New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-26
CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL
TuE EVENING SESSION.

THE EVENING SESSION
The eveninR session was occupied by the rev
-, pud,ngton who presented the sixth and seventh
,uestion. which were left 20 bin by DIT storrs' ho
,r.mised by saying that he was grateful that nc 'u
not known beforehand what agitation ana "eh"'o"
xoud be caused the action taken by the '"oc"N"
.se he scarcely believed wOuld have had the or"uu
&c bear Up under the load bun they had gone iu'o ~
matter with prayera hearts, ana convinced ',r" y
q solemn duty. In reference TO the acton u ~
Church ar connected with the claim OF true 'V"t'e"
uoualisn, he said; -. .,.,,,oa
Now nv friends. this independence nae boeh oali"eu
-, ss now dcparture but genuine Congrogauoh"i
fam Az a new departure We are free TO say we s""i
bave no uuarrei with II 1t was competent Io' our
brethren OF Plymouth Church 10 declare themsoN0s "
d.pendent Their reserved rights lnelude TINS nin''
.nd VIC al least supposed this their real Intention
H. ,ha, coee We needed only 10 recognize and record
an some orderly manner. council was nor neeueu W
n needed, instead OF national councm se dunsic
loca aud small council would nave heeh suequSStN;
mi 10 the import Of this acton we chieu
Nv attention 10 them IN a letter. AT first the
p,1 seemed disposed TO take this OF it and
sent This decision II would he TO me- he said, an IN
tnte Teef II could stand on platform where no man
said i don't think II fair ne added 10 put suon
Gus words and generously spoken, aud all we
wished was 90 ascertain whether they mean.
fr and souarcy as we could But in their last letter
tIe Plymouth Church claimed 10 DC tne uuo Spusl'ss
tbey say on page 49, Congregationalism is the con
duc of AFFAIRS OF the church by the whole brotherhood
not embarrassed by tDe esked interference of other
.bnrcbes" N,rkitI The position of Plymouth
Church, deliberately taken at the beginning, anI ~
which h CongresatlQnausm We underetand ", tney
beiS now and are a6le TO maintain II. We ask yon
bretiren IA ;he advice you gave NJ. 70 @ 90 ron,
~ our CONCEPTION OF our relation Of Independence TO
fellowship, or does independeney s"aiG" g., Pdv1ins
ignore these rights OF adinonluon ana Jus nr,I,
of mutual watcutulnessi TO hold us IN uhMiii VII
fellowship j. soiemny 9e oSr cto6 not to
\. abe 10 leave and withdraw ourselves rom ieiioN
my W. rned "a nd does injustice TO the deepest convo-
tions Of our consciousness ana We ASK DOW tn eau We
i%IyfyaI member OF the local church the right 70 with
craw Al nus silent voitOD. We are forced py lhatlo
aosg W. nat no restraint upon any when
ak be released from fellowship WhiCI uHSs os
LAKE, aWaS IIS US Ne ,ee ~ release ourselves from me
responsible fellowship OF plymouth Chuich'
RELIEF FROM FELLOWSHIP ASKED FOR.
Az individual churches might withdraw from theIr
fellowship; but there is specific course to pursue ana
abiding CongTegatOnaiists we are bound to take
tLo course which the platform prescOes IL womb also
he assuming on TO act without counsel on SO import
ant a matter We do wish to act hOstcly or at 81
ess IL was necessary and the safety Of common pT-
oiples were imperied 1t would also be Intellectual TO
be continued, and ultimately schsrn and anarchy
would take place There must be some pubic
IT, oniv way is Nv Council, which is
To- declare principles ~ obedience to winch We NAV sun
Keep along IN tno path OF the Fathers, ana IN TINS WAY
clutches can withdraw IN a digUhed and orderly way
from churches that have departed from The way :
AZ their fathers. There IL 70 sort OF fellowship when
CONNECTS denominations together m mutual respect aud
~ the interchange ~ certain phases Of CHRISTIAN tV-
dsnCe Tie third platform Of the Boston Council reoos'
Igrd thi, fact We hold union with all parts OF The
Church universal aud recognize believers wherever they
sre who give evidence OF their fidelity to common
mead But the relations hear 10 Congregational
churches are more intimate. We give ana receive 4t
Iowehp In the of organizing churches ana Ordaln
pastors. We give aud receive admonilIon and olhd
ourselves sympathy and acts OF heptulnCss 10 tbo>c
needing help and sympathy. Now, brethren, we ask
you ~ advise u7 ia thls mat 81 Doll a. 10 le fedVh
AZ COugTcCatOuallSm I" ma tendency anu as 10 thc
methods ia which shall release ourselves from q
church which has substituted ndependency Tor Concre-
gaOuaism: release ourselves from fellowship that has
bccOme MiStpie>eH'',k 70 w. on,' nv
So Cohsceuces shan now reief yoh 10 Tue seventh
paragraph, ia GONG call your attention 10 the
requests have MADE 10 Plymouth Church. We do
not ask you 10 give rs advice ON TIE methods OF chrch
sCton TO the way i'll winch the churches take
action whether by meeting publicly called aud the
business stated from the pulpit on whe thef u were be
perform that duty at aar meetings for worship
doing business earth at Tie same hour and con
tuualy. . ~, , .
We do not ask to tell us whether the business had
hood assembled together Tor these matters OF local
usage and right lie question II spechC. ~ asks our
hnce with Congregational principles. 1On wiz ma
these "Reminiscences aud requests IN the FIRST letter 1u
that letter wrote 10 the kindlIes aud founded
Cur adDoniuon upon IA puohc report, dncOhtiad1ctcd
To our letter Plymouth Church took onense, but III
subsequent letter used me most un0bec0naole Ian
For the past year THESE complaints IN regard 10
Plymouth Church were prominent and we were urged
ts neighbors, to take cofnlance o me matter that
" NC did not 40 SO our common name would sUner
Were warranted IN The relnOHstraDce against INJURY
10 our common naiue3 We found we could not retain
cur members IN the churches u we remained silent on
The subject Hence tins Council. Council and confer
euoe were denied. They voted themselves ndepend-
church. with no obligation OF fellowship, and have
declined 10 JOIN with us.
the close Of DR. Budngtsn's address, the points Of
which are presented above, II resolved that
ute. Of the morning be devoted pray The
meeting adjourned to meet at -. IN, TO-DAY,