The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-03-02
The Plymouth Church Advisory C0un.
cil

At the morning session, on the 23d, a re-
port was made from the special committee to
which was referred the letter from Andovcr
Seminary Church calling for council to try
the case of Mr.. Beccher; in which the CON-
mittee say Plymouth Church should not ac-
cept the invitation. Report adopted at the
evening session.
After discussion the Council decided that
the Church investigation held in 1874 was
adequate, and that Plymouth Church had
done its whole duty to the matter.
Announcement was made that the commit
tee of nine to whom all matters for final
consideration of the Council were to be
brought comprised President Porter, Chair
man; DIR. Fairchild, DIR. Salter, DR.. Strong,
DR.. Sturtevant, DR.. Bicon, Bradford r. Wood,
Judge Whitney and ex-Gov. Dingley.
At the afternoon session, the resolution as
to whether or not there should be another
investigation of the charges against Mr..
Beecher was discussed at great length, and
finally decided aflirmatively, about two dozen
delegates voting no.
AT the evening session it was decided that
committee of three should be appointed to
select five names frsm the list presented by
the committee. who shall constitute an In
vcstigating Committee, to hear all possible
evidence that can be CLEANED in regard to
the scandal, and sit as final judges on the
matter. a.
The Council concluded their labors on the
oath. An adverse report was made and
adopted on the resolution offered by the Rev.
DR.. Bell, to the effect that the Council de-
clare Mr.. Beecher innocent of the charges
preferred against him.
The report OF the council sustains Plym-
outh Church in its dealings with the men,
bers whose names have been stricken from
its rolls, and in its general discipline in this
respect. 1t also indorses the action of the
church in relation to the proposed Mutual
Council, and expresses regret that Mrs. MOul-
toms representative did not substitute tWo
other churches for those objected to, and thus
crafty the expressed desire of Mrs. Moulton
for such council.
The report says the Council finds no reason
to call in question the method by which the
committee was constituted which investigated
the charges against the pastor; but in view Of
lbC MISREPRESENTATION NhINh vi lCeo fit-
walls with the previous Investigation, it is
recommended, in view OF Mr.. Bcecher's de-
mand to be brought face to face with his ac-
cusers, etc, and for the peace of the churches
and the protection of Plymouth, that a new
investigation be had The provisions for
such an investigation are as follows:
Prof Timothy Dwight, D. d., New Haven,
ho Row I Nal
Mass, and the Hon. Bradford r. Wood, AL
bany, N. Y, are appointed by the council as
the Committee of Three who are empowered
to designate Commission of Five out of
twenty named parties, whose duty it "shall
be to receive and examine all charges against
the pastor which they may regard as not al
ready sufficiently tried. Amy three of this
committee shall be a quorum, and shall have
power in case of failure to complete the
requisite number of five by selecting
other brethren of known ability and in
tegrity. 1t is provided that the commission
shall not be constituted unless formal
charges against the pastor shall be brought
before the church or its committee within
sixty days after the dissolution of the
Council, by'a party making himself responsi-
bic for the truth and proof of the same, unless
within the same time it shall be adiudged to
be expedient by the Examining Committee of
the church and the Committee of Three that
important testimony, not previously given,
which might throw light upon the charges
which have hitherto been tried, should be
heard by the committee. The result of the
Investigation by this Commission shall be re-
ported 10 the Examining Committee of
Plymouth Church, and be given by them to
the public.
The Commission of Five is to be selected
from among the following: Theodore o.
Woolscy, New Haven, Conn; Mark Hopkins,
Williamstown, Mass; Julius II. Secley, Am
hcrst, Mass; N. Shipman, Hartford, Conn;
l.. s. Foster, Norwich, Conn; j. w. An
drews, Marietta, Ohio; J. W. Angel, Ann
Arbor, Mich; W. B. Washburne, Greenfield,
Mass; A. G. Barstow, Providence, r. L.;
j. L. Chamberlain, Brunswick, Me-; G.
J. Walker, Detroit, Mich; Jacob BrinkerhoT,
Mansfield, Ohio; \. Hardy, Boston, Mass.
A. Finch, Milwaukee, Wis; s. B. Gookins,
Terre Haute, Ind; +. W. Blatchford, Chica-
go; William b. Edwards, New York; Jona-
than Z. Sargent, New Hampshire; j. G..
Knapp, Keosauqua, Iowa; Henry P. Haven,
New London, Conn.
Previous to the dissolution of the Council
Mr.. Becchcr addressed the assemblagc at con-
siderable length.