The Portland daily press., 1874-03-30

communion. The church having given its tes-
tlmony is no longer responsible for him and he
can be restored only by the removal of the CEN
sure.
Voluntary absence of a resident member
from the communion of the church and from
lts public worship does not dissolve the cove
manu- put is reasonable ground of admoni-
tIon, and, if persisted in, of final censure.
When regular complaint is made against such
member, that in some other respect he vIo-
lates the law of Christ and especially when the
complaint is that he has circulated and pro-
NOTED scandals derogotory to the christian
integrity and injurious to the reputation of the
church" the consideration that he has long ago
1orsaken the church is only an aggravation of
his alleged fault,
In regard to the future relations between
these churches and the Plymouth Church, we
express our hope that the very extraordinary
proceeding which gave occasion for the cores
pondence and for this council, will not be
precedent for the guidance of that church here
after.
We recite some of those declarations from
Plymouth church which encourage the hope we
nave expressed: I'VE rejoice" says the Ply
mouth church to live in affectionate fellowship
with all churches of the Lord Jesus, and espec-
tally with those who are in all things of like
minds with US holding to the same faith and
order not only in things fundamental but in
thags less essential yet are dear to US by con-
init that whenever any church shall openly and
avCwedly change the essential conditions upon
which it was publicly received unto the fellow
ship OF neighboring churches or shall by fla
grant neglect exert pernicious and immoral
influence upon the community or upon the SIS
ter churches it is their right either by lndivd-
ual action or by council to withdraw their fell
lowship." 1--WE hold that preceding disfellow-
ship In all such cases, there should be such af-
fectionate and reasonable enquiry as shall show
that the evil is real That the causes of it are
within control of the church.
mat the evil is not a transient evil such as
may befall any church, but is permanent and
tending to increase rather than diminish
These professions on the part of the Ply
mouth church may be accepted by other
churches as indicating it's intent on an efficient
disciplin and to regard the mutual responsible
tty Of churches At the same time this council
reels constrained to declare these declarations
seem to us incOnc0nstant with the resolution of
Interpretation adopted by the Plymouth church
Dec. 9th, 1873, and with other acts and state
ments appearing in the published documents.
Gould we suppose that such proceedings will
be repeated, we should feel that the disregard
of the first principles involved in the idea of
church membership and the idea of the fellow
ship of churches with each other would require
the strongest possible protest; but the cOmmu-
nIcation from the Plymouth church to this
council makes professions and declarations
which Justify the hops that such devotion from
the orderly course of discipline will not be re-
peated.
The accused person in that case has not been
retained in the church nor commended to ally
other church.
We think that the action of that church as
presented in these documents if unmod'fed
would justify these churches in Withdrawing
fellowship Yet, inasmuch as the Plymouth
church seems to us 10 admit in its communica-
tior to US the Congregational principals of dis
cipllne and fellowship We advise the churches
couvening this council to maintain with it the
relatl0uS of fOiIOWShin q hnratnfora in no hOpa
that Plymouth church may satisfy these
churches of its acceptance of the principlee
which it has been supposed to disavow.
We also desire in this connection to reaffirm
our platforms of the obligation of fellowship
This duty applies to all christian churches.
Various Matters.
Atkinson, whom Jayne charges with at
tempting to assassinate him, was released on
$500 bail.
The suit of Platt and Boyd to recover the
books seized by Jayne came up before Judge
Blatchtord. The decision IS reserved.
The trial of Sanborn will begin in U. S. Cir
cult Court before Judge Benedict of Brooklyn.
The police are trying to find HOttenroth, the
harness maker who is believed to have set his
shop on fire in a tenement building in Harlem,
in which Mrs Burns and three children were
burned on Wednesday.
The grand jury have indicted six landlords of
bagnios, and the six keepers of the dens have
been arrested on charge OF being nuisances, as
they are located ir the eighth ward, near the
public schc OILS for girls.
The Erie Railway Company at Jersey City,
long dock, has taken back $50 striking freight
handlers, ahd the remainder will he taken back
on Monday at old rates.
A gang of deputy sheriffs, which was sent to
Susquehanna. arrived back to day and were
paid as each one left the Car, but many of them
went back and through the car second time,
thus getting double pay.
The German saloon keepers of Brooklyn yes
terday resolved to oppose the present fanatical
temperance movement by all proper and law
full means.
1t is said Rev. Morgan Dixson, Governor and
Rector of Trinity church, will marry next
month Miss Alice Souther, daughter of a prom
inent Wall street banker.
The weeks imports of general merchandise
is 1914, 449
The woods between Washington, South river
and South Amboy, N. j., have been burning
furously several days.
Christian Hattenrsth, the harness maker,
suspected of some anterior knowledge of the
Mott Haven horror, appeared at the inquest
yesterday and testified that he insured his store
on the 18th inst for $4,000. On the night of the
hre he left the store about o'clock and did not
hear Of the fire till the next morning