, 1874-03-25
BEECHER-TILTON.
Meeting Of a Special Congrega-
tional Council in New
York.
Inquiry to Do blado as to the Manner
lii Which Tilton Left Ply
mouth Church.
Organization Of the Council---
Western Delegates
Present..
Excitement Among Mr.. Beecher's Friends
In View Of the Proceedings.
Tho Questions to Bc Considered
Enumerated in tho Call.
Full and Comprehensive History Of the
Advisory Council.
Excitement Among Mr.. Beecher's Friends
In View Of the Proceedings.
Full and Comprehensive History Of the
Advisory Council.

THE PRELIMINARIEs.
Sptciat Dispatch to tbs Chicago Tribune.
NEW YoRK, March 24.-Now England aud tho
Northwest arc tho only sections which can bo
said to DO fairly represented in tho Congrega-
tional Conference. Only twanty churches from,
tho Northwest wore invited, but most Of these
havo indicated thoir iutorost In tho church ques-
tions or scandals which haye caused tho Council
tn convouo by responding favorably. Thus far
the following
WESTERN DELEGATES
have appeared.
Doost71rst Church L. Eddy. ?. p, pastor; the
D. p"soS nsr Esa sya d. A.
Chioayo-Now Englu1.l oAurcl, L. L. chamberlain,
pastor; the Hon; 9; g.. Hammond, layman. Fisst
lat'.q, ?; D.. laynun; ana tho Rev. O. H. Board
Ohlo-oSorlin secon1 Church, Il. Mcad, D. D., pas
Robort q. uotehkiss, pastor; Dsacou il. D. Hills,
1ova-Tho Rev. G. F. Ma9osn, D. D.
st. Louis-First Church, +. A. Post, D. D., pastor :
tho Hon. Irwin s. Smith. hynlan.
raaur the Hon. E. D. Holton, layman.
nsoit, Wis.-Tho 1sey. 4; L; o4apin. D. ?.
TIE QUESTIONS TO De DECIDED
by the Council ato:
Can q mon,bor Of Congregational Church
ond his connection by simply absonting btmself7
II, while thus absenting himself, ho Is accused
Of grossly uncllriatau conduct, is 1t Ia accord
with Congregational usage to withhold tho
charge and drop hts uamo from Tho rolls without
any reflection Oh him !?
Was the action Of Plymouth Church il this
regard according to usage, or doca it warrant
apprehension on the part Of tho olhor churches?
}t,$ nk3, T..
this action of plymouth, IN regard to continuing
their fellowship with it,
In regard to tho resolution Of Independence
declared By Plymouth on Dec, ., 1878, what
notion should other churches take to release
themselves from the mutually responsible coll
ncction thoy have had with tt
Havo the churches calling this Council acted
according to tho principles OF Congregational
ism, or hayc they erred; and II the latter, how
THE MEETING
of the Congregational Conference tonight was
wholly for organization. There was, conse-
quontly, little Of iutercst to uotioo Bavo the OBJ
seryatious OF the distinguished delegates. Mover
tholoBs, largo audience, admitted by
tickets. was in attendance until lato
hour. and the prospects Of the Council,
il not the first proceedings, create
very general Ind great excitement IN religious
circles. Tho feeling Ia more intonao thau one ae
d distance world suppose. It is not, OF course,
the question Of tho settlement Of minor mastors
Of church discipline which CAUSES this intense ill.,
forest,
TILE rnEp1DAT1oN OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH
has been manifest for eoyoral days past. Tho
buBincBs-meetipg on FRIDAY evening was packed
in tho Beeclor intercat, mud it Was painfully oyt
dent that every effort and every eaorilce was to
be made to prevent any investigation into tho
charges against Theodore Tilton Of scandalizing
Bsechor. For church which has 10 long pso-
fesned indifference to tho action Of itH fellow
mcmbors, independence OF their opinion and
follow phip. and indifference to tho result OF any
invest igation Of 1'ilton, the present nervous
ness OF Plymouth Church appears singular.
This morning all
THE DEEo}rE ORGANS,
including tho Brooklyn Eagle, whose editor Is
also involved in scandal tho Star, which Is
edited by Joo Howard, the famous
proclama tion-forger and protego Of Beech
er'H; and the Sun, opened simultaneous
broadnidcs Of abuse upon Dudington and storrs.
One ACCUSES ssorrs OF blinking wine ut table; 3;
anothor that 10 nas o Skeleton in his own
church and family, Of which exposure Is threat-
sned and it ia aaaartod that there ara several
Buch skeletons which ought 10 be dropped from
tho ri. of Budington'H church. plymouth is
evidently
PREPARING Fon 4 STUBBORN SIEGE.
Private meetings oil the church ocors were hold
last ovoulus aud this morning in hlr. Boccler's
parlors but the doors were cloHod, and tie sub
lect of tho deliberations Gun only DO conjecturcd.
lhis morning, as oarly ns O'Clock,
tho house, ar.! piles of camp:Btoois in tho hall
way we're called OIL to accommodate tho numbers
attending tho mysterious deliberations. On tho
contrary, tho churches calling tho Council have
beon very quiet and dignicd, and the prcpara-
tions for tho Conference have eotle OH BYstemat-
icallg aud docou.ly. There IL general sympathy
with Storrs and Burlington, which the attacks
! alluded to havo served to inotoaso.
lilo greater part OF
THE EVENING aEssroN
Was devoted to organization aud tile consideration
Of the question Of inviting plymoutl, Church to
L scat III the Conference. It wnh finally decided
| Tint plymouth CAu.ch bo invited to appear OIL
tile Fame conditions aB othorB, and to mako any
| stasonantp aud onBwor any questions pro-
| pounded.
[1o the Asaoctattd Pre1s.l
| NEW YonK, Al4lci. 2l-Tao Advisory Council
callel by tho Clinton Avenue Congregational
Church and tho Church Of tho Pilgrims, Beooklyn,
to Bettlo tAs. points Of issao i'll tho recent con.
troyersy with tho Plymouth Church, held ita
| first aession This eycning in DR.. Batittgton'a
church. OF tho soyonty.nine churches that
have been asked to jolh tho Conference, seventy
| iour hayo accepted, aud axty-olEht OF these
| cato, bix churches will bo represented only by
thoIr pastors. The Council will also include sew
! etai Frofessurs al'tl Doctors Of Divinity, who
| will nut roprcsont any particular church
aud theto will 10 III all about 1G0 members. Tue
meeting this evening was only for orsanlzation,
mud the Conference will opractically opened to:
| morrow morning.
Tllo lsoy. DR.. Theodore D. WoolAey, Of New
Heyan tho 1loy. DR.. bushnell, uf Hartford, md
tlo Rev. DR.. Tilman, layo writton lottcrs
| EXPRESSING THEIN AEtilET
| that on account Of sickness tbey will be unable
| to be presout. Tho l.oy. DR.. Vormiiyo is III
| Florida, aud tho Hon. Henry p. Haven, of Con-
nooticnt, on account OF prokelng business al
| homo cannot come. No word baa bean secelyoo