, 1874-03-26
tion whatovor by tho present Council upon any
Issue rolnting to Plymouth Church.
TIE pnoTEAr
Ia ~, Fnr 3l,o $oI3o,v;rry roncnrr.

lHbu0 TGlhtluE EC IlyMOulu OnnTtl.
TIE PROTEST
Ia made for tho following rcnsona,
This is IN OK parto Council convened without my
regunr MD aulcons sters to obtain mutual Coull
g. called to conailor ons aairs for tho noo insruc-
to Of two othcr churches, aud carefully fcttcrcl no
10 mako II impoaaibc, By the ters of liz ca tor
tho Council to alter itsclf into mutual Council II II
rrcext that thoy aro NOT in controversy with slater
church, aud desire only instruction for thensclves
with TINT chnro FREQ form Tho r,1ca Hovernfug tho
cal of ordinary cx Iarlo Councils ts CHIN arpears
to DO aubvorsivo Of lie whole ayne,n Of mutual do,n
and is compsicnt to adyso tho CHURCHES Calling It
as to teir duty towar'a Us. thon our pastor cn
Council without consulting us to advtac him publicly
4uircd In vain for = precedent Of thia kind. THIS
Council ID aummonc1 to advise precisely wo wcfo
an nopa eoorcon Sat a. rvo s',es as
n breath requested to explain facts aud Informed
tut It must DO cut of un1cas the facts had been ml4-
whether tic nction Of Plymouth oh1rch hns beon
confor1nablc to Congregational usage. and Is at tho
deea ds oenssesons asnse tbo erco:
III hs s1 eeae see Il eaed sons5ei points e
Ing churches, tho whole frnn,sof tlle Council u tho
wide.spEead cons,itncney I'D national chsraeter ~
n assons s'ia psy to
to tue gcniua of Congregational polly QUO great aim
?f which is to contlno local troubles To- their own
ad Of neiglboring churches, without apreading tho
tao Of local dlseensons over thu whole 1Hnd. Tho
charges sganst ta church arc Psry basea
wel!-known thas Plymouth 0husch, With tha hoazty
ennsa Of Of ~ IT, Bss.t0 5,. n5s s9sa aFsm 5 tn
man 6owovcr beloved and royorea, mny uH,,rp tho
rights Of brotherhood and has always insisted mud
does now Insist tla by ia acts md declarations,
tonanse Of this rale with respoet 10 a churenos, wo
h.'l to bo IN essential part Of Congregational roy.
eae otper sxv essa @ a nor ho %
churches to receive auch IN offer IN The spirit Of
hrolhcrhood. Wo ha,o assorted the rght, Of eyory
70 judge for taclf, wien, according TO tho
w' the a % syna ss ss a
onor Of advice which seemed 10 to ba teudorcd in
spirit not according to tho mind Of Christ did de-
vice sonsesvsd il SUCH spirt Eer san we eyer as-
aeut to auy doctrine Of church, fellowship which ehu
ps eatruSvs Of tho bssy ct tho 9csl church
safeguard, and instrument Of Bympatlly&nto ir
r!tanR eaplonagc and instrument Of oppression. III
doctrine, order Or discipline Of other ohurcles, We
for moment intended to cut ourselves OF from
relationship, to them. Thera is : ec1tain
But ts Ia not the sense IN which tho word is genor
ally ussa s Tes ee resons1y Of emnefs ''ss , Of tho
which the word In commonly understood, and 1t was
just TINT degree Of responsibility between clurches
church can pitt each othor on trial before ho church.
We deny the right OF any church to put another
church npon TRIAL before any ecclesiastical body wha-
ever.
A DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
IL appended, Of which the following paragraph
gives sufficient explanation:
While wo are ready At Ill times to receive suitable
u
o interest," hold that 1t is our right, and may DO
our duty to avoid The eyiis incinDnt to public Ok
panaton, or public trial, and that such ~ excrctde
u discretion furnishes good ground for the
terference Of oer churches provided neither retain
within our fellowship n9r dtsa1ss by LITTER AZ III resn
the Christian naEe.
nErusA1. TO APPEAR.
The following resolution was adopted:
We ara constrained to- decline II, lost by our nc
convictions and to withdraw our solemn testimony
against the violation Of Christian liberty, courtesy
tits Gsulell. the Steps which led to It. and est We
should cssablall precedont full Of danger to the
smaller churchcu, Is encouraging Irregular ard un'
churches, which tho wenkcr might nfterwar' By the
force Of our example, 10 compelled to condemn. w
es mot m M Of S
calling Of this qdunc and We are not willing to covei
thonl With our consent.
RESOLUTIONS ACCEPTED.
Tile resolutions refusing to appear on the f1ool
without q dissenting v'ice in i v1to of ESQ, ant
tue meeting then adjourned to next friday week
THE COUNCIL,
Naw YonK, March 25.-The Congregations
Council opened this morning with only O leN
delegates present. Many ladies were among tht
auditors.
TINE OF sEsH1oNg.
After singing, and prayer by the Rev. Dr.
Burlington, in which ho asked that tho Lori
would guide Plymouth Church to answer tho in
vitation extended to its pnstor In q truly Chris
tisu spirit, tho time for holding tho sessions @
the Council was agreed upon.
NAME or THE COUNCIL.
DR.. Dextol 3 resolution, offered laBt evening
In regard to tue name Of tho Council, WAS thei
taken up, and waa the subject OF q long discus
Sion, tho Doctor holding that this WGs an nd
yisory and not all ex~parto Council.
The Roy. DR.. Post, Of st. LouiB, participated
p tho discussion.
Judge Walter spoko on the snblect OF jurls
dction, which ho dcemed al essential prolimi
nary question, and il waB, Lo said, OF exceeding
importance that tho tribunal should decide tht
question Of it's power. II this Ia an advisor,
Council, what Is it's power. its limit Wo orr
conducted itself properly, and whether tue twt
churches that hay9 called ua have conduclet
themselves properly toward plymouth Church
II Plymouth Church rafuAes to accept tho inYi
tatioi, VIC may proceed as all cx-parto Council.
Mr. Barncs said I" It iH very proper that VT
ahould hour tho parties" and 30 moved that til,
resolution pending be laid upon tho table, 1
! was laid upon che table.
THE PLYMOUTH CHURCH. COMMITTEE.
The bearors Of tho message TO Mr. Beeohor'
church reported tho pol lformauce Of their duty
mud wore followed by tl!o Committee Of tim
church, who read and submitted thoir official re
| My amid broathless silouco. After thinking tI1'
| Council for tho courtoBies extended. tho Com
nl;ttcc Of Plymouth Church retired, aud In
| short timo tho Council took rccebB.
CnEDENT1AgA.
i After recess, tho Committee on Crodontiaf
presented their report, which was received a1at
| entered on tho minutes.
DR. sTonNs' STATEMENT.
The Roy. Dr. Storrn, OF tho Clurol OF the pll
| grims, presented his ttatemont. lie began b!
stating that both no and DR.. Burlington wor
fr,eudn Of Mr.. Doecllor when tho latter cerao t.
tho city, and 1t was with profound regret TIN
they observed thoy could not stand upon th
au,no platform with Him now. Congregational
| ism, 10 arguod waH founded on the Word o
| God. This Council was to ilo:ormino If u uloua
bcr OF the Chu,oh cali cease to be mem
ber the momeut ho places his toe
/ L. s1-4- t1r~n nHrt krH nj