The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-14
THE CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL,
A Dangerous Observation-Disclosures from DIR.
Edward Beecher.

Dangerous Precedent-l.etter from DR..
Edward Beecher.
To EDITOR HERALD
The gathering Of great Congregational Council from
part OF land and the effort thus to obtain
nonal decision, would TO indicate great crisis in
volving fundamental questions Certainly an important
practical question is up
What Is itg The question Is as 10 censuring great
church and putting of fellowship This church is
the largest in the denomination and Is not exceeded
Iaborious, benev VIOLENT and liberal in all philan
thropic and Christian enterprises
What then. is the issue leads such assault
such church
1t has been repeatedly stated that the question is
whether or nos church can drop member against
whom charges have been made This not the question.
The right to do this Is not claimed and has been
claimed by Plymouth church
The real issue simply this WAS the person whose
dropped members The accusing churches
assert that he was Plymouth church asserts that he
not, and that on this ground his name dropped
What are the facts? The person in question declared
that he was not member OF the church and had lett
itneary fonr years previous to the preferrng tho
charges. Plymouth church accepts fact this state
ment strikes his from the roll OF members and
does not the charges which have been made
he accusing churches assert that he was still men,
MhS act the
Tpy , - tns the u91er question:
ms sg nsre any
Congregatioalism it is the supremacy the scrip
rish impose the any praciice or prin
o s that al S se anS all
binding authority as rules OF action, and refer to the
sou parts Of the Cambridge platform have become
eaa lis @ n rsp ee
insisted on rs fundamental and essential
s sas the Te o e a9r = \ mort
the CONGREGATIONAL system and no church or churches
have right TO impose 1t on any other church or its
Ihs only answer that truly be given to this
God all and that the implication all that is said
fhe OF Stringent excluding right
to whdraW from the church Is not found there Nay
be claimed implied covenant or rather agree.
Nohns said Of the mposbS 81 M
out Leave OF the church and netting of discipline
in he sS an pT 81 Com
r. me o as a o ana mot Ss Or re
with the fundamental PRINCIPLES and the essential
spirit Of ais is such proceeding az
hierarchy Of England was fought and won on that
thus regained and goes back upon the ground OF uni-
pea tic usage and assumes 70 make that
But may be said that the question is really as to
try and hat they 40 hold that the Church 'es sE
iorbiis member to leave church without consent
a acts
This aSsOStsy dsny T. would be utter
cp Pc IN the O. @ and r. % @
s tor nYa s Saa with them
posm a system that has heretofore gQried in its
IL oS f Gs %od 0'dhO and In Its only
cf Sa BE- mas saen said ht this
OF resolves the church into an aggregate individuals
this reply by an utter denial of the assertion and
s se q S Py IN
moreover, defeat the egtmat e ends discipline The
to Of sa dSDs
Of civil pans and penalties If a member deserves
the ne the he n
onof to s Tie END n g lis as the b
e ma G H IN ey 81 pf Be-
Of what use stS !ry to Keep him unwilling bond
in % s union
arm that christians to each osser and
an OF d he prvsses 81 Christian owshp
hold together those whom love and mutual esteem and
Il may Be- said That at trial alan ana discipline are often
necessary to defend the Innocent 10 this reply thaa
and denies his with it. cannot be tried espe
IS kat be sd and sf aa
N iaet necessary Tor the defence Of who need VIA
But whatever the coming decision cannot be said
yidua 70 separate himself IRON the church has always
been d, denied lied by congre eationsl churches
and Congregationass in It's first form it held that
yet Efforts Gas d
no trial or eensure was enjoined but only declaration
inspection over hun. It is distinctly affirmed that in
such , case man cuts himself of from the communion
~, in me sayerook platform Is not said that
and as eiieeiuai, and leads TO the same issue:
similar statement Of the Massachusetts Manual OF Dr.
are 81 BINDING aqt6o The ISs
Gsthsr dId hold these views: and thai anysrssy ''
Des5 an sSno,
sss ,ss .a; Win
the right Of Withdrawing from .ynods and synods from
M ana are not made subjects OF disci
Men in al ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS claim this right and
the Romsh Church, to discipline men for it, -
church for concednS this rsh AND
S1Hed % bra Sd mot re-
the and that the
Bible our supreme and only authority questions of
Plymouth church offered the assosiass srsoslya
s Go hs Se
made 70 the Blbe, the offer was rejected This is no
leader in the history OF the denoina
ton.
Not only did they thus reject an offered mutual coun
Gil but they also have evaded the safeguards sys-
TEN as to Eayte councils An council cannot
be called unless mutual council has been
rejected and even then it to the other
party as a mutual council Both OF these safeguards
they have eyaded by calling that common advisory
council" which is in tact pdrte couDcu and by
excluding the other party from the opportunity make
1t mutual council For the proposed council Is in fact
an sr pdse council called the that
church, but has been explicitly offered.
The evidence OF the truth OF the above statement to
the rejection OF mutual council Scripture grounds is
found in the correspondence OF the pastors be
published by mutual consent)
What could an pdrte council do than this Is
asked to dor is proposed TO submit 10 this the
action oil plymouth Church, a the action and OF
the accusing churches the action and letters OF Ply
mouth Church In reply, the pr incipes which they
differ, and the question whether these two churches
ought to disellowship Plymouth Church not yet
they pretend that is parte council but only one
called 10 advise them.
II this precedent sanctioned our whole system as TO
eI pare councils is evaded and invalidated.
Under such sanction any church churches may
accuse another and, in the process OF agreeing the
terms OF council, complain the church for
not moving rapidly enough, and then call q council to
advise themselves to ali points OF the accusation
N N IN fheNo AtataI