, 1875-11-27
Plymouth, Church Rcconsidcfs Its
Action in Dropping Dca-
con VESTS Nnmo
from Its Roll,
The Deacon Disapproves Of the Policy
Of Silence Adopted by Mr..
Deecher.
Tho Plymouth Pnstor Replies 10 Mrs.
Moutton's Letter Demanding IN
Investigation.
Her Accusations Against Him No Defense
for Her Past Conduct.

The Church, However, Accepts Her PROPOSE
lion to Gail Mutual Council.
new Yong. Nov. 2D.-Aftor rnmowhnt
trarsclS attended pra5or.mcetlug at plymouth
Church tonight. business moctiog waa hold
At which report from tho Examining Conlnt-
ttc nas lead granting tho request OF Mrs. Fanny
r. West to be dropped from tho roll Of tho
ol,rrch. 4 letter from tho lady was read how
aver. asking delay. and. on motion OF sfr. uoech-
er, tho report was rccommitted.
Discussion followed on tic
CASE or DEACON wEsT,
aomo membors expressing the sentiment that the
action OF tho ch,i1ct, tlloroon wxs hesty. aud q
letter Was road from that gentleman explaining
his feseons for absence from church, aud sa5s !:
the purity of the ministry md honor q .he chursh
and cannot consc,cntouely continue to attrnd the
services md ssersmenta q shs church until regular
ao o. s1eI''s<. pteps4s ~
;, m; a.s from Gs: s ro .a ts N, @ ting
hoped that After tbs publication IT ri W" wo"d
s onse ~ sEss. nestng e. hc s.Ih ;. ;ha ~ En- r.
vest. have now elapsed, aud have re- re-:
you, not errn = notification OF sho dropping
Of ny name, now request you TO unito with me Ii
IN my case and 10 decide whether tnc t'toppiny of my
na.e under the crcurtancte waa Just md IN accord
anee With tho ro'ty of the Congregational chrshes
mutual ronncI. but, In cpse do not bear from yon
toon IN answer to this reqnc*t hereby give no!.e
the usaGts Of tie cnntnttion 10 ,tndcntc my rights
~ member nf the Church Of chTss. soash RESPECT"
fully, WtLLLAM E. MEET.
a.
rccpusidc1ing tue action OF lho church lu drop
plug Mr.. Vests name flom tho rolls was put to
voie, and carried.
On motion. tho letter Of Dea con Was. wes re-
fetsed to tho ComnIt.ee.
BEEeNgh TO MRS. MoCLToH.
Mr. Deecher then stood up, and said he bad d
ropIy TO Mrs. Emma Z. Mou!ton's let
lei OF Nov. II, which, although il.
might bo somewhat 'ndciicatc for
ihcn read tho foIioving reilly in iond. clear
voice. slowly tt first. but soon 10 rapidly that
the BtenpgTaphoFs waro almost unable to write
it. The letter snys Mrs. htou'ton's raqnest Tor
calling mutual council to atlviBo upt p matters
duly considered. II thon sums up tho casa
against her, viz: That. on her own admission.
she has not lartakcn Of the. Lords Supper in
any church sinco la7o: has mot attapded
Plymouth Church sinca Jnnp. 1874, and never
any other. Tho church. it ssvs. would regard
her assigned rcason-thb belief that the EnEtor
IL guilty OF crime--as abundant iutti.
Acasiou for charge made in tho
investigation, Of for asking for . letter OF dis
misaion. bus the Church should not have re-
gArdod It ~ a justification for totnl absence
from rolRtonn woyship and entise dsnhe from
Chrlettau ordinances. Mira. Moulton did not ask
delay, or a tr1al, Or lottor OF dismission.
The letser continues:
Tou complain that you rero not sEragned for any
untuhs Aecuaattonh Aganat ihs pastor. In This wc
mont msae IL your own defsnss bcforo tho church,
but the church was, And s IL. Of tho opinion that
your socnsa.ons sRsinat The pa.tor. cven II true.
auct. It esrtaiuly believed taem to 10 un-
tut and q, untrae but II could no. inter-.
Under which your pass conduit va tho subject of tn
~esgatlon, in order to lus on trial for o3unao
committed In the very mllat Of the tnYes'Rasion II
such eouEse Ma putsucd trials would end But
cause OF your prarIous public testimony
aithsr the Church or tbs committee knew, you had
never Mado any stasmtnt imPu8ntn9 the purity Of
81 es' ss r' d zs ss1s ssn eas & q
aF aa 20. .S'ae IT. they Would m eos 5astasi
untruth o your language in court and 10 eass which
might again to trial With you again appearing
a a. e. ss e. tsa.es s e sa is M Il ssa
olhe1 eouras @ you'd hs7s subjscsed u to he impns
hAre oe<n considered contempt Of court and no .c-
ton has heen taken ~ your upon thu bss!s Of
your ssmo1y. extsps to that portion Of II tel1tn2
TO tho abandonment OF tho Church., which
peee45y to teE that we ha1e not the slightest 10
nef in tho truth Of p1tsens stateents
Ing our pastor. Wo h1d Investigated these matters
before. anu. sfttr an examination lasting for two
months IN The church aud for air 1nohthA In tho
COURTS, we had como to coneiulion upon the subject
Va bad renewed that tinvssttg4tons nven 1t Janr tn
eanes, tAete would have BEEN uoIo bitter complaint
Of our tnAinccHtY In assuming to try over sKaIn
1se upon which ~ had already pronounced tudg-
ment, than there cnn posstDly b. Of the course
which NO hAvo already ad0psels
The letter concludes:
9qu, therefore, request Us to join you In calling
Counei! % adviae upon 9uestious which yon nsvet
tlnes Willing 10 listen to ths voice of our broth-
Een, and ready to correct any error into
which No may have e1en uns9ast!ous1y f.N.
en. wa seeept Jour prof. osition for tho eau Of
ffatarn.l ajvice upon tho af1 grounds Of complsn1
referred to In your letter ot NoY. u, namely FiFs
whether YOU hAd or ~elo entltlel to = prope,
trial; eeeoud, whether ,yoa ought 70 hsrt
been M ssrs;sned aor unjust charges ssslus
Rht IN vtew Of your confessed Ind proposed stssnc,
from tho communion Of any church fof 6yi
years to drop your mana uudts lons-ca
tabl.ahed Fule; fourth. whether ths excuses Il
lgel by yo1 }ust;aed yous eou1se Of rrovtn.ce
pseson with Vi; nth, whether we consldsted thes,
s1euass; sixth, whethes ought TO hsys utyen yor
Recommendation to another church. -
by order Of plymouth Church, ......
THOMAS @. 8RkAnMAs, Clerk,
On motion. Ms. 8hearman was requested I,
and tho meeting adjourned.