The Portland daily press., 1875-12-28
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Mutual and Advisory Councils TO be
Called Immediately,

New YORK, Dec. 27-rhe attendance at
the business meeting of Plymouth church this
evening was by no means large and the greater
portion of the members present were ladies'.
The moderator, Mr.. Edgartop, read Mrs. Moul-
toms latest letter. Mr.. Shearman then read
the report of the examining committee. They
say the church has never suggested any ques-
tions of its own devising. 1t has simply at
tempted TO put into proper form the issues pre-
sented by Mrs. Moulton ia her own letters.
The present action of Mrs. Moulton in with
drawing all the questions heretofore suggested
by her and in proposing two questions which
are free from the objection OF assuming facts, as
was the case in her former proposal, offers an
opportunity to secure mutual council of which
this committee gladly avails itself. And while
her proposed questions are somewhat objection
able in form ii not in substance, yet the COM
mittee unanimously recommend that these OBJ
iections should be overlooked, and that for the
purpose of avoiding the possibility of future
controversy, Mrs. Moulton'S questions should
be adopted by this church word for word and
that the letter missive should be so framed as
to take these questions without the slightest
alteration.
Notwithstanding the course of Mrs. Moulton
in refusing to comply with the request of the
church to meet the examining committee for
conference as to the number and names OF
churches to be called and in undertaking by
correspondence to fix the number of churches
seems to the committee unusual and irregular,
yet they recommend that the number of the
churches to be invited be at once fixed in ac-
cordance with the ndmber specified by Mrs.
Moulton. The committee had hoped to make
such arrangements as to allow the council to
be convened in the first week of January; but
as circumstances appear to make it impractical
BILE, they now recommend that the assembling
of the advisory council be postponed till after
the mutual council can be held, which if no
further and expected delays occur should be
the second week of January. The committee
ronommand the adontion of the following reSO.
lutionS:
Resolved, That this church accedes to the re-
quest of Mrs. Emma G. MoultOn for che call of
a mutual council to advise this church and
Mrs. Moultoa upon the two questions submit
ted by her in her memorandum of Dec 25tb,
1875.
Resolved, That special committed of five
be appointed by the Moderator, who shall have
power and authority in the name and on behalf
of this church to prepare and issue letters mis-
sive for the calling of the mutual council
thereby assented to, and that the committee
are directed to meet at such time and place to-
morrow evening as shall be designated by the
charm an of the committee, and the clerk OF
the church is hereby direcied to notify Mrs.
Moulton forthwith of the time and place of
such meeting and to invite her to be present in
person or by representative for the purpose OF
drawing up and signing the proper letter mis-
sive.
Resolved. That the said committee are here
churches and ministers to be convened in mu-
tual council to the number heretofore specified
by Mrs. Moulton, and to issue the letters mis-
sive to an equal number of churches and min
listers to be named by Mrs MoultoD, and they
are further directed to appoint the meeting of
the said council for the earliest practicable
day.
Resolved, That the clerk of this church is
hereby instructed to forward copy of these
resolutions Immediately to Mrs. Moulton.
on Shp9rmqn
adopted, and Rev. Henry Ward Beecher offer
ed the following resolution:
Resolved, That the committee Of seven ap.
pointed to call an advisory council in the name
of this church, are hereby Instructed to fix
day for the assembling of that council at least
a week after the assembling of the mutual
council, in which this church has agreed to
unite.
Some discussion was had on the resolution,
after which Mr.. Beecher arose, and with an
evident feeling of reluctance at addressing SO
small number, remarked that they would
turn their books inside out, and would answer
any and all questions that might be put to them
by mortal man. He declared it to be shame
that the community should have been SO annoy
ed and their families injured for no justiiable
reason whatever, and that because of the i'll
feeling of these persons. All the church want
ed was liberty to pursue its own business, and
nothing more. He wanted mutual council
on these questions of Mrs. Moulton's, and was
uOb dlTdiu ~ uutGb uoT III IcldbiOu W Lulo
advisory council called by Plymouth church
was not intended to be mere handful; they
were going to have one that would make an i'm
preston on the minds of the public, but it
could not control the mutual council.
During his address Mr. Beecher was fre-
quentlv applauded A vote was then taken on
the resolution offered by the pastor by the rails
ing of hands. This style of voting was object
ed to by Rev. Edward Beecher, who called for
rising vote and the resolution was adopted
unanimously.
The following resolution was then offered
by Clerk Shearman and adopted:
Resolved, That the special committee of
seven heretofore authorized to call an advisory
council be empowered to amend the letter mis-
sive by making whatever changes may seem
necessary. and by limiting if they see fit the
scope of the questions TO the affairs of this
church.
A committee of five composed of the follow
ing gentlemen was then appointed to call
| mutual council: Rev. Edward Beecher, D. D,
Rossiter w. Raymond, Thos. G. Shearman, B.
f. Blair and T. j. Selney. The meeting then
adjourned till Friday evening.