The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-18
BEECHER'S NEW TACTICS.
ANOTHER STEP TOWARD CALLING A
NEW CHURCH COUNCIL.
The Letter that is TO be sent to the Brethren
The Pnstor Himself wishes TO select the
Men who are 90 Try him In the Future.

men who are to Try him In the Future.
Plymouth Church's resolution to call its
own council to investigate Its own affairs and II
possible To end "external Interference with In.
ternal affairs" was supplemented last NIGHT by
the prompt adoption OF the letter missivo that
| VIII 60 broadcast to Congre gational churches
East and west aud call a council before Mrs.
Moulton or ex Deacon west can possibly net In
that direction. Tho adjourned business meet
Ing, With Brother Edgerton In the chair fol-
lowed the Friday evening talk. Mr.. Shearman
was requested by the church not to en9ross the
West letters on the record. Tho Rev. Edward
Bcecher, the Chairman OF the Council Comuit-
tee, read the letter mssve:
.,, T9 ns,RiT ss nEiovEp Plymouth Church after an
| tnl,s and ingip,s adopted many years ago Tor the
rcygnaiion y, ,sa Of II, internal affairs
urches of SrV st in di,ciSsi1s to inc
OF III, church he q or OF IL a rus spd ,e o pocy
secanss nnl,r hem aud ior The purpose Of receiving
uIl,.an.s, ia which We are now placed We invite
brooklyn, " on Tuctdsy tie i day Of J,nanry. nuTy.
'oro 'oro'wn,iiSgr iS,ic Sn1 o. mM ,Nis, ls iolows;
etl's which y hn provided Tor thc maintenance of
sdmrsira,on unar hsa T'On me- Si as ana IA M
foE bycna - rish, ~ church OF Chii.t ~ a- to
! a. Congregation I cnurrir-. guy
~ ll hgr wa SG17S 17s as ME- & in ne toSNrs words,
the ron Of ne church, with without notice th-m as
up1n the recomrn,lat on ~ fNe sslt in :, ~ @
eithr uron ih,ir own apptaon. or "a 81 tLcy have
lrsea 'bcnce or o'hcrwise, upon the applica lon OF
THE PRACTICE.
Ihr nrscliee w er is rule 1 to give n,tcc. whom
ing nei r. tns .hurcD II desired. woull be rnoraed
Memn uropocd under this rule are subjected 1, no
sN,r ~ f'iSnir: ana to no iurlhcr mrli.i ccusure
Of eaca perticulsr case ''' '''''
Under tins rule tne church does not usually proceed
Npuu written tNatEtr or nN FORMAL trial 4.
h,d 10 ea;es of al,s immortality uncs, specially de
st.n ~ tho mcnl eIs Nhoe case Is under cOusdcra-
uon J; there any tnns in y rue, Or u thcs' prsc.
! thr principcs Of Christnl Jus'icc2
Ill. III !; e eon,r,ry 70 the .w q Coo to all any
paf,rqn1 m e,nsen S1hef Than deeth letter OF dlsmis
or SptSh 81 to to ne call Of mutual
vcssns h ehrscer IT, iSu pst ,ae eprp9s ol n;
! - 90 50 by ucnocr OF the church. VINO his never
rogue s mace Tor ihc rtst tne more than one year
aud te pastor h,s b. en- sustained Nv unanon, Vol
w. Wna' , w.. - on on h ,ii't ta1 church T. adopt
J. Mcnutrs who ,ierriic,. rurpos iy. and per.
moriine; Of the churcn. VIII t1t a-irsf e'fers ~
v,,n'' 'o', upon w.. ,'lc sr"id iha thr Lrch ha.
Lave orslt 90 have iaAen bat whch ta,J ncyci ass.d
= ~ W ubcr. Who aoseent ihemsclyc. in iisc manner
hsye rAed rs c.plch axe suci a. BE-. and ih The
up 81 rWt " gi nv '' ~ f:,s' IN 'a Sr inAg9rr
o'urch g. b. lmliy OF crmc. notNiths.aad,ns tae
SSEgfshr SSErs Il ia .,a, a., al. n, ~ ,tsa9l mo f.e
sus'snrd ~ - p,s'or Si'a9gt g..rnl,ns vot5
fcr ,ouc or al, Of the reason. tcfoe .laicd
Q, Msinnes- "ho are sencra!H fcpgted ard believed
~ agiiusi oaer m,mhcr. OF Tie cluei ana no. be-.
asn OF % .ach % er,. or % sc ,S ar or
,...,, o..,,,,. h1AHr wAGD BrrcmrR. rAator.
