New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-26
CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL.
Continued from Second Page.

s1tSoritatiye council that we couid convene 1t has
been said TO be packed council You know row INA, ,h
Ia YOU have shown that Is. You have heard TINS
morning, before who called you together had
opened lips on the subject the views presence
beforehand by Plymouth Church. which Is NOT VARY
Ing those views contrary to your invitation given TO
them last evening, retreated from all the qnesions
the paper We do not complain in the least We calico
you together because we contde In your wisdom we
this Illustration OF yonr wisdom IN, ION
tend that this shows at least that TINS s NOT
souncl.
DR. storrs then proceeded 10 deny absolutely the
statements that had that correspondence had
been entered with delegates for the purpose OF as
pertaining how they stood He continued: IL has been
Beecher The assertion has not particle of fact TO rest
upop These Two hare Seep the tried
and true friends OF Mr. Beeeher Tor many
years one OF them from the time he set bis foot IN
this city, We were the two men whom he selected from
the OF has ministerial aCquaintanees TO he
Wedding with his church What has occurred within us
suddenly change the sweetness OF that affection into
p 81 s''0 we s"' had into Jealousy and envy
brethren IT is with the profoundest sadness we haye
known that feel could not stand in the rela
tons on the same platform with him now which we
occupied then But the change has not been 10 us
Iudden revusion OF friendly feeling toward our friend
things, that We have desired to investigate a scandal
which has passed away. l VIII not trust myself
but if we remember that it has been impOssi-
lie in inc nature of things TO investigate
which had rrimery and sole cOgnzance Of It having
ended and excluded the aud made 1t impossible to
touch pitch tich did not belong to us to handle,
think IN story will stop There is only one pIf han :.
that We have been magniiying tremendously single
case that We have lost the sense OF perspective "e
OF course it does not seem SO 10 US,
A STARTLING CASE RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
Here are two churches large in numbers and 10 de
gree certainly intelligent and cultivated In general
Information and IN the Christian graoes, when nave
been tor five months steadily work. trying 70 bring
light upon the questions which have now come before
you. Sormed az by the ncessant rain OF OpposuOh
Numbered az and hghened at ana IauGhed az anu
scofed at and treated with all derlsiOn and contempt
they have marched as soldiers march thronch nc
transform not breaking ranks because of the RAIN or
rourse thew felt the and the PRINCIPLES involved
In il important Here are committees. Who are they
Hoheaded youngsters that take fire at spark and go
out as Quicklyl 10 large extent they are tine "ses
the most experienced able sober-mnded men we nave
Some OF tneu are younger most ol In orc oG Uv
OF our churches, and II would De lust as os
ignite the pavement by drawing On III the emu OF
an exiting match il would be TO stir these COM
mittees the Committee OF my church or the other 70
might as the granite walls of ny church edihee
to dancing h0Tppes Look at the case itself is u an
insignificant easel l. 1t not OF the most startling
tremendous which have occurred in ecclesiastical
history ywhere Here man Of brilliant and popu
lar powers widely known and widely welcome IN the
lecture-room and on the political PLATFORM wleIdlhg
large influence the country formerly editor OF one or
the leading religious newspapers OF the country for
seventeen years member OF his church, con
vered under ministry Of the pastor OF that church
active and Appointment and enthusiastic in It; |
believe but l won't affirm, once superintendent
of its sunday-school Suddenly he ceases attending
Living the city, passing 10 day, never crossing
threshold. Rumors arrive, attributed 70 him. scan
oaous allegations concerning the pastor OF the church
He brought up before the church itself the committee
Of the church and then the churchand he himself ap
pears IN he assembly IN what LOOKS ike anything put
mood OF repentance OF confesson-but what seems TO
BE- mood Of defiance and as tendery sent out 80 lar
as appears to us as II ne had oeen inc dsraeHte
IN whom there was no guile, l., rs not not ~ q, a
its incidents, well adapted 10 attract atentlon vol
case among common cases. II Bald Mountain IN
we're 10 fling of its crest OF pne-lf II has 0ne-and
burst American Etna, do not believe the sur
rounding pOpulaOu would be startled and alnazed
they But then while the case itself was re-
arkabe, and not TO be miuimlzed into trlng anar,
any than the tumbng torrent of Niagara can be
interpreted into the Ordinary cascade, or the geam
of the meteor bursting in me arr can De mace 10 DC
Hartv of such cases that they DO involve principles and
you the principles no matter how simple
the case is Hampdens shlpnOney was ~ shnhngs, !!
the assent Of Parliament, and for less than a
guinea England went to war. and the stately head
Of Charles the First fell In front of whitehall
and England became commonwealth. Our fathers re-
fused their threepence pound duty on tea Lord North
always said that II was nonsense, because they apso
lutey made Dinepence u pound on every pound, IoI
tAero drawback IN England OF shilling pUnno
duty tea exported TO the colonies NO matter MOTE
OF thew fc thar that involved tho right or taxation
without ana tue war that I0oTSH was
threepeunv aflir, and q new empire enefkeu in'o
the world in consequence OF It,
Principles, therefore, as connected WIN cases uaAo
dwarf them in iucident. When the negro Summeiset
was, Can Engish master compel slave 10 leave En,
gland without HE own cOnseutl and Lord Mansfield
t6St II could only be suffered to be supported
by positive law. And the law Of England did not except
OF allow that case, aud Slavery was swept from the
British Empre by the PRINCIPLES emerging from that
singie case Therefore even If the case had not 9een
continuing attention oy the principles involved IN,
IT, for principles are powerful
PRINCIPLES STRONGER THAN MEN.
learned from you Sir turning TO tho venerable Mod
orator Dr. Baconl many years ago. when We were both
younger than now, that tendencies are stronger than
meu. 1t rang in my car, has been watehworh III my
principles. PRINCIPLES are powerful IL they are eHl
they are accepted and 10y winch they applied. and
they are GOOD they have Immortal life upon the earth
denied TO men They are pS%e MA shs tney s9n on
may not and bear them TO meet an exgency
hn n they are borne IN upon you connected with
action evil IN good ia its nature, you may
shrink from the acceptance OF principles ana lher
service And principles all that Congrega-
tionEiism has 1t has no ritual venerable with the
memories OF the past and beautiful IN the rhythm and
cadence majestic sentences. IL has no hierarchy
transmitting succession from the Apostles onward II
has elaborate aud extended system OF minute rule
Ii has few great and vital principles or churcn mem
Dersp Of church fellowship, aud these are all The
life OF IN tle principle as tag me 81 Tue ap,ua ~
Invisible and silent hemorrhage tnat destroys
So we feit; so we feel and. IN deliberate ocnv1c-
ton IL principles applied by Ply mouth Cnrea are
accepted as the principles OF ecss SroV. That
which our fathers knew aud loved and honor,d, no
when IL came to us in the Proydehce Of God There,
fore ve have gone with IL as Coz seemed
IA r,ouire that we should Therefore weshaye stood IN
our right aud learned what IT is to bear burdens anu
carry CROSSES and ght what seemed 10 us tine goou
glf Of OF the fathers ana the lact that
is spreading 50 widely IN ing ooeh,
try seems to Us 10 make the duty more Imperative ana
the fact that IL a duty dslked TO PERFORM rom
which our hearts drew back only made II more Hpeis
tive upon us 90 go on. - ,.-,-.s..
80 then 1 have aimed TO Get aside ct the beginning
those misconceptions which may have been silently
uresent I'M the minds OF the members OF the Couneh,
and which certainly been presented widely Ia the
md Ia nnhlc mind far Is