New-York tribune., 1874-03-14
LETTER FROM DIR. EDWARD BEECHER.


IHE PROPOSED CONGRFGATIONAL COUNCIL-A DAN
GERoUs PRECEDENT.
The prospect of this Council has called forth
q letter from Dr. Edward Beecher. Tie following 4.
tracts embrace its leading points:
The gathering OF q great Congregational Council.
from every part Of land aud the efOr; thus
to obtain national decision, would seem 10 indicate
great crisis, Involving fundamental questions Cor.
tainy ap Important practical question up. What
itf the question is to oensurng great church and
puttng OF fellowship. THIS church is the largest
IN the denomination and Is not exceeded labOrOus
benevolent. aud literal church in all phlanthropc and
Christian enterprises.
what, tLcn is The that leads TO such assault
on such churchi II has been Deatedly stated that
the question is. whether not church drOpa
member against whom charges have been made. Thu
IS not the question The right TO 40 this Is not claimed.
and never has claimed by Plymouth Church. Tbs
real issue Is simply this Was the person whose name
was dropped, mcmberf The accusing churches assert
that he was. plymouth Church asserts that he not
and that this ground hs name was dropped.
What are tho The person question declared
that he not member OF the chur D, and had etb
nearly four years previous to the preierrins Of the
charges. Plymouth Church accepts a fact this ate
ment strikes his name from the roll OF members aud
does prosecute the tcharges which have been made
against him. The accusing churches assert that he was
still member. and deny.the right Of the power Of any
men.Dcr 10 NUhdiaW WlhOut CONSUMING act OF lhs
church. The question to he decided then is: Which po
stlon truly gatOnai Tbis Raises the further
question. Whas the standard OF Congregationaiism
To this reply II there any principle fundamental
TO Congregationasm, it i5 the supremacy OF thu
Scriptures as the rule OF church order and the ab
OF all right TO impose the observance Of
ce or principle demanded by the Scriptures ash
then in what part OF the Scriptures that principle
Joined which the accusing churches have made the basis
or their whole urOCeedingt For IL Is eniOned
u the Word OF God. then It Is no essential part
OF the Congre gatiOnal system, and no church o.
churches have right to impose on any other church
or s 70 G9Ss t s tSa Sn the Srcp il not found 10
the Word or God at all, and that the mpchOh OF an
that said the Bible is In the opposite direction Ils
very foundation OF the assault Plymouth Churchu
therefore an assumption which, as not ID ,nt
system; and the whole proceeding IL at war with ta
principles OF true CongregatonaisD, Tor III. prossea
to put church out OF fellowship for disre gardDsA
principle and practice not taught or required 10 tN
But it may ne said that the question is really .m
the usages of the Congregational churches this coun
and that If they 30 hold that the church coyrnan
fOrbids member 10 leave church without consent oi
the church il may then be assumed that they hayei
right TO withdraw fellowship from any church ha ac
would 6e an utter Remuneration or the prncpeso d
CODRregat0uallsu. IL would be the assumption OF
right make terms OF fellowship found In the Word
of God, and TO excommuncate churches for not com
plying with them. It wonld introduce the prlncpiesm
heretofore gloried In freedom from human ordshR
and IN ts sdoIection only to God in his Word $1,000.
But II may be- indeed 10 has Oeou ad that TINS ooe
Give Principe IL essential 10 discipline ana that 's
want of IL resolves the church into aggregate 0f nu
denial Of the assertion. and by declaring that on ns
contrary the principle OF liberty tends TO the purity anu
power OF the church, by making tue removal ot w
worthy elements more easy and by increasing tue inHA
encs OF CHRISTIAN unity 49,
II may be said that trial and discipline olte1
ssary TO defend the Innocent. 10 this repU tbN
person VINO viii not respoud to the call OF the ehrrss
and denies his connection with II, cannot 10 tres;
especially IL Witnesses VIII no. appear. ami
statement of facts is all that Dr obtained ana
that IN fact for the defense who he0S
ylndicatlOn. Il,
But whatever the coming decision, it cannot be sas
matter OF historical fact that the power oil tne
divtdu8l 10 separate himself from the church nA'
always been denied by Congregational churches -
But, that this whole movement is founded on ~
lection Uf the great and Fundamental piDcpio tpat W
BiUlo supreme and only authority IN uuesuuns. :.
order Is obvious from the fact that when tnh p'Sol
Plymouth Church offered 70 the two associated d.
yn pastors mutual council with reference 20 tne S1
tlOn Of me mb,rslp at issue provided lee as no
made the BiDle, the offer was ftI cte" hs
doubt the first time tnat sDch tbinR N"s snoins,
"a Congte SatiOnal leader IN tue Lis'0i' VI '
tiOu. ,,. .t eounsil wa, poi
refused by Plymouth Churc1, ous 20 ~. b,Js
pastor as to tls Fundamental h .arorro "a
scuon nn condilon that the BDe sho" w @ &
ss the supreme sulorly tnot iutS reneNing M, ,ft
ciaou .nS tJ the ehuroO. proceeded 70 eau 90
- ','f, ,,"nncil thus reieotng ile "ot1 ot uVu "s
.in,isrd aud appealing only to existing Oohgf'h-
usage. ,,... 90 th. Word n, tlol a nd viola
tba ,uiauental prime pies OF the C'ngrcgsuOnA.
sy.t.m iu the hng or cOuncl protest III tne usa
oi tnat 81 yst.m, and stu more IN the NAME ., snc
OF Cod 80 80