New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-26

| Christ In the 18th Chapter OF Matthew con
as commonly adSinistsred in conrfegations churches
been maintained or is II distinctly disresaried IN
which called for its careful observance We hold
1t Is one of the gravest onenses 10 utter statements
scandacps In their nature and having no i1sunGaton
! strike at the life OF the Gospel
character OF the action Of Plymouth Church IN the
case. IL the accused were guilty OF Islander. he should
have been made To appear aud he could be reclaimed
and brought TO repentance, he should be thus r.,
stored to fellowship and II he could not be- ,h he
Church of Christ But whatever the circumstances, he
would not refer to matters Of private scandal and Cos
and the country, and which made thetr passage
through many mouths remembered ~ a journey
horrId stenches. lie accepted the statements "a
absolutely False. But there was the fact
OF their publication and OF ther having been denial
OF his authority given for such statements being made
by the member In question, and thirdly letter pun
the necessity OF telling the true story denied the
false and that the truth was sword Gods mercy COM
came tie alarm excited the minds OF many by
these circumstances aggravated by the publication IN
upon Mr.. Beecher's decline In moral Influence what
did all this meant That u did not mean that MI
hun, in which he stamped those stories as utterly
untrue. Then these charges against the accused de-
faner presented TO the church. and the name to
this man was dropped from the membership OF the
church without formal investigation Dr. stoors
argued this part OF the case at considerable length
gational usages. He defended the course OF remon-
adopted the churches that had called the
circumstances the council said they had right make
protest, because they IN fellowship With that
church, then never again, as long as life continued
would he give the right hand Of Fellowship to any church.
be in council which the right hand OF fellow
ship to any church tll he had been permitted to share
the omnscence OF God himself as ~ what that church
In conclusion DR.. storrs said in substance:
% we STk So Us WHAT To dS We are oy That
body censure upon plymouth Church, We can't
help that We DO not AK you for that censure.
We ask you FOR advice 70 us ana we ask faes
which We arc able to make very imperfeetly only,
which we could have made lar more perfectly II we naa
tives OF that church the floor OF this Council In
T Or SPEEDILY and easily and without yehe
ment aud protracted contest. We have not time
enough to carry on contest G,v Ia as nas snd
40 the day is darkenng on the earth, the
day know is darkening over some OF us. We have
other months and yers to give TO such discussion
this strenuous prolonged, painful, tearing our very
hearts asunder sometimes We must be able to DO OUT
deuied If Will say this congregational fellow
ship is the strangest force on earth. IL does
not hinder from preaching what he likes, whether
it be Calvansm Of his fathers its exact opposite
1t does not hinder man from inviting to his union
but when any church desires TO be extricated from It,
any church which has never shown anything
thrown upon that church are ike tie pelng of ice
pellets Winter hail-storm. This man. accused OF an
ofense against the pastor goes out without reflection
We who me- yer uteIed nsnuaton against that pas
tor whose lips would have been blis5ered II II had
Ils arc vital, have reflections raining upon us as
thick as show-nakes, and singing as Indian ar
me what shall do. While think OF him whom loved
so long that If my hand were TO add, Intentionally
and OF malice, any To that whitening head as IL
journeys the grave, may that hand wlher FROM my
side -, - al,
applaudod; and the session was then adjourned til
y. III.