New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-27
TIE PROCEEDINGS.

its favor
TIE PROCEEDINGS.
The meeting was called to order by Prof. X
W. Raymond The business in order was the read
ing the prepared by the combined Committee OF
the Church of the Pilgrims and the Clinton Avenue
Church This was read, follows, BY the Rev. Mr.. Hal
nday:
BROOKLYN, Nov. 9. 1873.
To ne Pastor and Members Of plymouth Church. Brook-
DIR BgETaRES: For many years we, as Congre-
with YOU meeting with you gladly IA conferences tn anu
o Change their residence and
Testing in ali ways whatever opportunity our cor
hi in Inc belief that yon as Church. held and taught
the Evangelical faith, and socitous with us TO
honor and maintain. In your internal discipline the ln
tercsts aud the law Of Christian purity.
Ills now publicly reported without contradiction, that
az Sens 81 yUIT le on ho EVENING Oct
you voted by large majority TO drop from the roll OF
your membership, without examination, ana without
cen8ure member OF the Church present IN the meeting
against whom speclhG ana serious ctrsIs "eto in
10 be- pending which had Deen presenter ny DtOte, III
the Church. which had been accepted by the Committee
Of the Church. and OF which tho accused had been duly
nouied-eharges vltdy affecting the CHRISTIAN cnaiac
ter OF the accused II they should be proven aud naex
planned, and Intimately connected with Tue goOd haie
of YOUR PASTOR II any attempt were made 70
rebuff them by pleading thS5 the Statements
Won did this npon tho ground, as stated IN
your preamble, that the accused member hqd "aoan-
senco from all its services and Johannesburg that
Your pastor in advocating this action, declared in sub
Church sis not and has been, like many OF the
NeYEn gland ngregatonal Churche5 that one OF lts
entrance to 10 should he large "a humanity and the
other the OF emission from II should DC as
large as necessity :" and that the policy adopted by the
Church has been, when charge or wr0ngdolng was
made against member ana me case was tn9usat one
Gospel work. for the Examining Com9itee to 60 to the
Church.
The policy is here as wei understand 1t, distinctly
agowed as having deliberately adopted and pur-
sued and as therefore proper TO DO applied to the eX-
citing and prominent at that moment before the
Church OF avoiding the thorough investigation OF COM
plants charging members OF the Church with unchris
tian conduct by requesting the accused II there should
seem for tho accusation, to withdraw from the
Church. without ceusure In anticipation or such lnyes-
tiqaon THIS is not withdrawal OF watch and dscl-
pine the part OF the Church. Tor the sake Oh renewing
innocent persons, suspected OF no moral dehQuehcy
from obligations which, 10 them, have como 10 seem
It's not even represented a hazardous but SEEM
ingy expedent, adopted reluctantly III some
extreme exceptional case the prosecution or when
might be attended with peculiar emparrassnens IL =
announced prevailing policy OF inc Church amount
ing with inevitable force, 10 definite ana permanent
Abandonment by 1t OF that duty Of wachfulness over ITS
members which involves careful ana ample lnyestS-
ton when proof Is offered OF their uncrstlan cOudnct
with such subsevuent and remedial church WORK as mo
may demand, aud tho Word aud the spirit OIL God
II seems to us uudeniaby plain that such course,
however attractive avoiding trouble amt giving Op-
porunity to escape such issues as II never peasant
to encounter, Is directly su0YerslYe Oh All true Cni!'ah
Thst it is unjust to those aggrieved by another's
wrongdong, as denying them The opportunity to make
bis guilt manifest. and shielding MIN rom tue public
condemnation which ID often 10 them ther only repar-
tom - j.. A., o. o.,,o, 90
tending to diminish his OF bis guilt while with
drawing from him those Christian processes OF tomon-
STRANGE rebuke,and " he he Obdurae, OF hna excisOn
from the Church, under censlre, the u OF which may
be to lead him t. repentance; o., , ,,.,
That 10 Is Injurious 20 Tho Church, whose CHRISTIAN
wisdom is developed whose patience Is exercised whose
of the beauty and Obligation OF righteousness re-
enforced and whose fair fame Is vindeaed by the care
full considerable aud prayerul exercise OF Its power OF
That II - iniurlous 70 the world which s encouraged
and almost justified in derldng the practical morality
OF the Church. and exatg In contrast It's own societies.
That 10 IL, most OF ALL Injurious TO Christ whose law
for the Treatment, Of the tresPassng brother contained
in the eighteenth chapter OF Matthew distinctly dsre
CARDS whose spirit Il represents as one Of fear not OF
Wisdom, love- aud Of sound mind aud whose name it
dislOnOrs ia the house Of His friends.
II seems 10 us 10 offer opportunity, and positive in
ducement to the fragrant transgessor OF whatever rules
of morality religion to evadc oil scrutiny aud censure
~ the Church hy simply abse1tIng himself with9g;
reason given from its seryices AID e6mmuhlolan ict
which constitutes OF ltse III oususe IusIe@u VI opefd
Such a course of action appears to us especially un:
timely and especially dangerous, when the alleged
Is against the good name OF minister Of Christ, IN
whose undlmmed repdte for purity OF Ire the whole
Church has interest; against whom clrcumstantal
and damaging statements arc Glicseu 70 nave Doe male
reach concerning whom suspicion IS almost sure TO be
increased by such sn apparent aVolda1oe OF duy ana
eertanig sacpeed But such course mus, be always
untjmely always dangerous, without in the
Word without support Christian wisdom, aud involy
ing tendencios that can DO ony piohne OF eSu:
We are impressed with the conviction that credit
cannot properly be gwen TO the letters disms-
sorry OF church which adopts aud avows such
a policy; that even ts unchalenged members
menlbership to the confidence of other Chris
tans and churches long as the church with when
they are come ted distinctly Iepudates ITS prime ob
CATION watch over their purity 10 investigate is eyt
dence when 1t Ia assaled, ana 10 puOcy declare its
discovered absence that, while injurng itself by such
course, the church brings dscredit upon the conmu-
Mon with which II associated ana does great wrong
to the whole Christian brotherhood Ana We feel that
we related and neghporng Cougregational Chutcnes
are liberty before own cOnsclences or DefOro
tho Master and Judge OF all. to remain silent when
policy avo wed which impresses us as 50 novel 40 nn'
scrptural, dangerous In It's present Application ana
ing fellow ship with any church which accepts and de-
clares IL. $1,000. --,-,,--
In remembrance therefore, OF the pleasant relations
which have 50 long subsited between US III the nope
there may be explanations DV you Whicn WIN cas-,
new and welcome hight the position which you nave
assumed or that you may be moved Dy our representa-
lions 20 revise your late action, ana auopt course
more In harmony with the law OF Christ nnd win the
of churches we earnes.5 IntL'e YOU,
by your pastor and committee, 10 meet WIN US III
piiyate conference, at your own iecturefOom, AS
speedily possible. ON such day as you may hp
point that We may fully ascertain from your
selves Tho nature and tue reason oI TUG w'o
you have taken, and may Eoro largely present
10 Won the effect OF that actOni as now uhder
stood on your own Church. snd On ia loatos 10 those
h.lerto uesociaed with IT, We do ihs, brethren, not
as assuming the slightest authority over you or seeking
10 the tho prorogatYoa which are s dear
10 us as 10 YOU We II IN the exercise OF mat raer
nal ight which always accOmpinlcs ifatirna ooligi
tons. and which is, therefore VitalB Ih'oVeu w our
fellowship with you we ho u Ia acout"ano, VIII INC
evident and perennial principles essential " 'ongeEa