New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-15
THE COUNCIL ABANDONED.


co. don't want this church ~ bo called representa-
+ fundamental in It, In many ways 1t would suit me
| better TO have a church alter my own mind. 1
| to go outside of COngregatODalism, though nave
said that YOU become independents You WIN Tree your
separation But advise that we maintain ourselves
Church Is not only willing to remain where she is, but
she will reasonably accept advice from her fellow
pledged against and who have been against us for
! years. There never was a church which would show
/ friends.
The COMMITTEES came in at this point. and the Rev.
| Edward Beecher prayed that we may be led i'll the
right way, and that Thy will may be done in all that
| we do.' Mr. Shcarman then read the following re-
| port from the Committee:
The COMMITTEES appointed by the church to confer with
Mrs Emma C. MouIIon aud her representatives upon the
subject OF the mutual council In which she requested
| this church 10 unite, respectively report =,
| That they received a communication from joshua NJ
Van Cot informing them that he was retained probes
siOnay by Mrs. MOuiton AS her representative III Ihs
matter, and desiring that an appointment should Dc
made for meeting with him, The Committee instructed
INN nj 81 the councii were agresd mpOn
except the place ut which the council should be
held, and the O the ministers ana churches 10 Dc
| invited 10 it, Under the instruction OF tho
church the Committee informed Mr.. Van Colt that they
could not consent to convene the council al any Othef
| place than in building " Plymouth Church, ana,
after taking time consider Mr. Van Colt consented To
20 on with the council under mat condition. but under
protest Four OF The committee Bong present they pro
cced the evening OF Jan. g. 1876 10 exchange with
a lict OF churches ana ministers 10 De III
vitc party naming alternately one ehfch or mn
lister until the list complete Ihe nst chOrch named
by Nh Van Colt being tho Broadway la9ernaee1 l NeW
| York city, lac dt informed mat tho com
| mittee had resolved not to namo ON the part
| OF PlymOut Cnuroh any chuieh vi NcW-lOfk
or BIookyn deemng 1t mwse To involve Qcal chniohgs
in a controversy exciting much local ioeiinG. 10 TINS
hr Van Col made no reply ana me leauhS 0i lo iSls
was concluded without idIthor comment. II was then
agreed that Mr. Van Colt, on benali OF Mrs Moulton
and sherman, ucna Of the Committee, should
rgn aars,S t me t1 '' Minister'S moi m pastoral
| Ar4 NaIH
'ting ,t uv 9,,,rrucnt brt ycrn the parties il had
been arranged 10 ascertain III strict confidence Groln
the pastors and ministers whom 1t was proposed To m
h hs'' ,r@tlt ON M. .5th inst in order hnt both
parties might DO assured Ot tho attendance of all
camches nd ministers invited by the letter ilssNr Nh
Van Colt wrote similar letter on MS hIi, emitting
however, 10 cAPr,ss IN t any obligation oi conndencr
and the pastor 81 one Oi the chhIChcs auicSau py nm
accordingly called church meeting Tor Tie purpose oil
deciding Wne,cl tho proposed invitation should DO ac-
on FRIDAY evening Jan. 7, the committee again met
Mr.. Van Cot az his house, whoh some cDal5es were
agreed io IN the Iist oi churches Dut thc committee
stated that alter having taAcH tmo to cosdit VIA eaC
other including the member VINO had been absent on me
former mectns tLey deemed IL proper 10 suSs. 10 nj
Van Cott tmi $50 OF tho churches named by MN were
considered by the committee Objectionable rs members
81 tie proposed Cohht, lpoll 'io s'ouhus. r r,i
Ina. thc pastors Oi tL0sc TWO chuic"cs, Neto ven
known 10 have committed themselves to TIE side oi Mrs
Moaou ihs controversy. aud that one oi them had
publicly declared thai Plymouth Church Was unquostion
I.t iA ,c Two churches had assumed attitude dis
imct, hostile 10 Pymouth Church. from which attitude
TIM; Mrs Monitor had for some time past been very
re.ir acncant at one OF those ehuf'hr, ana wac ui
akuWcd Acr me tlud UI unltIEo Win H.
