body Trey were mostly
men and women OF mature minds, and most
belonged to the class o. RADICAL reformers, with
sharply defined opinions, and ever ready TO
-er. them. Many - b',l ;. aiaIs IL their
ovr chur hes, aud twelve Of item ministers
some officers of high rank IN the army, and
fuen, p, bad h an gathered here in Washing
ton Il tDen, is Eot rem lrkabls that some
strife should arise. Wien trouble did arise
there were two opinions as to the methods of
settle nent, the very large jJriGy desIrIng the
church to take the usual course OF investiya-
/ ton, ard II necessary proceed to discipline.
On the Other Rand, minn-'t. sriali at frs.
but increased by persistent aforss, demanded
hat the majority should dIsmiss the pastor. An
thus yield both their wishes and their convIc-
ions.
Congregational polity the majority must be
recognized as the church, and that after a fair
and suitable discussion, il IS the duty Of mi.
norlty TO submit 10 the decision of the iority
or withdraw. The church holds that mi
nority has no right % 81 even a mutual
Couhcii, and much less an ek-I cste one to con.
majority, after due consideration, have decided
Upon these points tue pastor cited at Isa.tb
from church authorities. Abe question of dis
missing the pastor has been presented directly
each time the church dc ended that while it was
ready 10 in vpstigate andsst I'll dificulties, il
was not willing 10 take any sep looking Onward
II; ,ttHng the minister. Al IA yestigating COM
rn'ttse Subsequently reported that such q step
would imperil the church, and this report was
adopted.
together by The minority, after hearing the
statements OF the minority-apd theirs alone
az ciinfd TO recommend the sevsring Of the pas.
toral relation.
While the church holds that a minority, or.
ganized as such, has NO right to De heard before
this Council upon the question OF ending the
past relation, L on my own part am quite
willing that the same persons who claim TO
act in behalf OF the minority, should appear
here, and represent all who choose to be rep.
resFu'cd by them with liberty to lay before
you, and sustain il they can, the same charges
whi> b were made agaInst the pastor at The So
call'd er parte Council. These charges were
contained IN pr.nted circular, IN a print d
list of charges nd specifications, and in writ.
zen list presented from The committee of the
minority by 5. II Hodges. Should the miGor-
Ity oecIire TO present these charges before you
inasmuch as they have been widely circulated
through the churches ny printed circulars, and
through the press, and because the implied
censures Of the so-caIled 'r pdrte Council were
based upon them. ask the privilege OF me citing
hem before this body with such testimony a
he case demands.
The pastor concluded with a very warm
ut concerning the whole conduct o. the
church throughout thee troubles, and ex.
pressing his opinion that the Oh urch is SOUND
n the congregational Iaith; that it ha, disre-
Tdfd none OF the rights of the minority: that
'ae msjOrity are united and earnest in the
prosecution of all Christian works. aud that
he church is lUlly worthy Of tire confidence
and support OF its sists. c.iurchee.
DIR. Hiram Barber read Il g statement Of the
church giving d tailed h; o-y Of its all rs.
They affirm that the centre, aId c)r,rolIing
question from first 10 last has teen, whether
a minority should control 6,.o clurcu aud pas
tor, or whether large majority, never less
than two.thirds. shodld Iut'otain its proyaf
rights and influence. TIE pastor Ia IN
stesdisstly trae to the interests Of the :hurch.
as viewed by The majority. sud a re minor ty
bad small hopes OF Success sai,e the pastor re-
NAMED at the head of tie chuI ch, they formed
very eSrly The design to rem 0ve b m to accom-.
plish their ultimate purposA. II appC lrs that
II wss nrst agiiat'd by single individual who
desired that a frienu OF his should D. com. pas.
tor and afterwards ass am, per s',lly the phase
of q sectional party aga'pst the pastor as
Western man. when 1t er,i -tisd much of the
i,;::!!e Conservative element in the body. which
regarded the pastor IS affec,, bv anri-slayery
,anaticism. II was soon evId,nt that ii was
the settled de sign OF this Company 10 remOee
the pastor, and chMges Of various kinds
we've mede against him, which mad for
put served TO exci'e prejudice else WI here
Up TO December, ISt7, no, more than twenty
persons were opposed 70 the pastor, and it Is
iee'r opinion that if tho e mem beers would now
i'hdraw the church would be AT peace. The
church has decided at several different tunes
'hree at least-that tn pls'cr OIgdt AZ. to be
dismissed, and Council had declined SO TO
recommend, yet this small minority still insists
upon continuing the agitation, and demand to
DE recognized by the Council. To this TIE
church and pastor car not consent saying
question of dismissing the pastor has bsen set
led but in regard to all these proceedings they
invite "A iuil investigation.
Ut BCyEtoD suggested that If the IN ;nOrtty
came efoTe the Council they sh Guild coufine
Themselves TO the charges present to the er
pdTtr Council.
Dr. Barber r. d tie proce dings OF a church
neeilug on Nov. I, 1879, endorsing tn. ia -
tors request for 4 mntnsl council. at which ]
W. Ramsey, X. II. Stevens, N. Il. Bartlett. III.
g. Spencer. j. ;. Delano and A. l.. Sturtevant
were appointed a committee to call the Couu-
Gil. He also read letters in relation to the
represtL at'On OF the n,iD ority la rue CoaGc.i
including petition signed by E. W. Robinson.
q. u BIZ. W. G. FJnDey, ID. Is Nichols. o.
.. Howard, II. l.. Ea'Cn aud other, r,qus,. ~.
on The pdIs az the IL rOTity that church meet
ing te c1llcJ 70 dc,srnline as TO the repres.ut,.
lion Of tns minority b. fore the Council; als1 a
letter CT Nj. Slurta vant for the commit, h.
slirine 10 call such meeting, because they had
NOT such power.
The qUssl.ou was here raised how church
nG -tiH. - were called. ami DIR. RoyntCn sd
that The pastor and dCJcons exsr -sCa tla DO war
o call CT pro est aiu-t q church m ..uE. as
heY opposed, ~ FER usage
~ Earoer also r. ad Il ie Ter from General
| .. q. HOwe'd. &. H. Howard, aud q. w. b.
Ioch ard C,htTs, asking to b allowed reprs-
sent2'ives ts!ore thf:Council. This was san
10 The clerk OF the church (Mr. BuxtoO) aud
WIS by him referred 10 the commtt'ae WAC
under Gate Of January 5tb. replied that they
were Wiling thar those who appeared for tn
minority before the eS I1Tts Council should APP
pear Dere.
DIR. 10y Al on said that III calling the Council
they INTENDED To exclude the question of dis
Esiue the pastor from this Council, but tina,
The OhlCCt was 10 have q iun Investigation OF
certain charges made against the church ami