, 1874-03-25
from tho Rov. Dr.. George +. Morgan, OF Iowa,
and ho is nut expected. These aro alt represent
atvo CongrogakionAllat8.
THE MEETING.
Address OF WELCOME,

Dndrngton, who mnde n brief address of VOL
como. Flo then invoked blessing on tho
future workings Of tho Council, after which lie
nominated tho nnv. DR.. Stou,, President Of
Amlorst College, Us temporary Moderator, On
motion, tho RoT. DR.. Qnint WIS appointed toni.
porary Scribe. Considerable timc VIVA thcn COLI.
sun1cd In tho reading Of tho na1nog Of pnstota
wore two delegates from tho Bamo cl,nrchs and
no pastors. 1t waA ttten resolved to appoint
i. TWO PERMANENT MoDEnATo1ts
and tho Rov. Leonard Encon, of Now Tlavon,
vas choson 'irHt Moderator and Charles ].
Wa1kor, Of Detroit. Second Moderator, aftor
which two Bcribos were oloctcd by acclamRtion,-
ihe ltov. DR.. Quint, Of Now Bedford aud tho
Roy. J. &. hIeseryo, ot Drooklyn.
On motion the roaling Of tho letter -1nssiyo
statomont aud documents Of tbq Council wns
roll-call over until tho next lnooting. Tho Mod-
orator thon
. OPENED TIE MEETING
With prayer, aftor which ono Of tho delegates
moved that the letter-mlsavo bo rcnd, fnnsfnl1cll
agt without knowing Its contelts, 1t was impos-
s6e for any deIegato to know for what purpose
tho Council convened.
HERE 4 LESoriENEp DISCUSSION AROSE,
which resulted in tho loading Ut tllo mispiyo,
particulars OF which have nlroady beon pub
lisllad
Prof. Smith thon aaaronsod tho Counci. ut
considerable longth. Ho anid tho Council lad
beon , called ID for tho prrp9so, Of advising two
her Of questions in dispute. but there waa no
mention matle Of Plymouth, Church in th6tr char
tor, aud the question n1oao: What was to bo
dono with th.s church? uo would suggest TINT
ahoa I 'Is Prevail. '' o ~ wos!i s's propes" atSa
resolution that a. committee II tho
Council bo authorized to whit up-
On the pastorl aud delegate of tho Plymouth
Church and invite the.n to como on tho tloor Of
1t-
tho statements contained in tho lostor-niEsise
statement. Tho ofloring of this resolution pro-
rokol long dobato, in wltcn a majority OF the
delogatea joined. 9ono argued that tho Co,li,-
Gil possessed no right to go on With its proceed
inga
uNLEsa PLYMOUTH oHunuM WAS RErREsEHTED,
Nhilo ssothers feared its pastor md delegates
would once moro positively decline to give any
explanation Of tllolr conduct. The Roy. DR..
storss, who 5oned IN the discussion, hrioAy OK
planned tho various Councils OK parts, mutual,
occ1ceiastica, aud advisory. Tho Council now
being hold was All advisory ono, and merely Gre.
ntod for the purpose Of advising two churches
how to act in o dihenlty. lTo wns dearons that
The pastor and delegates Of Plymouth Church
INVITED 70 AprEAn ON TIT: FLoou,
first, to explain the statements malo agniuBt
them, aud, second, to aun"cr any questi'}ns tho
Council might deem necessary to put, 20 TINT
they might haye oyory opportunity to vndcnto
tllolusolye He tl.on otiorod On amendment to
tic previous resolution,
GIVING PLYMOUTH onunc1 EVERY ADVANTAGE
that auy noln6or Of the Council possessed.
THIS caused anothor long, but good-naturc1, dis
III tho passaga Of tho original resolution, with
but 4 slight notification alter which tho
Council adjourned until II O'clock tomorrow
morning, when tho first bnBincBs for disposition
action OF Plymouth Church. rhoro woro I'D
delegates present, aud 48 churches represented.
HISTORY OF THE CoUNc11:st t.
This assenbago il known in Congregation
alism as au Advisory Council" mud does not
necessarily ASSUME the proportions OF I. National
Council. The Church has frequently held
National Councils, tho two Inst being those OF
1860, at Boston, and Of 1868, at Oborlin, Ohio.
Cases such as the ono to bo brought before this
Brooklyn Council aro considered local, and suoll
us may bo ordinarily disposed Of by local action.
III order to provide against such local n,atsor,
boing brought before the national assemblies,
the Council OF Oborlin provided particularly tha.
thoy slall be brought to the consideration Of
local Councils, known as Advisory Councils, !"
to be called by tho church or churches locally in-
teroated OF involved in
TILE MATTER TO he CONSIDERED.
It will bo remembered thus in Octobor last
Theodore Tilton WAS charged by William r.
Wost, d member Of Plymouth Church. "with
having circulated and promoted scandals derog-
story to .Ao Christian character Of our pastor
aud injurious to tho reputation Of this church"
A complaint and specifications wcro duly pre-
pared and forwarded to 1Ir. Tilton by tho Ex-
amin,ug Committee Of Plymouth Church, under
lato of Oct. 1G, with request that ho would
euhmit his dotense or reply thoroto on or before
Oct. 29 ensuing. Under dato OF Oct. 20, h1r. Til
tonrapliod, acknowledging tho receipt from tho
clork Of the Committee Of an official paper nd
dressed to lin u az q member Of plymouth,
Church." Ho replied as follows: "Nenrly
four years ago, Terminated my connection
with tint Church, and am not now nembor
thereof. Therefore, ehe document addressed to
mo IN that capacity 1 cannot rccalve. To
avoid any seonllng discourtosy in returning it
herewith, retain It subjoct to your lIectlUn. "
from tho church waited OH alr. Tlton in rorer-
onco to tho same matter, whcn he made answer
to then, III t4ese words: ~ have not for neatly
four yoays boon all attendaut Of Plymouth
| Church, nor hnvo / considered myself d member
Of it, aud do not low. nor docs the pastor Of
tho church consider n,o mcmber, and do not
hold myself amenable to its Jurisdiction III my
| mnttor whatever" On Friday evening Oct. u,
special u,ootiug Of Plymouth Church WAS helA,
and after consideration OF the report Of tho H.
aminin3 Com'nittoe OIL tho subject, in which
report it was resolved llat "whcrsaA it thua ap-
! ppoars TINT Theodore Tllton. member of this
| church, las abandoned Ills conMection with
| tLo church by prolonged abseuce from
! all its services and ordinances =. this
committee recommend to the church that tho
! name of Theodore Iiton be dropped from tue
roll Of this church," oe. tho said report was
adopted. Tlin action waA tukon undor iule OF
tho plymouth Church ltanual, which provides
that " members may 1o dropped irosu tlio roll Of
| tim church. with lSithnNt vi TO liar