Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-19

- better fitted for SuEd.y mOrain.
reading. :hs following .ztr4rt from the
Christian U,Traf Of Lewiston, blame, an
olI-fashionei, har,l-shvH CUngres.,
tionnlist organ. We take it that this
paper. being. IS We say, an organ oi
more than .ifty years accepted standing
in the Congregational Church. speaks
autL0riiatlve!y in dealing with the at-
fairs Of Plymouth Church. As in the fol-
lowing
PLYMOUTH CHURCH
Has disappointed the prophets To
the request Of 3Irs. Moulton and Deaf
con West for mutual councils tn con
slider their grievances in having been
dropped from the roll of members, the
church has voted an assent. In 70 do
ing i. has reinstated itself upol the
platform OF Congregational usage. and
has evidently blocked the design OF MIR.
Beecher's opponents to get ihe scandal
retire. by an ecclesiastical tribunal.
The charge upon which these two per
sons land more recently Captain and
ex-deaeon Duncan Were dropped from
the church record WAS breach of the
worship and communion of the church
Their plea in Justification is that they
believed their pastor to be guilty of
crime. This however is net valid plea
Their duty in such case was to institute
regular proceedings in discipline against
thu t,stor, not 10 break their covenant
vows instead /; Is the same as where
any two individuals i'll church are at
variance. Neither may stay away from
the worship or communion on thai &C
count. If It be trgtj that the church
had already Investigated the altered Of
Tense Of the pastor and acquitted him.
ana therefore would not receive new
complaint, ii may b., answered that they
could not know that they had not tried
it. But if they had. they woEId simply
be in the condition Of minority who
have been outvoted by the iaiDTIty
That decision does not warrant then. III
disregardinc their covenant with the
u II " tl-t'
cannot bear. their only recourse is to
take dismission and so to some other
church.
We do not see how any questions can
possibly 20 before the mutual councils
In these cases hut these two: l. Has
Plymouth Church n night, Congrega- |
tionally. to have such a rule for drop !
ping a. member who mad been absent |
from the church one year Upon this !
point usage would certainly be IN It's /
favor Not few churches have the (
same, or similar rule. THIS, be 1t Oh /
served, Is different case from dropping /
a member accused of scandalous ofTense |
without investigation. 1t Is, or the /
part of the church. merely recognizing ,
and declaring complete the separation /
between 1t and the absentIng member |
already caused by the latter = own act. |
This method of procedure is formally |
provide 4 for in Connecticut by the Say |
brook Platform under the name OF les |
ser Recommendation" 1T may some !
times como to pass, We quote from /
memory, that u member hot otherwise /
scandaious may wholly withdraw him /
self from the fellowship Of the church, !
In which case the church NAV declare |
itself released from further watch and |
care over him. -. The other question
Is whether these parsons have been alb
sent as silegsd.-Tbis, as we understand
it, is not IN dispute. the fact being con-
coded i'll the very plea by which it is
justified.
In any view Of the case, then, we do
not see ahy possibility of reopeping the
scandal by another trial. and We hope /
by the wise action OF the council, or
councils. which viii be called, the whole
matter will be finally pat 10 rest.
The st. Louis Afc0udte refers to call
for q teacher who can preach. and COM
ments: We hope In this case the
preacher will not be required to teach at
low rates because he Is q preacher. and
then preach for nothing because lie is a
EELIsIoN AND ART.
At the Evangelical Alliance at Pitts
burg. the Rev. DIR. Washburn made
.hese following very sensible remarks:
Religion and art are not enemies.
C9hne-s Is not spirituality. Bsseness
IS not simplicity. Whatever is best fitted
TO convey the power of Christian truth
u call forth its devotion Is the rule OF
Worship. As l have listened to some
leclaiIners about simplicity. / have
hought that had the Maker left to them
he building Of his universe they would
lave formed the sln0S TO grow in rec
angles, put the sky In half mourning.
md made the birds h rsh voiced for fear
n Er. be has /