, 1876-02-23

Tbo Committee reported fAvorab1y on The re-.
suits Of tho Investigation Of Mr.. Becchcs's case.
: a"scandal bureau" Of fivo prominent congre-
gattonallsts. out OF twenty names presented, bo
Selected to make furtllor investigation aud sAt-
tsfy soma OF tho discontcntod churohes and tho
public mind. The Council adjourned amidst
confuaion.
COMMITTEE REPORTS.
Ths cnttre morning aosslon was conaumed In
discussion of reports presented by tho commit
toos on the second and ihrd quootsons. The
md therefore favora flymoutu Church.
The report OH tho third question. Which aBks
tho course the church ought to pursue conectn-
lug members who absent themselves without
aLsont Themselves and WHO lavo ssEol for
lctters of dtsnise!on. but in wfioso
monbcra who, absent themselves upon
the ground tl,ss tho pastor as GUILTY
a completc investigation and has acquitted tho
pastor without dissenting voice; nenbcra who
abaent themselves for sons or al OF tho above
reesons aud membors who nro generally reported
Of groBa immortality against other mombera OF
the Church, and who decline either to affirm or
deny such charges ie said TO present several
Recommendations for tho future guidance OF tho
Church. II 10 said 10 atato that tho cases re-
forred to in tho question arc rcal aud not
Imaginary caaeu. aud recommends that II tho
Council should decide Tint ther0 is any consldar-
ablo numbor Of rnombers Of the Church vino are
Of tito opinion that tho cases were not full7 aud
impast!ally investigated, TINT they bo hgain
opened, and that every opportunity DO given to
these peraona to present their cases.
Discussion on tleee Two reports was takou
palt in mainly BY tho noy. DFs. Abbott, Parker+
i'ortos, II. 81 Btorra, Leayts, Brown, aud Sturte-
Ynnt, Tho Council at ite opening was aotnawhat
divided, but towards tho clogo Of tho session tho
minority, which had been Btrong1Rt IN regard to
a. I'LL
The report Oh tho second question Has adopted
aimost uuanim0ualy, aud In regard to that on
tho third about twolvo delegates voted lu tho
Negative.
TIE COMMITTEE or NINE
who ARC to prepare the f(naf report OF tho Couu-
Gil was appointed, but tho only names uhch
could be got ~ being members OF 1t woro those
Ct Porter, Fairch1ld, Bacon, and the Hon.
Dinghy.
wEsr's CASE.
~ The afternoon session. tho report OF the
COMMITTEE on tho fourth question was taken up
and adopted without much discussion. Thts
question related to the calling Of the Nfntual
coaucil requested by e1-Deac9n William I. Woa..,
ahonla havo called Mutual Council when
requested to do 30 by = moEaGsr who had neyor
submitted any charges against the pastor. aud
when such request MAS uade mora than one
year nftor M investigation had bson had by tho
church itself, in Which tho paator was aua-
taincd.
The Committee to whom was nlso referred tho
comnunscnt!on sent to tho Council by
Rsse'n ea Of TSs lo tafs asSi' wss E p.oeos ns
lust. They atate TINT tilo communication vaa
befors them irregularly. inasmucl as Wcst. sc-
coIdtng to Congregational usagcs, should havo
exhausted every other effort to set tie nattcr
right before appealing to Council. Thoy there
foro rofor the whole mRttor back to the
church.
MIS-. MoC11ow. ..
Tho report Of tho Committee on tho 1fth
TONS T Mutual Council, ~ ~snd IN which I'll the
church asked whcther It had acted right and
proper, or II thore was any error
In its part which should bo corrected. auetaiDs
tho action Of tho Church. and Bays that tho Com
an1toua to havo Tho Mutual Council called.
They ntso atate 1t as thor belier that, had Judge
Van Colt not withdrawn 30 soon. tho Council
would bayo boeu called. Thin report WIS ais Q
adopted without much discussion.
Both the above reports ndYiso that In every
caao all Other n1eauB OF Fighting matters should
hayo boon exhausted bofore proceeding 70 call .
Council, aud that no church should call Mu-
toai Council - long as there ia any other way Of
Tho report Of the Committee on Question No.
Q was then takeu up. Tho question Ia az fol-
loHs: Has Plymouth Church, In the principles and
Of order and tho administration Of discipline. or
In any known caaea Of It's administration undor
thosa principles and rules. .gono boyond it's riGhts
ss = Church Of Christ 60 40 Justly to forfeit its
claim to tho confidence and Fellowship Of con-
grogational eharchos7 Tho report on this qrea.
ton aets forth tLat tho Committee are satisfied
TINT thore aeemB to bo no absolute necaaaty
Of roopeuiug tho case. but, iuaamuch
a. thore arc 80 many suspicious claims
aud ruinoua allegations, It rocommeuds that tho
Council appoint = committee Of three to advise
Plymouth Church that it would bo we'll to select
= committso Of tiye from let Of eminent per-
eoas which they submit, whoso duty It shall be
iected, and adJuaIcsto fiaslly upon tho * csse. uS
There Ia divIalon in tue Council ob this aubjec;,
and 1t 10 sal4 tho fght will bo long aud hlttcr
QUO. Il iH thought 70 bo moro thnn probable
that the report will bo adopted. and rhat
Plymouth Church will act promptly upon tho
adyico Of tho Council In tho matlor.
EVENING gHsRiCN,
At tho evening session tho Committee on tho
sixth question OF tho letter misBiye reported
~ far as could bo learned, ~ follows;
First-1laH Plymouth Church dono itn whole
duty In tho investigation OF tho chargos against
Mr. Deecher
Third-1f It SHOULD DO decidod that theto bo q
further investigation. how shatl it DO heidi
As the discussion OF the commltsee'a report
had becn mado tho order Of tho session, II ia
atatod that no action Nns taken on those
resolutions; that tue whole evening wAa CON
sumed in discussing tho former. Dls, Bturto.
! want, storss, and Woolcost are stated to havo
made longthy addresses, arguing that tuasmuch
a. there mas 10 much evident diaaatisiactfon ex-
listing With regard to tho investigation hold iu
1874 anothcr and further QUO should
ba had. They wero oppossd Ia their
views BY President Fairc6ild, President
Chamberlain. Judge Cornell. and Con. Drtnck-
erhon, who were Of the opinion that tho tnyeati-
CATION already held had satisfactorily Botrlod the
question. Tie discussion IL said to hAyo beeu
aomewhas heated, aud Or. ssurssvant IL ro-
ported to have said in hia addross thai
there wss great deal OF diaastisfsotIon
among, tho churches throughout tho country,
aud a. -. 10 a.. thought they should DO .,., made
the confidence and fellowship OF tho CongroeA-
t!onaa chnschcs: This. he urged. could only be
done By tho holding Of another Investigation, ~
| auRgested by the report Of tho Committee.
The discussion Gu she question was not con-
c!uded, aud there Ia but lltte likelihood OF tha
vote being taken In tbs matsor before tomorrow
night.
..... NoULIoN.
aheatman stated tbla evening that fcqueai
made BY Plymouth Church that Moulton ha 70.