, 1874-03-26

havo beon formally charged, by brother III !
to na ehF9 ,t With yasr aS n"S1 oa a. Snoas rs
plcnd AiB voluntary withdrawal from tho COM |
munion in bar Of investigation. would 1t DO ac-
cording to tho customary methods and policy Of
Plymouth Church to accept that ple9at to slsnontl
inquiry aa to facts, aud to drop his na1no from
tho roll without consuro? snppoBo, ftrthor, II
you will allow tho aupposititot,, that tho church
itsolf should omit from its Articles Of Faith that
ono which aflirms the inspiration Of tho Scrip
turcs, or tint which declares tile Divinity Of our
Lord would 1t atill, In Its own Judgment, or In
yours bo optltlod to claim that the churches be-
fore In fellowship with 1t should mako no rotnon-
stranco, but should continue IN tho fellowship,
without roforonoo to it's actfon7"
In reply to this lostor, Dir. Doochor wrote on
tho 14th Of January; and Hail that, while ho a.
sented generally to tho two principles Ibid down
as essential to Cougrogationnl'sm, llo dssAontod
assorted that In Joining church ono 10 snr1 On
ders hts porsonql rights, that he is not At lbarty
to withdraw from It, unless the church giyes linn
buck tho right to tlo 80. No church owns Its
nhlo which is in tho naturo Of q legal CONTRACT
When tho question ia prossod vigorously as to
tho absolute rights Of q Insn, Mr.. Deeeher
thong hS a !" ns ey entering church, d'fs
own proper conscleuco and ronson. The
Covenant Of Plymouth Church oontomplatos
such faots, and does not bud him absolutely.
bnt , "so long rs. in tho proyidenGo Of God. yol l
subject, said, III another part OF l1is 1ottor, "
do not wish you to suppoBe tint / advocate tho
common aHo Of this ultimate right OF tho fndi-
yiduat to oxond himso'f from tho Church. For
| spirit Of brotherhood, oyery ono leaving
! church should do it with respectful notice and
| asBent Aud. therefore, tho Erounla talsen by
most Congregational writer's OF roputo should
case. IN individual membcr chooses to oxcrciec
| hiH latent right md gnoH forth into
| tho world, Or into saother body. no
church which Processes to derive all its authori-
| ty from Sacred Scriptures can make this net an
| oireuso; and no amount Of consent Of congre-
gational writer's can forbid TINT which tho Scrip
tures do not forbid, and which the laws Of tho
land permit" 11r. Beoellcr adds also that when
taiuel by the Church againat any Recognized
member Of tho Church. and he shall then aban-
don tho Church for tho sake OF oacaplng lnyoh-
tgation, it nay bo proper for the Church, 60 far
or for the relief Of any Who may have poon
wronged, to proceed with tho case, aud to
declare it's judgment. But to pursue sucl'
all ono with paina and penalties after his own
ectionablo 1t law. On thls toint Nlr. Boochor
further said "Any representations to you that
proceedings against i member Of plymouth
Church had beon terninatod BY his withdrawal
to escape Investigation, or withdrawal, for any
other reason, from q recognized moInbcrshlp,
tr,tb In roniv ~ ti,o ntato,na,ta that t1,o nrin
cin1os ~ ronarora ~ .,nnaism ind benm n1nara5
by pismo,th -, rI"r"I aa ah"vo mr d"acribr sr
Haao1,ar Jan;od ~ trot 90 a,d ,l,a scc.
@ @ 1 ~ taIiu to W
,oid H., M to
as "" ahnnIa ans c
~ ~ for ira1 r. ono syos "on,od
,a m W s0 y, u' or o scaitta III
M H. IT, " ~ ~ Hna1,;ttoo ~ aond tonn.
M roca,.a ,nS srop, aaoso foroa notico
~ ~ liz ;t1' ,rttrawai frot t1,o nhrrch r. 1,ancSor
monI nd "da;ua tnt tha rnmmittno n'rncooa viii
H. ;nSastuati"n r,,,o4 ia rest to tho
Hnr,n tn r. n1"nod pn ia w yocorda NH in
nam,o h. A. Jrnnnoa Nv n' fro,, u In ri, ~"
A':1.s mra -" nr5;nrton mi S+nrr. n, tim oet1, of
i,nnsrv oeSoS Mr Doac,,"r Il he Wa w;liine tn
ma h;s infSmonca Win hIa f1hn,ch to unito Wilh