New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-18
THE PROCEEDINGS.

Mr. Beechcr in the prayer-meeting spoke upon the
general anticipation Of Christs second coming and
its influence the minds and lives OF men. The
attendance was moderately large. At the conclusion
of the prayer-meeting the adjourned business meet
ing was held at which +. NJ. Edgerton presided.
Mr. Beecher moved that the rules be suspended and
that the report OF the Committee on the Letter.
missive be resented He ruled out OF order ana
the meeting opened in regular form with prayer
by Mr.. Davenport. After the reading OF the
minutes it was decided that Mr.. Vests letter be
omitted from the records DR.. Edward Beechcr then
stated that two matters were to be attended to by
the Committee on the Letter-missive- the prepare
ton of the letter and the calling of the churches TO
participate in the council. 1.-THE first Of these" he
said, " has been attended to- but we have not been
able to complete the roll Of churches. The letter
missive has been prepared, and | request Brother
RAYMOND to read it,
K. r. Raymond then assembled the platform and
read the lettermissive, as follows:
To ---DRARLY BELOVED: Plymouth Church, after
existence nearly 30 years or great usefulness mas
and principles adopted many years ago Tor the IeSa
For the purpose OF more fully disclosing the churches
of Congregational fa and order the policy or THIS
church. the character OF it's rules and Of IFS proceedings
unde. them, and for the purpose OF receiving sIeci
counsel from brethren under the trying eicum-
stones in which We are now paced we invite yoL 70
meet in "a advisory council nj PiymOuth C1ufch,
brooklyn, n y on Tuesday, The llth day Of January
l. Whethe .r Plymouth chnrca in the rules aud prin
eipes which 1t has provided for ire maintenance VI
order and tic admlnsiIa ION OF diatlHne ana Ill us
administration under those rules ana principles has gone
beyond lis nights IL church o! Chi ~ ~ J"s.i! 10
forfeit lis claim tie confidence anu fellowship VI Con-
H. RSe NO OF tins church ia in the following words;
Of the church with or sitaol notice to them as ~ Do
S S c Ss Esn iGaS aS h so% Ca
their own apIl Gallon or IA Csc thty hai o o ,
Ss@ upon lean arp e4tioH Of any y cisr son
TLe practice duder THIS rue Is 10 give notice wnen me
party can be found, an 10 afford l,a In hearing,
before the church il sired would be afforded upon u
forn irL. Members dropped under this rule are sui
icctru erpress ceusure, and TO lao further Implied
tLan such f any as necessarily aisos OUT OF the
facts of each particular ease. Under ils rule The church
docs not usually proceed upon written charges, or by a
formal trial lslch as IS had III cases OF ALLEGED lhiiGo al
under consideration. Il there anything In this rule or IN
practices wh.ch is Inconsistent with The word OF
God, OF the principles Of CLrlsuan justice
III il Il contrary Ia the law Ot God 10 allow any mode
of terminating tic connection OF ntmbers with par''e
ulf church other lhah ued'n, leitef vi usnSsio"' UT
formal accommodation .
". Ought church Ia consent to the call OF mutual
or o her council churches ior the purpose of myrs
eating the caracteroi It's PASTOR Wien requested To 40
b, member of the cnncn who has never made any
charges against tie PASTOR and when such request IL
made for the first te more tiah one year stel an az
NesigatiGn has been had by the church itself and the
pastor has been sustained by unanimous VOC 800.
V. What ought Christian church to adopt con
corning the following asses oi M npets:
F.rsi: NJ MIXERS deliberately, pulposely ana per
maneuty absent themselves from all e services and
|
mission upJL the sole ground thar tnc church has not
taaen certain steps not affecting tDen peIsOna! whc
these members profess 10 cOnac.CHllouSy DtiNc II
ought taAen, nut which they never asked IL u
TAKE. ,-, -. ,,,.o,o. =, lilo man,
FER upon ground, with Tie difference that thcy
asked the church 10 take sucsi Steps, and .hat tie
church hiss with substantial unaHliGity, Declined to do So
Thud: ,mbers WHO absent themselves III like man,
upon the sole ground at they believe the pastor OF
fine cturoh lo be gully Of crime nOtwithsi andDS the
church has made ali tie INVESTIGATION INFO The iacts
which II asked make, nd has acquitted abd
| ttsff.i Al "A 4
Fourth Members who absent themselves III Ike man
ner for All oi tie reasons before stated.
rim Members WHO generally reported and be-
liey.d 10 have made charges usnuaOns oi gross iu
morality agn.. o,her members OF church. and no.
Irg questioned by the brethren, declined TO affirm or
deny the truth oil such reports OF OF such eharses
HENRY WARD BEECuLK, Pastor.
EDwARD BEECHkR,
l.. W. SAGE.
J. Is. HUTCHINSON, COMMITTEE.
AUGUSTUS SIoRhs,
va. i1hAf,
b. '. Waite,
The Letter msSive was adopted, together with an
amendment offered by Mr. shearrnan raising the
question whether Plymouth Church. III ITS admins
tration had gone beyond the rules and principles
which it had provided for the maintenance Of order
and the administration of discipline.
Mr. Beecher then rose aud said: According to
that, it would open any question which the Council
might SEQ 1T 10 inves gate, wOuld it not, MI. Shear
man ~
Mr.. SheaIman-That was my design, Sir.
Mr.. Beecher-It would open again the whole ques-
ton at issue in 1874, would it mott
Mr.. Shearman-Ycs. Sir,
Mr. Beecher-Wcll, then, an in favor of it,
A burst of applause interrupted Mr.. Beecher at
this point, and when it subsidized he continued as fol-
lows
don't suppose there has been . man In America
who has boon much tried as have been. NOr Was
there ever a who subjected To suth HE OF
nt4Nvsn .uprf /
tined by large committee OF Tie church. tie
ariIae soaree oi miermiton the committee awaited
iteli ana acquitted And then was Tried for
Judge both sides, with AN unparalleled accumulation
sitting and arguing there IS not Ill the history OF
American jurisprudence such trial-and nine
| men out OF twelve believed me 10 be Innocent
Applsnse NV bear SAID that THIS 5nis
sag, I've want another trial. Why, tliee-quarlcrs
OF year have been spent III aohs notns .se q, Ana
church that can't be surpassed and MS church has more
interest IN knowing s pastor tl.al any oaher pouy 81
dren inspires the morality OF the family. leads men to
interest every household is affected to the quick
by The who stands as the pastor And II anybody
where 10 look 1.-THE Interest of this church III the
purity and integrity of lis leader. Would a nan hide
man hide from his plysoian deadly disease, If lie Lad
one No one has much interest IN ripping UP and
But. alter all, men Say ana unwilling TO be
tried. II you Will nni tribunal better than
try me again, whoever else may oppose 1t, shant
IApplause.l But when men, WHO are my ayowed enc
nie-men who have always been opposed ~ this church
sugg another t1al anu asked 10 put matter which
ILLS large octave volumes, before Council Wnch
will for days; 10 oring before them tins
obscne mass of wiekedness, and 10 ask ministers who
assemble Tuesday and must home before Sunday
" consider II, 10 tho absurdty Of impertnenee Aud
| SAY 10 YOU and say " the world, that Am not
| afraid " be tried by men who have time. who have
| wisdom, and WHO viii DO governed by reason
Anu not by caprice lAppause They cannot compass
the Of matter winch must come UP In this tra
The conduct OF Ills church Is not eyasve Any le1ti
mate tribunal approved and regular methods, am
i II