New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-26
buttons, and the Clerk has them In his hand and will
read them, which constitutes our report"


Reverend and Beloved Brethren and Fathers
IN God: Having been notified by the Church Of the PHI
grms and the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church Of
your assembage under their CALL for purposes specified
In their Letters Mssve and having received from those
churches an invitation appear before you pastor
and committee, simply for tho purpose OF correcting
any statements OF fact which might erroneous
and furnishing any further and specific Information
which you might request; and having declined this
invitation the ground that these churches thus called
us before council in the converting of which we had
been permitted TO take part In which had never
been offered the rights OF equal members in which it
was not proposed now TO give the rights even of
binary defendants, nevertheless desire out Of
respect love for you beloved brethren and
bic fathers. TO make brief statement OF POSITION
and TO lay this our solemn protest before you.
council that desire to demonstrate SO far as the
Letters Mssive under which you have assembled state
matters which do not relate 10 other church than
the two churches issuing those Letters make no COM
plant We do not even object to the consideration In
have made mistake in their manner OF approaching us,
and therefore owe US an apology, instead OF our owing
them an explanation. tAppause.] Although this is o
stlon in which We as church. have some interest,
yet an er par discussion OF that point for the sole en-
them and cannot seriously encroach upon the rights OF
Congregational churches at large,
,ther do object to the consideration OF the alb
stract questions submitted TO your body. Bearing as
these questions doubtless do upon the internal economy
to decide whether there difficulties arising or likely
to arise within those churches Of sufficient Importance
the light Of which they Judge Of their own past
acts end guide their future course We are bound to
But when they call upon you to examine into our
action for their edihcaton far different issue Is pre-
action OF Plymouth Church, IN specified case, was
justnable, whether pastors name was left without
proper vindicaon and whether we are 70 be retained
in the fellowship of Congregational churches.
Brethren, approach this part of your duties, II we
lyunxu M I'm
ali personal motives We will not pretend that, ali
times past we have felt unconcerned for ourselves as
church. for that member of our church who, by rea-
son long and faithful service and of his signal success
in bringing home to our hearts living and eyerpresent
peated appause But these things are OF the past The
Lord hath given us peace and strength and we rest in
But still owe duty to our weaker brethren.
Lauehterl Not every church could pass through such
a storm In safety. Not every church could Withstand
the DEGREES of council so worthy OF respect as yours,
even though the council were known to have been
called er parte and Informed enormously. Lest there
silence should leave the way open for the OPP
than OVID, We speak.
In the name of our Congregational polityin the
of our teeber brethren-n the name of Justice even
administered by those mo know not God-Uut above ALL
in the of that God whose throne is justice
and Judgment we protest against any action whatever
by this Council, upon any Issue relating 10 plymouth
ILong and hearty applause followed the reading
Of the sentence, and caused Mr.. Beecher 10 say,
Brethren you'll out your hands before you get
through" Mr.. Halliday broke In with, and the Coun
Gil TOOL
And this we do for the reasons following well as
for others. to set forth which, time would fail.
First. This is pGrte council, convened without
any regular and sufficient steps to OBTAIN mutual coun
ci-without any refusal upon join in such
councicailed to consider our affairs for the sole
stuctOn of two other churches, and carefully feered
so make it impossible by the terms OF Its call for
the Council TO altar itself into mutual council. Yet 1t
is wellknOwn ami fundamental rule OF Con Sregatona
pohty that no ex parte council be called until
tua council been distinctly offered and clearly re-
fused, and that every eT pare council snond Do at I'D
erty and should offer to make itself mutual one
acting the preteX that they are not In controversy
with sister church. and desire instruction only for
themselves may call council TO instruct them as to
their relations with that church. free from the rules gov
ernng the call OF ordinary pdre councils this claim
pears to us subversve of the whole system OF mutual
councils II this Council has been regularly called and Is
competent advise the churches calling it 10 their
duty toward then pastor call council with
out consulting us, to advise him publicly what Is his
duty toward his church We have inquired In VAN Tor
precedent Of this kind, and have every reason 10 be-
eve that none can be found Inc present case Is most
dangerous Innovation, which, II sanctioned Dy the
churches Will DO more to dsorganlze Conversational
poty than all the alleged errors OF Plymouth Church
could do IL ten times repeated.
THIRD: This Council is summoned TO advise precisely
as We were originally summoned TO take advice under
distinct menace and moral coercion just as
Church was IN breath requested TO explain the
facts had been unsupported this Council is called
upon advise whether the action OF Plymouth Church
the same moment informed that. If such is indeed
Congregational the two churches cannot sustain
suc position" that ii would be entirely unreason-
able to expect IL from" them that "even they could
continue hold it in view OF the past, they should feel
what may in the future" that such position Is
simply insupportable, and that II tins IS 10 oe Congre
rational practice many churches lcleaTly meaning their
OwDl will certainly prefer to identity themselves with
some other communion"
threats will intimdate yOu any more than the threats
which Tor nearly year Pass nave een concy u
possible in the future that combination OF large pow
pPrtui churches might select council OF weak and de-
pendent for the purpose OF crushing one still
weaker and IN such ease, mehaces Ike thIse Wotu
have a controlling and disastrous effect We resist
them now when they to us idle and vain, lest they
should be left by silence TO be drawn into pre-
cedent fatal TO the liberty OF other churches ,,.
Fourth Officers of the great institutions to which
COngregaOnalsts have been accustomed to contribute
most lDeraly-the Home Missionary society, the Con-
gregatiOnal Union, the Board OF Commissioners Tor
Foreign Missions and others-hsying been Invited 10
attend this Council III which their wisdom experience,
and to the great work of the Church make them
distinguished and valuable members, are singled out
for special and almost personal dctstlon, ana are
warned in pointed language that the callers OF tins
Council do not intend 10 contribute any more FUNDS 10
the support OF these CHRISTIAN enterprises thelr teo
res OF Congregational fellowship and discipline are not
TINS attempt to peryert great missionary organiza-
tons into engines OF ecclesiastical power to stop the
fountains OF CHRISTIAN Deeyoiehee' anu 10 oveIa t
special branch of the Lords work in their charge tends
tntes an assault on the independence or both the
churches and societies. entirely without parallel IN
g In SO far as this Council is called to consider
the points Of conflict between Plymouth Church and
churc hes, the whole frame Of the Council
in widespread constituency and national character
$50 appropriate admirable IL called only to deal with
large and general questons) directly in opposition TO
the genius of congregational poty, one great aim OF
which conhne local troubles 10 their own locality.
and 10 settle them in the neighborhood by the ali OF
neghborng churches, without spreading the tale or
local dis sonaOns the whole land.
brought against this church
naTiy based upon reported speeches OF Its PASTOR
although 1t is weknown that Plymouth Church, with
the hearty Of its pastor has from the begin
ming OF its history declared that DO man, however
| beloved and revered may usurp the rights OF the
brotherhood. and has always insisted. and does now
INSIST that by its acts and declarations and by
these only IL will be judged. And the maintenance OF
this with respect to all Churches We hod 10 pe an
| Essential part of Congregational polity.
Sspen 1t proposed virtually TO arraign this church
for alleged violations of Congregational usage. But
Cnn0regaona usage itself derives its sole authority
800 ara WORD NJ and Council NAV call TO