Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-14
The Mutual Council of the Congregational


Church.
Yesterday, after our report of this Councl
CLOSED, the question was raised as TO how TAR
the Council could in vestigate the AFT airs Of the
First Congregational Church sf this city. DIR.
Boy ton and members of the church com nit
tee claimed That the question OF oismissing the
pastor having been passed upon, sh ould not be
now considered. A resolution was finally
offered and adopted declaring tnat the Coln.
Gil bad the power to investigate all the trans.
actions OF the church they saw proper to in
Quire into.
DIR. Boynton and others were questioned by
the Moderator, DIR. Thompson, ana they pro-
tested eainst this Interpretation
Gen howard said that they (the disanected
members) were DESTROYS TO have the contro-
versy cease; and II the decision was that he was
the DISTURBING element, then he would leave,
and ii they should find that there was another
dis tuT blng element then that party, too, should
lose their membership. He denied that they
wished the pastor to be dismissed, but simply
to put an end TO controversy, and then read a
letter agreeing to submit all the questions to
the Council, and abide by the decision.
A motion was made that q committee be ap
pointed to confer with the pastor and commit.
after debate, was carried, and Rev. Mr.. Par
sons, Rev. Dr. Wolcott and Deacon Smith
were appointed.
The COunl il took a recess until 81 o'clock.
On resssembling, the committee appointed
before the recess 10 meet with a committee of
the church to conside the ground upon which
coed, reported that the church and pastor de-
sired and agreed that all matters should be
considered which the church or any member
should present, and that the Council sh ouid Of
course be free 10 express its opin ion upon all
the affairs and relations Of the caurch.
DR.. Boynton said there had been a misappre-
hension of his position in the sapposition that
he desired to prevent investigation In certain
directions. On the contrary, he desired aud
wished 10 insist upon the fullest possible iu-
vesgatlon of all matters concerning the aft airs
of the church. BY vote Of the Council the
church and pastor were requested to proceed
with such presentation of the case as they
deemed proper. The church then, through the
pastor. presented the following questions for
The consideration and decision of the Council:
list. Is this church truly congregational IN
its theory and its usages, and has the pastor iu
his teachings or his practice departed in any
degree from the customs OF our denomination
ID In what respect. if any, do the principles
and practice of this church and pastor in re.
gard to the colored race differ from those of a
majority Of the other Congregational churches
OF he land
Sd. Has the pastor been guilty, as charged by
the minority, OF unminsterial or unchristian
conduct, either an the neglect Of pastoral du =
or a. the communion season, or at preparatory
lectures, or N any other essential particular
4th. Has the success of this enterprise bse
such as should satisfy the reasonable expecta-
ton of its friends
5th. What advice will Council give US in re-
gard to the financial position of this enterprise
DIR. BOynton then offered to submit the
circulated at previous time; whereupon the
disaffecied objected to receiving them. and at
the suggestion Of DIR. Storrs the dissafiected
proc eded with their case.
MIR. Bascom then went ON to saw that thew
had sked for church meeting in order TO ask
to be heard before this Council, but that n o
that committee had the whole matter in
charge. He then repeated substantially what
was lald before the ex pdrie Council, and which
was published at length in this paper at the
q rpf IN tha ahovn
General Howard, that he was attempting to
use the church for political Objects stating that
It was true that by his direction colored chill
dren mad been brought in the school, but il was
with no such object, and he did not believe that
purer man lived. He also referred to the
charge OF being an amalgamationist DENYING
mat General Howard had said nything winch
would warrant such an assertion. They all
knew that General Howard was an active
worker III the Sunday school, but he could n OF
say as much for Dr. BoyIton, who had taken
but little interest in the school He spoke of
the sermon OF DR.. H. of November, 1867, at con =.
siderable length, stating that the objection was
Lot against the sermon as sermon, but becau Sc
OF It's being preached at tina. particular time
General Howard said that his objection was
intrinsic, but he would not have entered pro-
test except that the actIon of the church in
endorsing the sermon compelled him to enter
ms protest. He thought the sermon at that
time, with its endorsement, placed them in a
Iepellant attitude towards the colored race-an
attitude whicbl he felt the church should not
TAKE AFTER the promises made to the world. He
spoke OF the action of the church after the SER
mon In question, as being contrary to the
usages OF the church, and said that his pro-
test was not against the statement of the pastor
out against the resolutions approving the
sermon.
Mr.. Bascom contin ued, calling attention 70
the pastor refusing to entertain regular mo-
tons, AS also that to the dismissal of an Off Ger
OF the church irIegularly.
At9A O'Clock Mr.. Ii. not having concluded
the Council took recess till . o'clock this
morning.
The name Of the church in Homer, \. Y.
represented by the pastor. Rev. DR. Holbrook
and delegate, was accidently omitted IN the
list OF members OF the Council in our report OF
yesterday
SECOND DAY.
The Council reasembled at o'clock this
morning, when Mr.. Bascom resumed the floor
and continued his statement In behalf OF the
minority. He noticed that at the meeting of
March 18th, 1893, the pastor presided and re-
fused TO leave the chair while discussing ques-
lions before the meeting, although requested to
do so. He noticed the letter Of resignation by
tine pastor, which, it was understood, was not
to be accepted. and he stated subsequently that
he DIR. b. had been req uested to withdraw
his resignation. and did so. MIR. Il. denied that
the request was made by the church, but said
IL was made in paper signed by some or the
members.
The question was raised as to when business
meetings Were held, and whether the minority
were in the habit OF attending the Sunday eve
ming services, at which meetings were some
times called: Mr.. Bascom replied, that the
minority did not attend well formerly,
and the reason was that in the sermons and al
prayer meetings offensive illusions were some-
| times made TO them. He alluded to three re-
markable scenes-the first being at a prepara-
tory lecture, the second at a communion sea-
son, and the third at another preparatory lee
ture-In regard to which he would offer evil
derce. Referring 10 the lately -pu bills he'd
pam phlet, he read portion which he said was
| hbelous and actionable in the courts. The
| Council should thoroughly Investigate the
| questions and decide who are in the wrong
| and let them know how others see them The
| majority number probably 1n0 persons, and the
| minority about IS. Those composing the mi
nority had contributed from Si,UO1 to Sj,U00; the
| ma ority only little over 5000, and the
| amount raised through General Howard was
| about $4,000. The majority includes ~ males
| and the minority T.. He read a statement OF
| Messrs. Robinson, Dan, and Hooper, that there
| are g male members of the church whose
| names are on one or the other of the papers.
| At one o'clock the Council took recess for
| halt an hour
| After the recess ii was ordered that the first
| thing to be received this evening At 6k O'clock
| should be the presentation of the case OF the
| church by DIR. BOynton. the pastor, and the
| Committee Of the Church.
The following Is a complete list of the men,
beers of the Council, and the churches from
/ which they come:-Erom the Tabernacle
Church, New York city, Rev. Jos. p. Thomp-
soD, ID. d., pastor; Deacon William III. Smith,
| delegate. Church Of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn,
l N u, Rev. Richard S. Storrs. ID. D., pastor;
Deacon X. p. Buck. delegate. Plymouth
Church, Brooklyn, Deacon CharIes y. Duncan,