! j. v S,af. WTm,S NoKlaST@.'
J. j. + + HE;1sSss. Hs1ss4ssos s'N "H''1' COMMITTEE,
now OTHER THINGS MAY DE INVESTIGATED.
MIR. Shearmln in'Io1uced the amendment
| aft tn word "dscipiine " IN section l.. winch
MADE 1t ash for a1yico On tine church aimiuis.
to. lie sad that he did this 80 tiit Tho cion'.,i
| couid iuVr-ti.atc other things thAn the roll of
the church.
Mr. B,echer According to that any question
may come ntfD re- the coDuctl. AMI IL tuty ple .-
| they can open w, nule sIhjcct of the ir'yesI.
| CATION ry tie church Boo 1874.
| Nj. Slcarnan Nrs sir,
| Nr. Beccnrr Wei. then. an In favor OF H.
! lGreat tIrlausel don't suppose that there
as much tired Us haye. lLAugnterl There
! mas never been MN subjected 10 such a.
| wns brought up before large COM
mittec of the church, and during the
| progress OF investigation for tho two
months following, the committee awaiting itself
! Of every available source Of intormauon. ana
was was ,ncInittcd. lGfeat lppi .use.I Then 1 VS.
| tried Tor period ~ six months In court ~
| Justice. with as aola counsel On hpth sides IA
ever confronted jury. Win UNPARALLELED and
| mneNampled sitting Of evidence ANA arcuing.
| tn r. Is not on the records OF American jufis-
| tTudenco such trial as tnen took plr co, ana
nine out OF twelve OF the jury believed tnat
was innocent. lVery ereat applause
| Now hear II SAID from time TO time that thi,
| church j. AFRAID OF irving me. Laughter They
say. I'VE want another tnil." Taking the six
months and the two months, II makes nearly
doing nothing else but try me. with
a searchinRness on the part OF tho
church has more Interest in know Ing " who their
pastor Is tnan any other body of people on tho
| 4 intRrQat iu pt,in m, t,aa
cret mighty, II there Is any. There Is nobody
tnat ought to have 50 much confidence
pastor But after all, men sy | an unwilling
TO be tried, and that this church does not me ~
nal than civil court to slit evidences, If you
can bring together body of men that arc
wiser. or th have more leisure. that will under
II was 1rst submitted, let who sver else will oh
ieot TO The trial, shall not be the one. Zap
pause
WHAT HE Will NOT DO.
But when the men who are my enemies, the
men, men W. have been IN warfare WITH thls
10 have another trial, In which thoy perhaps
would IKE iik9 to- sit as Judges, when
OF men who can only sit three days In the week
when am asked to reopen this matter, the re-
put all this tangled mass into the hands OF men;
all this obscene mess OF iniquty. asked to put
all this into a council OF ministers, who come
together on tuesday. and must 20 home on Sat.
urday. say VIII not do IL | say l am not
hiThlu OF DelnR urea, nut VIII De tfied by men
tnat have time TO try me-by men Of wisdom,
who will try by rules, and not by caprice men
that will undertake to do that which must
bo done, and compass the mass Of matter
that must come into any trial. IL any ono says
that this church Is evaslve, say that It Is not
eyaAiye SO far as the pastor Is concerned; for |
say az In that II any legitimate tribunal Will un-
dertake II am not afraid 10 face them, and
anything less than that l will not face. Zap
plause.l
II can help It I will not sit before Jury OF
foxes and wolves. lGreat applAusel H. there
fore, that council should come together and
make such Inquiries into the history OF this
church as they think most becoming, should say
that they advise this church to investig ate
again the conduct of the pastor. l shall
say, go do IL - hut N they should look upon II
aud say the church has acted regularly, why
well or II, looking upon IT, they do not think II
necessary 10 advise TO say ANYTHING, shall sub
init TO that too" lAppause.l
Iho letter, with It's amendment opening the
door for the scancal to creep in If allowed TO do
80, was unanimously adopted, and the commit
tee were given discretionary power to complete
the roll OF the churches, that the letter mis-
slves might be sent out as quickly us DO asiblJ.
Two clerical brethren had labOTed with Mr.
BeCcher, all day, he said, selecting churches to
sOnd letters %. The committee could continue
the work without tho churchs aid.
BROTHER sHEARMAN REsIGNIN0.
Mr., Shearmrn next offered his resignation as
clerk, saying that the position had been a great