The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-03-26
The CongEegatlonal Council.

|
tional Council opened this morning NH
only lew delegates present. Many ladie
were among the auditors.
Alter singing and prayer by Rev. Dr.
Buddipgton, In which he asked that IN
Lord would guide the Plymouth lChurcl
TO answer the invitation extended 10 Il
pastor in q truly Christian spirit, the timt
tor holding the next session Of the Conn
Gil was agreed on.
DR.. Dexter's resolutions, offered laS,
evening, in regard to the name Of Nm
Council, were then taken up, and were N,
subject Of long discussion, DR., Dexte,
holding that this was an advisory and moi
an exparte Council.
Rev. DR.. Post, ofst Louis, participated
In the discussion. ~. y -
Judge Walker spoke on the subject o
jurisdiction, which he deemed an essen
tlal preliminary question, and II was, hC
said, ol exceeding importance that a tri-
bunal should decide on the question OF III
power. II this Is au advisory Council
what Is its power and limltS We are
asked 10 say whether Plymouth Church
has conducted itself properly, and wheth,
or the two Churches that have called OF
Us have conducted themselves properly
toward Plymouth Church. II Plymouth
Church refuses to accept the invitation We
may proceed as an expArto Council,
MI. Barnes said It is very proper that
We should hear the parties, and moved
that the pending resolution be laid on the
table. Laid on the table.
The bearers Of the message 10 Mr..
Beechers Church reported the perform
ance Of their duty and were followed by
the committee Of that Church, who read
and submitted an official reply amid
6reathless silence. Alter thanking the
Council Tor the Courlesies extended the
committee OF Plymouth Church retired,
and in short time the Council took a re-.
cess,
The protest OF Plymouth Church Il
made tor the following reasons: This ia
an cxparte Council, convened without
any regular and sufficient steps to obtain
mutual Council; called TO consider our
at ira lor the sole instruction OF two other
Churches, and carefully ieItered 80 as 10
make 1t ltimpossible by the terms of its call
ior the Council TO alter itself into q mu-
tual Council. Hit is claimed that one or
more Churches, acting on the pretext that
they are not in controversy with sister
Church, and desire instruction only ior
themselves, may call q Council TO In
struct them as to their relations to that
Church, free from the rules governing the
call OF ordinary exparte Councils, This
claim appears to be subversive OF the
whole system Of mutual Councils. II
this Council has been regularly called,
and Is competent to advise the churches
calling 1t, as 10 their duty towards rs
then our pastor can call q council with
out consulting US to advise him publicly
what Is his duty towards our church, We
have inquired in vain tor q precedent Of
this kind. This council summoned TO
advise precisely as We were originally
TO take advice under d.
rect menace and neral coercion, lust
as Plymouth Church was 10 one breath
requested 10 explain facts and informed
that it must be cut of unless the facts had
been unsupported, so this council is call.
cd upon TO advise whether the action oil
Plymouth Church has been conformable
to the congregational usage, and Is at the
same moment informed that II such Is in
deed the congregational usage; the
two churches can not sustain such q po-
siton. In 80 far as this council Is call.
ed TO consider the points of the conflict
between Plymouth Church and the neigh.
boring churches, the whole frame OF the
Council in Its widespread constituency
and national character so appropriate
and admirable II called only TO deal
with large and general questions Is di-
rectly in opposition to the genius OF the
Congregational policy, one great aim OF
which Is 10 conf1ne local questions to their
own locality, and to settle them in their
neighborhood by the aid Of the neigh.
boring churches without the spreading
Of local dissensions over the whole land.
Tho charges brought against this church
are partly based upon reported speeches
Of It's pastor, although 1t is. well known
that Plymouth Church, with the hearty
concurrence OF its pastor, has from the be.
ginning Of It's history declared that no
man, however beloved and revered, NAV
usurp the rights OF brotherhood, and
has always insisted, and does now insist,
by itsown accounts and declarations, and
by those only, II will be judged; and the
of this rule In respect TO all
churches we hold to be an essential part
Of the Congregational policy. We have
never denied the right Of churches 10 Of
fer advice in Christian spirit, nor
the duty OF churches to receive such an
offer in the spirit Of brotherhood. We
have asserted the right Of every church
acting in like spirit Of fraternal love,
while receiving such an offer, to decline
the advice, and TO Judge for itself when,
according to the laws Of Christ, an occa.
sion has arisen for exercising this right;
and having received an offer oil advice
which seemed 10 us to be rendered in a
spirit not according to the mind Of
Christ, We, did decisiyely exercise
our right by declining to listen to the sd.
vice conceived In such a spirit, nor can
we ever assent to any doctrine of
Church fellowship which shall be de-
structiye OF tho liberty oil the local
church, or which shall convert that which
the Lord ordained as a safeguard, and an
instrument Of sympathy, into an irritat-
ing espionage, and an instrument Of Cd.
preston In asserting that this Church
was not responsible Tor. the doctrine, or.
der or discipline Of other Churches. We
never for moment intended to cut our.
selves of from relationship from them.
There isa certain vague. and general setise
Iu which all. Christians are responsible
Ior one another. But this Is not the sense
In which all Christians are responsible for
one another, and this is not the sense in
which tho word Ia generally used. Tie
Of members Of the same
Church for one another Is the mildest
torm In which the word is commonly I'm.
and v was Just that degree Of
between Churches which
We meant and still mean to dSny. Mem.
bers Of Church can put each other on
trial before the Church; bat we tleny the
light Of any Church to put another