New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-27

ntersnce that ne correots one statement By another
and the statement of week by mat OF the follow
ing and we have always been ready TO let his state
ments balance and Interpret another confident IN
the end that the substance OF the Gospel Woua therein
'fr AssAUITs on PRINCIPLES.
We sbould neyor have felt any right TO interfere with
regard 20 his opinions long the church remained
evangelical the church whose creed he has never dsa
vowed, the platform which he stands
Bat here action, corporate and public OF the church
Itself an action not referring to minor matters. We
hn We no call interpose where church IS rceulang
its own afars IL may elect deacOns or not II Gay let
the women IN whom largely the pety Of the church
resides vote In church meetings or not u may elect 20
dcacons for three years, or for AK years. or for
life, or not-all the internal arrangements OF u
arc in It's own discretoni but where 1t
world the Son OF God from the Throne 10 interpret
which in the world the Spirit OF God WORKS IN the
church the maintenance and vital Incorporation OF
which arc essential the life OF God in the world and
the coming of the Mill'nnium when u touches doc
of faith by corporate action we have rghJ 10 IN
terDose as we have supposed IL IL corporate acu0n
concerning discipline yon observe 1t L. doctrine OF
discipline ncarnatcl IN this action "a IT seems 10 us,
which, being accepted as legitimate ana properly ap-
piled In any case, makes void the covenant, terminates
discipline dshonors the church. dissOlye the church,
and casts ST. gina upon churches In connection with II,
ana makes pecte1 by reason of their fellowship
1t Is principle that will work, as say, II you give II
liberty everywhere church LOVING It's ease WIZ take
it, church following great example, VIII axe ~
Plymouth Church powerful ana prominent, ann thefe-
fore we felt its influence vast 1t was
the Incumbent upon I'd to stand up agalnsg I9r
what We held 10 DO truth ana purity or the d l7IoI
household You introduce this principle, and you recog
1t at once and 1t works to loosen the cement
Christian fellowship in every Congre gatlona! church,
FROM rock where the Plymouth Pilgrims landed TO
the golden gates oil tbs Pacific.
Brethren, IL Is not light matter; u Is matter or
root and depth. and power winch Will appear 10 you
and more AS YOU examine It, Persosal consiGera.
tons, one way OF abothe! arc los tlaI t.E ~,
boy In the street against the rush on the northeast
Personal conscientious We wholly cast aside.
Here ~ tho power tho Invisible anu tremendous power
Of dis ,rganizng principle OF discipline ana fellowship
within the church let loose upon the air ana riding upon
all wln1' We nave breasted u as we Souil, anu no" "
Is for you 10 do IL 10. IL - Principe, observe,
adopted by corporate action IN regard 10 the Fellowship
of he churches. New and dangerous they are, a. Well
Newt WHAT do they say IN their letter. Ihey quot9
rules. Plymouth Church stands whore II did, why do
you interpose You the right hand of fell
lowshp 20 or 81 year, ago on the same rules az now
Why now demonstrated"
RELATIONS OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES
They are tho same rues-the rules with wholly
different Interpretation the same rules that
appear in tho Plymouth Manual Of 1854, in which ap-
pears this Interpretation:
i,Jllton as They nunn,
mutual councils aud conferences ask and receive advice
heTcsy. discipline any scandalous of,nse.
Our fellowship with them predicated upon the
rules as interpreted. The life Of them is not in tho
verbal form but In the moral meaning and intent and
the moral intent and meaning Is represented by the
present declaration of the mind of the church. and
though the rule form continues tho same In inc new
INTERPRETATION 1t IL wholly changed. Wla is that new
Interpretation That these rules relieve all other
churches-Dot merely; every church III the city.
every Congregational Caur0h in the land every
your clnIcnes-from responsibility for tue doc
trine. We may give up Inspiration in the
Holy Scriptures. divinity of Lord. punishment in the
HE TO come, TO dopryy OF hnan nSsdto, C1 IC8eno
rating grace OF the holy SPIRIT promised by Goa ana
rrazcu the human SOUL and you cannot demonstrate
In aspect TO order become PresOytefan MethO
DIST EplscOpal-ghat we WILL ana we are IN fellowship
With Won sti "a A CONGREGATIONAL church. H. respect
to discipline may loosen all lts bands dissolve us
covenants, ana be IN fellowship WIN you s. 10 d OOH
greSl, IOnil church.
