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


carativo act by absence from the service, by
change In his state of mind he terml
to ash the question ls to answer It. There is some
definite point where that membership commences: II
pail, today aud less tomorrow.
man is not a complete member Of the Clinton-avc.
Church to-day. and next week nine-tenhs OF member
and the next week fourhfhs the twOthlrds, and
byandby half then quarter, then nth, until finally
gone into the air There is some denite point where his
membership terminates and having continued entire up
TO that point 1t ceases entirely beyond that point
ms %5srS that point OF time We say II wrs The
from the Church is released from !, by the
Church, action. 1t is said, upon the other
Ssr hmsc ai point his own WHORE ycon the wnom
docarative action even without dcciarative notinca-
ton chooses to terminate his membership IL seems TO
us dangerous and most eminenty absurd PROPOSE.
ton IL wholly makes void the covenant Of the church
You see that in the amendment. Tue covenant the
church reads howi Merely for Illustration, / will read
the covenant of Plymouth Churchthe last published,
authentic
you ,omny and sgre ptaoe purity
brethren all simonion WIN
orinsucs Submit to necessary DISCIPLINE and avoid al causes Tor
scandal and oans 30 long As in the roveuee Of "od you shall
Fow there sense, doubt, in which that express
siou, 1.-THE Providence OF God" IA representing the
divine supernteudeuce the congregation includes
Satan himself includes the worst choice OF the worst
men, hut rs the expression Is ordinarily used 1t repre-
sents the chances aud advantages OF life external
as those things by which our life is shaped and
and If it not used in that here, it would have
been more appropriate apparently TO say so long as in
the providence of your own mind you do not elect TO
absent yourself from our service" man who has en-
tered into covenant on this hypothesis may terminate
his membership in that church live minutes after ne has
publicly assented 10 this agreement He may terLni-
nate it at tho end OF the first communion. lie
may have entered the church and been sol
EMMY received, and go out with no more
relation to it for all time to come, and nobody would be
the wiser about il until four have passed. What
is covenanf Not where It concerns
moral ana spiritual 'eess ana Is based upon no S
cuiafy considerations put isa nntul agreement Or
moral and spiritual ends 1t is. at any rate, solemn
promise the part OF the who enters into IL aud
promise rs a declaration OF something when nc Wh
do, or will forbear, condition OF which promise
f6o the Stnsr py has Tnt nae af ca
man may terminate those reciprocal obligations ex
preston by his unutered voition certainly you make
covenant OF effect value aterward and no church,
In our judineut, that was selrespectful would ever
maintain such covenant 1t could not stand up IN TINS
great assembly ana welcome man, In solemn re-
LIBERTY 70 terminate them when he walked ir0Ln
yonder doorway 1t makes all discipline Impossible
yotion is every Thing that keeps him in the Church OF
Christ how you ever to reach him for any oheDse
We have all heard of Sherdan how, when he was found
drunk the gutter, and Waterman shook him and
drunken VIII, william Wherefore" Now, suppose
the OF deacon in the church Who after the com
home and 10 found there in the evening drunk not dead
drunk, raying drunk. beating his wife ami children,
fame foul cenous language, with the spirit OF
the devil fragrant IN hun, and Of the spirit OF
pastor aud the entire examining committee, and he
looks up theuI and says, Gentlemen, am not
the communion this afternoon" and there Is not
u thing to be done to him, and there Is not word 10
be said TO him, and the Church cannot even put on
record expression OF against that for IL
he is out OF It's jurisdiction it has more right 10 pass
cenure on him than II has on the Shah OF Persia.
We affirm that the Council must decide absolutely that
member does not terminate his church membership By
simply absentiug himself from the services.
We come then 10 the second question which Is very
specific, saying: During the voluntary absence OF u
from hn n
grossly unchrlstan conduct are presented against him
by brother in church-to which charges he declines
to answer-ls 10 in accordance with the order and
usage OF COngregauonaism that the church snail
withhold inquiry as to the ALLEGED wckedness and "a
him as II su nnaccused, dropping ms name from lts
roll without reflection him" Ii Is strange thing
that such question should need DC ASKED after
long development OF Congregationallsnn. We trust
course neither of onr :. authorized forms Of
polty the Cambridge platform the Boston platform
know anything of4sueh practice The manual OF Ply
mouth Church in 1854 says that it s proper from time TO
time for the Church to appoint committees 20 Inquire
about aOsentees upon the list OF members and II It is
found that they neglect covenant obg 'Ons the Church
NH proceed against them AS IN cases OF breach OF
ono question the Of absentee where there Is
scandal in his life requiring investigation. II
10 investigate the facts, and finding him innocent,
to give him tho verdict of vindicston II he
be guilty IT is the business of the church t. fad II out
and use all means for reelaiming him. II he is
justly accused aud cannot be reclaimed, they senl him
out with verdict OF censure on hiu which ne has De
served and which he has properly brought himself
Ii Tor the education Of the Church man not so
much educated by what he hears b. what lie oes II
is character revealed in action that trains A
church is not educated by hearing 3 splendid
sermon. 1t Is educated by working those ser
mons into pr,ctiee aud by Incorporating them IN
and not Sinking things because they are disageeabe
IL necessary Tor tue yludcaon OF the church before
tho world TINS platform says properly that though
vice be tolerated and admired in public community II
may not be tolerated in the Church OF Christ.
church has ITS power BY manifestation OF It's z yea,
tincton between truth and falsehood, between purity
something winch ii recognizes Is important and
difficult. But II u mas a gully member within IL
exclude him with censure unrcpentdnt for IT'S own
training, for It's own indication OF les name before the
Pn pubic, h nTa 10 n0 renS hms,t pure and
not be partaker of otner mems sin. and who,
among them the wicked person. We hold that when
man, matter though he be voluntarily absent, not
the church having consented to any such termina
ton Of his membership is accused OF gross offences ny
perfect his charges the church has right 10 drop that
man without reflection upon him. Ii must Investigate
be true TO its trust 10 It's obgaons 10 the man. ana 10
SCANDAL NOT LISTENED TO.
And 7 wish 10 say word mora because there have
been rumOrs steathy and widely circulated in regard
to our churches-the church OF which j have been
pastor and OF which have had the honor and happi
be the pastor for about % yearShat TINS has
been common practice with US, that cases
similar 10 this have occurred with us. therefore
say here and now, on my responsibility as
a Christian and minister knowing whereof ahrIn,
and appealing every member OF the church 10 verify
or correct the statement that no such case mas ever
der which have lived all these years, ever Gould
occur. I suppose 1t is the experience OF every
pastor that now and then there to him intinia-
tons concerning and against the Christian character.
of some of church members, limitations which are
| In our commercial communities very often connected
with mans business affairs He is unsuccessful, has
caught In the grip OF some sn1den panic ana ns
| nroperty wrested from him. Other people feel
| thai he has deceived them as 70 his means,
resources credit and he hat obtained from them more
than tbay would have given had they known the exact
fact Therefore they moved TO feel that he has been
intentionally dishonest and they Or sometimes
| such intimatons come from family disagrcements
| or social eptaugenents OF some sort or other