The Portland daily press., 1874-09-30
The Congregational Triennial.

To-day the second Triennial Council of the
Congregational churches of this country, con-
venes at New Haven, and will be in session
several days. The system of councils is gem
orally thought to be opposed to Congregational
polity. In view of this an account of previous
councils, taken from the New York Tribune
may be of interest:
The Council is held triennially, and this will
be its second session, it having been organized
at Oberlin, o., in November 1871. Previous
to this, four general councils of the Congrega-
tional churches had been held. The first at
Cambridge, Mass, in 1857; the second at the
same place in 1913; the third at Albany in 1852;
the fourth at Boston in 1865. The first "synod'''
ions" seven years after the landing of Robin
sons band of Congregationalists aJ Plymouth
Rock. There were then II churches and 25
ministers. The second Synod adopted the
Cambridge platform of polity, and approx
ed ia substance, the Westminster Confession
Of Faith. The number of churches then was
81: The Albany Council met to consider the
subject of ''aiding feeble churches in buiIdi ne
church edifices," and plan of union with the
Presbyterians. 1t is estimated that the church
es in 1852 numbered 1850. At the time of the
meeting OF the Boston Council there were 265S
churches, which had increased to 1902 when the
Oberlin Council assembled.
HISTORY OF RECENT COUNCILS.
The close of the war in 1866 was the occasion
of the converting of the National Congregation
al Council at Boston, just referred to, of which
the then popular War Governor, the Hon.
VIM. A. Buckingham of Connecticut, was
Moderator and at which the leading men of
the denomination were present in large num-
bers. The sessions continued for ten days, and
included an affecting pilgrimage to Plymouth
Rock, at which spot was adopted simply
stated Declaration of Faith" while the coun-
Gil in the course of its sittings approved a state
name of the "Platform Of 1865"
it did at the food-tide Of exuitation
and gratitude at the triumph of the national
arms, was a most enthusiastic one, and gave to
the denomination unity of feeling which it
had rarely had before. No steps toward stated
repetition of the Council were then taken, but
ground was broken for such movement by the
work accomplished. The approach of the 25Oth
anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims led
the Church OF the Pilgrimage, at Plymouth,
Mass, to invite the churches to meet by dele
gates at New York to consult as to its suitable
celebration. The committee met on March 2,
1870, and one of its acts was the calling of a
Pilgrim Memorial Convention, which met at
Chicago on April q of the same year, and one
OF whose acts was resolution "for instituting,
on the principles of fellowship, and excluding
authority, permanent National Conference"
Similar resolutions were adopted by various
associations and conferences, and convention
of committees appointed by various subordinate
bodies to consider the subject, met at Boston
Dec. 81, 1870, and before adjourning resolved
THAT it is expedisnt, appears clearly to be the
voice of the churches, that National Council
of the Congregational Churches of the United
States of America be organized" specified the
general purposes of the organization, and ap-
Quint Of New Bedford, Mass, as chairman, to
draft a constitution. The first Council, as the
result of this action, convened at Oberlin Ohio,
in November, 1871, elected the Rev. DR.. Leonard
Bacon as:Moderator, adopted a permanent con
stitution providing for triennial meetings, and
proceeded to the discussion of topics of moment
to the denomination, holding, throughout, an
enthusiastic and harmonious session.