New-York tribune., 1875-12-04
THE PROCEEDINGS.

There no indication in the quiet prayermeet-
| ing last nght-unIess in the unusually large attend
| ance Of strangers who filled the gallery, and OBJ
strncted the passages and doorways-of the excited
! business meeting which TO follow One or two
prayers were made, aud then Mr.. Beecher talked
| of the comfort to be derived from per-
| sonal belief IN angelic guardianship over men,
quoted beautiful hymn from an unpublished
collection and prayed briefly. He then pronounced
the benedction aud afterward announced that
business meeting would be held. On Mr.. Beechers
motion Mr. Edeerton took the char, and Mr..
Beeeber sat at the rear part Of the platform with
| Edward Beecher Deacon Howard and Mr.. Shear
| man. Not over three minutes elapsed between the
| close Of the prayer-meeting and the opening
of the business session, aud during that
| time scores more OF persons man
! aged 10 squeeze themselves into the room. The
| meeting was opened with prayer by Mr.. Davidson
/ He had hardly sat down when Mr.. Mckay arose
/ in the audience, and, addressing the chair, asked
/ whether this public meeting OF a meeting OF
! Plymouth Church FIT was meeting Of the mem
bers Of the church. he said he proposed that those
who we're not members should be respectfully asked
! to retire
Suppose they won't :" said Mr. Beecher smiling.
| "Tha; is not supposabe" replied Mr.. Mckay.
I" Not only supp06able, but positive returned Mr.
Beecher.
| The Chairman said he could not take the respon-
sibility of making such a request without notion
Then exclaimed Mr.. Mckay. jumping to his
feet rise to move since the Moderator declarss
this to be a meeting of the church members, that all
who are not members be requested TO CO."
Mr. Shearnan explained that the reason why the
| public were not excluded was bccause IL had been
found that persons had placed unscrupulous report
els in a position to oyerhear former secret meetings.
H., L., l,l,.r g.ta
an opportunity 10 be present.
:. V. White remarked that he didn't think the
churc hhad anything TO do that they were ashamed
Of and that there was reason for making the
| meeting secret. Mr. Mckay replied that he did not
mean that reporters should be excluded, and said
with considerable asperity this church in making
its private meetings public, except its caucuses
which have been its damnati0n Is going in the face
of common sense and the history of Congrega-
! tionalism."
At this point in the debate Mr.. Beecher and
said that while church ought 10 have little Sc
crecy, il had been the custom of Plymouth Church
TO le; the pnbc know what went on in these meet
incs and without committing himself the gem
cral question .he did that anything would be
done at this particular meeting which would require
the exclusion of the public Mr.. Mckay then with
drew his motion.
Mr.. Shearman read the minutes Of the last meet
iug after which he read some proposed amendments
to the rules Of the church which he said had been
handed TO him. These were laid on the table until
the annual meeting.
I'm presenting the report Of the Examining Com
mittee, Mr. Sherman announced that he had re-
ceiyed letter from William i. West day after its
publication in the newspapers. Mr.. Beecher SAID
that he doubted whether the letter should be read
at present aud he moved that the disposition OF 1t
! be reserved until certain resolutions which Mr..
| White held in Bis hand read This motion
was carried with applause.
Mr. s. V. White then read the following resou-
| tiOns:
| whereas While Mr. wiia,n f. West, member OF this
! church. was himself under disciplinary investigaton
pursuant the rules of this church. before It's EXaml
Committee offer his excuse for prolonged and ntei
tiona absence from pnhic worship and GhI1stia, ord
uances in this church, Mr. West did on thr "a day OF
December, 1873, deliver 10 the clerk of thS Chufen
letter addressed to the church, donaudn2 that this
church unite with him in the call OF council to nVest
gate charges which ho says ale made against our pastor
whereas On the day before delivering such letter to
any officer of this church and Two lays Ds,ore any meet
n~ed copy thereof TO the daily newspapers In the CITY
of and avowed in lie letter hs intention 10 do
Whereas Mr.. west in this letter, demands the calling
OF council 10 consider matters wnich no has never LAID
before the church. before any ot ts committees and
demands that the council be called TO investigate
charges which he alleges have been made, nut whch
never have made 20 this church, or 10 any or its
committees, 10y him. for which he hHs ueyer shown hn
self willing to assume any Responsibility ana IA we
truth oI which lie does not even now assert MS own DC
| ghcrcas the main question involved Ia these alleged
charges was Investigated by THE church twelve
mouths ago at the request Of its pastor ANA with neither
any assistance nor any objection on tue aIt OF Mf Wts
ana, the result of slich invesugtton at the largest
business meeting ever held by this church, the principal
| cuargc referred to oy Mr. West was pronounced by "a
UNANIMOUS vote 10 bo faso and malicious Mr west not
voting in the negayel and from tlrt a.y TO ihs
10 this church that he asgrrl ed by its action On t'at
occasion, demanded any further Investigation before
this church. tcp Ia any error that the
church might have committed On thai occasion there
Resorcd That irrespective ~ the contents Of etters
add esrrd to IT, this church considers the publication
such letters by their authors, IA advance oi iher ctua
presentation 10 the church, in meeting assembled, rs
iiagIant and prosumptNey intentional insult; and ITS
am letter thus aud published, by one OF i- own
members except for the purpose OF exercising suitable
| dselpiIe upon tie Il mhcr 81 offending
H. That tie conitns OF tho letter now received from
Mt West, xpaincd by nin constitute Ia The lude
ent ot tnis church aggraVaton OF ms acknowledged
| thn cmrch: Thlt any demand by one member or II
cnurcn OF investigation into cnaigee against another
| member, which charges the in'lnler InahiDg tue
| Sc,u'"u S"iu deemed by tnis church a VIOLATIONS
OF roprietv, aud clear evasion OF just rosp"nslbhty
Willie Inc demand that such alleged cnorges snail be
muted, ia The first instance, 10 Council before INC
cnurc has had any opportunity To investigate thtin
and before they have be Iact made Ia tne church
is so pain a Violation OF Congregational usage and Cnris
Lan dccency to excite gave doubts OF the slueeliy
| ,ud good I'dtb OF suen u request - -, l.,
| III. Tnat the Examining Committee are hereby IN
sucted tO summon Mr. William l.. West before them AT
an early day and TO seek from hun satisfactory expl
OF his conduct IN these matters, anu II no sSpd
uon received frOm him chan ing tne aspect OF h case
a. presented by n. own letter " advise hlm 20 make
forthwith fun and anie apology and Ia GU. Oh his
refusal 10 comply with the advice oi tue COMMITTEE they
are farther Ia take such prompt acuon tue
good OF tho church may require ia the prchis"s'
| As soon as the applause which followed the read
| ing of the resolutions had subsded, Mr.. Beecher
arose. stepped the front of the platform, and In
| low earnest voice began to speak. Ii was evident
TO every listener from his flushed face solemn