That IS what the language seemed to Us to mean. and
II they had said Therefore our relations with You
hcnceiorth no moro responsible or intimate than
with Baptist aud Methodist church. We should nave
salt Amen. II the withdrawal had been complete. II
they had not said the same breath ana at the same
meeting aud "A subsequent document, We are moro
Congre .ltional than you; we are C1ngregatonaists
par emnence" then path would have been clearer.
we wish that church all possible success we VIII utter
no word and lift tiu stop It's triumphant ndr0b
inc forward but do wish to be responsible Tor
church with which we cannot demonstrate. IL my
ncigh5or lives in quletne3s. live Ia peace wth nm
lint If ne ns upon Keeping grenadc5 and bomDshel5
in his cellar ana now and thon touches OH one Oh theA
want the party wall made thicker IAmuScin5htI
CHURCH AND DESoHISArIoN DISSOLVED.
We cay then this action, first concerning discipline,
dissolvcs the church practically tic leaves the church
bound together by mutual sympathes by their common
attachments place, and service, and pastor, and
roporv hat rho principle Of tho power OF diasoY-
ing extends TO the pastor ana every oicer
organ,zition than thousand sparrows wlttering and
dissnlyes the denomination. II Congregation Church
cannot demonstrate with another nut Is respOnslD lOr
it, is impossible that fellowship shOuu continue 20 oe
pledged upon such terms and such basis Fellowship
that may be used remOlstrdnC0 when the occasion
demands n, when tine hecs,tN - giea'' Is 70
the denOmIna. ion. fellowship that should De Occu-
pied exercised N merely interfering IN minor matters
Woult be lntOlerable and tyrauaOui.
We have dwelt side b. side with Plymouth Church all
these years and said never word OF criticism or cen
or remOnsrdcc concerning "ny oI ls plUec'uto
But when this touches what seemed 70 MS the vital bond
the Churc-the covenant the paramount emu Oh the
Church the pur a,Ion of even It's erring members aud
the vlndcaon OF CIrsts glory on the eart9, we let
bound TO demonstrate and demonstrate earnestly. Now,
Plymouth Church has never said II: Op-
pOrtunity again =, and again and again mas mas
man is q Donomaniac." 1t might have said for other
this set apart We recognized that III
our first letter. and gave the opportunity for the saying
OF that II t IL not represented as haz
aTdous but seemingly necessary eXpedient, adopted
reluctantly In some extreme an exceptions. case tne
pro secutiOn OF which might DO attended with ocular
embarrassments; and there was no response. IL was
announced according to the rule; natural proper
application OF the rule to be repeated hfty times year,
therefore for fifty times year the occasion arises
FINAL APPEAL.
II Won say Plymouth Church is exceptonal-we ad-
NIT that to degree exceptional in its members,
ceptona in the fame and power Of its past exceptional
in the magniacence OF its income, exceptional in the
largeness Of enterprise in various directions but.
then. will you tell at what point Inc exception be-
gins to arise which relieves IT from the QUOTATIONS OF
discipline within and fellowship Without How large
must the church be How numerous must its mehDef-
shin become How famous aud powerful must its
nastor show himselfa Where is the gauge In mental
ability and attainment In rising above wheh q man
has right do ne has mind To and be Congrega-
tonal pastor still How large shall be tho church In
tho expanding compass of Its strength before II be-
comes competent exactly what it will in respect
to doctrine. order and discipline, and allow no re-
monsrancei Draw the line, brethren Tell us at what
point the exceptional position begins to operate for
Universal freedom from the restraint that feel bind
ing upon u.s. ana II you say that such principle OF
fellowship that is allowable, and that In
Church eGS may sever Itself OS all
10 others, and remain CONGREGATIONAL Church,
then the OF justice and reason In the OF
the gratitude to the early founders OF Unitarian
ism their many services TO letters and morals and
government do not carry back that principle and say
principle which Is allowable for the giving OF larger
i5oseiess In the OF discipline allowable well
for the OF speculation upon al matters Of
dcctripe: aud Unitarian societies Congregational