, 1875-12-12

.satheistic were MI in sweet accord witt
the spirit Of the vast audience which hune
upon Prof. Swings bps. While the question
Of the exact form which the church oreanlzs'
tion shall take is still open and undecided. II
will not be regarded as cAptious or diosaeof1a
if We submit some ressons for making the or
ganization wholly independent and not liable te
review, either as to ita accepted teacher, lit
practice, or it's doctrines ~ anybody-ecclesi-
astical-outside OF itself.
Fisst-For the sake Of Prot. Swing himself
He il the leader OF the movement and it is be
cause he is that the movement is. It ia hit
broad anu comprehensive Interpretation Of the
Christian faith. and the Christian spirit and
practice that makes the Central Church posi-
Tie. No man who was nsrrow and eectAr1an
could LEAD 10 20 eraud scheme for the organi-
xation Of Christianity in such place and IN
such Wny.
The freedom which Prof. Swing has asserted
aud used, which has given him his royal position
and his strong hold upon the public copfidense
as safe religious guide, must NOT bo compro"
missed By the recognition OF any body besides bis
own church rs having right to Intervene and
agraign him Tor his theological opinions or his
practical teachings. One trial for heresy ought
to suffice. It is quite true that Prof. Swing e1-
pressed h1s belief that Congregationalsm Was
broad enough for his purpose and that church
which could giyo scope to BARTLETT He1meF etc.,
would be ample enough for him. But this e.
preston seems to us moro the result OF Prof
Swing unsuspecting charity than OF bis an
alytical discrimination in regard to thu theory
and practice OF that Church
Previous to his discovery Of Prof Patton, be
would have said the same thing OF the PresbJ-
te1lan Church. But We would remind him that
ConRrcgationaGsm has its Patton as well ss
presby ;erianism- aud that IN escaping Scylla he
NAV be swallowed up in Charybd:s; or, to use
still more pertinent though less euphonious
and classical elmlle, he maE Jump out OF the
trvinE-pan into the dre." In recent nnnber
Of the christian Adrocdte, in giving an exposi"
tiou ct the relations OF Plymouth Church.
Brooklyn, to the Congregational body, the Rov.
VI II. Patton, D. D., gives the following state
ment Of it's polty and pfzctlce:
The writer has been requested to gre those who
the ecclesiastical relations Of the Of Henry Ward
Beecher under the Congregational systen. To do
this be must remind the reader Of the difference be-
tween American CongreRationalism and pure inda-
pcndency- Independencs has but single vital prin
cipe-the s government Of tie local church, which,
sid either OF government advice from other churches
OF their representatives. But Caagregationalism in
dndea two leading principles. 10 Wit: Local church
SeH government, and general church fellowship: the
latter being supplementary to the former. and scarcely
second IN importance Taus. while each local church
administers its own snairs, responsible to other
supesior authority. 1t nevertheless como in,o such
established relations d fellowship With sister churches
u to ask their advice and cooperation in
cern Thus 1t is organized recognized by council
LOT the pastors and delegates Of neighbong churches
Christian character and worhness Of fellowship may
be evident siruiar Council IL called to advise in he
installation, dtsctssion, or discdpline of minister.
and also IN difficult cases of tive discipline Of pr5ysts
members who complain Of the action Of the
Church Gtnht@zs unite with District Association,
which At The East il purely ministerial body. and
which may, after investigation, disoxn q member.
Tho churches cultivate fellowship BY District Con-
ferenoe which, At tbs West often called IN Assoca-
heresy or immortality; church may 30 disfellow-
ahiped By council called by another church. which
has preEiously hbored with the errang ch,1rch-she
Council being cated na.tuaitJ By tho two parties: or
II that be not consented to. then by the complaining
church slona. Ihs Inter called parte council
II this resunaa of the Congregational system
ba co1recs-and Nc have no doubt it is, for Dr..
Patton il - good xushority On Conversational
usagea aud discipine rs Prof. Patton is IN Pres
bgteriaa eccteeiastScism-the Central Church
cannot be organized Or lts pastor settled until !
both are pronounced sound in doctrine and prac-
lice By acounci3 Of Congregational ministers, to
on accusation OF e1-parte rsquests they both
must hnsWar, OF be disfellowshiped.
The creed and covenant OF the Church are both
subject to dictatiou and tfr1ew BY the Congre-
ute the As Association or the Conference"
ls it is respectively te1med, in tho East and
y Test, which body, in the language OF
Dr.. Patton, "can disown 3 church for
oieratng heresy or immorallty." Now, when
is remembered that no small proportion Of the
hurchcs Of tile Congregational order in New
England have been thus :. d1sowned Tor heresv"
md that the statement OF doctrine Of tho Con-
;regational. Evangelical Churches. differs in DO
rise from that OF the New School Presbyterian
church. and thst IN 'Association - or Con-
erence claims the same responsibility for the |
octr1nes and practices Of the individual
hurches and pastors within its fellowship, and
be same right OF review which is claimed for the
'1esbytery, Synod. and General Assembly Of tbs
.resbyterian Church, it is obvious that Prof.
euld be liable to the Same ar1aiga-
lent and trial for heresy to which |
rot. Swing and the Fourth Presbyterian ,
hnrch OF Chicago have already been subjected. :.
on--aud it seems to have one--in order to sub =
vet Prof Swing to the same intoleranr and
exatious ecclesiastical prosecution aua perse~ !
1tion from which be has just escaped by re- :
ring from the fellowship and jurisdiction OF I
10 Presbyterian Church.
II Prof. Swing is not torthodox" or "eyan-
elicsi in the estimation OF any Que member OF :
le Association" /" or even tn the estimation OF {
y single member OF some CONGREGATIONAL :
harch = belonglng to he Association, :
II heresy as before. It will not do to +
tesslne that in all that body there will not be |
'und some minister or laymAn Hhose zeal for 4
:thodoxy Will not flame Gut into fire of per- Il
'cotauu. &uu compel Flof- 6WluE to answer to
10 charge Of heresy for some Of hls liberal I 4
tterances from the pulpit OF the Central Church.
Religious intolerance ia most unmauaeeabfe %
ernent, and, where tbs authority is admitted, it
III not be safo to presume thAt It will net be e1- i
cisad. The proper method ia to avoid in the ii
itaet the recognition Of the authority This ! II
nnot he done in the congregational sEsteua. "
It it is practicable in tho syeten Of :.Inde-
,ndepoy."
For tho sake, then, OF preserving the "inde- =
'ndency" Of Prof. Swing, We can but hope q
1t his Central Church will b pure inde- B
ndency, and not Congregational Church. =
Seoond-For the church's sake re hope il will Il
sumo the independent regime ~ the method y
it's organization. All the REASONS which Nc | Il il
We submitted for independency, in order to d
cure the freedom Of the pastor, are equally b
raneut to tha membership. Prof Swing in | oi