II permitted by he result oi thi' Council
on Jan. II. Mr. Van Colt wrote to Mr. shearman to
say that Ac was taking i'll tomorrow iho In To con
slider Ol tno previous evenings ana 10 confer WIN
hle client promising 10 auyoe Aii SHERMAN carry Oh INC
I1th ol the I,,uiis. On tho l2th inst alr sherman
called upon Nt Van tOtt' NJ MS once III NcN' DIN
when Mr.. Van Cost stated that Lo had Dcen 5i'lh5 much
consideration To the ease Dh was NOT ao" 10 CONT 20
na stalled substantially that lac was considering the e>-
r,dirucy ana picilc"o1y oil adopting any ono oil Tour
alternatives.
The letter from Mr.. Van Colt printed above WAS
then read by Thomas j. Iney. and Mr. Shearman
then read the remainder Oi the committees report
~ follows:
We regret that Mr Van Colt shonld hayo deemed II
necessary to the courtesy WIN men me case hi
iou-ly eDudu ted under his Infringement ~
imvuIug motives To us which never existed III our
uirts. - Tar from having sought any method 10 aS"d
thr neutral council We nave earnestly tIr'o'td 10
impossible that the council should ee a'oiHed'
We strongly impressed with the Dgi'I Ihat Mrs-
Noulton wanted aud never meant 10 nave mu-
ini council, aud hat her constant effort was To make
w. "',,H ri r,uc'5,,I. ,un@t have Hlnts men
Mrs M0ulto Suddenly retained ~ her counsel ihe very
or nm iniquoi, libel closely connected with This
A gentleman who was 0i the most eminent members
OF Church OF the PiisIms-thr mos trusted advisor
OF ia pastor, ald who nc''r womb nave accepted
ler retainer without being well assured that ne was
acting recording 20 tho wish of his pastor; We had
right to suppose that Tue c0un'rl mus chosen "ou
uryir select Of lie judges IN me case his own
church. Boz which his y'rc Was - hlncnii' anu is own
pastor, II Whose rntr ''hphy 40 must nave ueeh con
ndcut 10 was glr1t SURPRISE to most OF M wen u
dd select that church W, had no Time rof lnmedati
-u.Lu!on; We needed time TO consider We hoptI
| that the pastors OF these Two churches might
save the pain Of an objection by themselves de-
Ginning To- come Tor .suiis "hi'h .o'.Vu - a. ~.
| evident Therefore waited NJ our next lnciFi"H
unt learned they meant 10 come 10 the Council
and ~ flrl made the sagg-rtion which seemed to Is
necessary oar delay Is not matter to b. complained
of; II was necessary II was Injurious 10 no one ana IL
dictated 10y charitable motives 80 wen as y just
L.. -, . ,,,,tal c,n, al t,rs widely from that
pronounced on other side ACCORDING To tlh II view
tDcy might have elected ten chrLcs which hdd pub
| mouth Church aud ~ might have invited tn others
pledged DO like manner To condemn Mi'' hon,o i
| to utter - ToId of criticism. Twenty churches
of an Impartial council oar ld'. OF fair council ls one,
Sen manor as 10 make 1t difficult for him decide
rpou Inc evidence and the arguments submitted. We
dI not object upon The ground Of any thing snort OF
utrnt of tns very case We d.I not and do refuse
Ia -, am win these churches the Council MC simply
certify that we consider them IAN and az judges
| OF ttsc. Moreover W. offered II ms h'uiuh Tor
any reason desired reduce the number Oi CHURCHES
nalucd by her reduce the number on our ar Ike
| wise, 50 that the Council need not have fallen
| through for lack of churches. We offered also to
kccp paper In the nature Of protest,
| entirely private. 50 that n the two chuIrhes
| cluis inio the Council, but their
| pastors, Mr.. Van colt and the Committee should know
ihat auy objection had been made BON oilers were uo-
ciur, Bat ihcy attest sincerity IN assornS AS We
Co., mat our objection, were made because We believed
Christian cndor required Them 10 be Iiue ana not
Tor tue purpose OF Publication, or OF embarrassing the
action either OF Mrs. Mouton or OF the Two churches
We shall not attempt TO follow Mr. Van Colt in the use
Of cpitheIs "a In arguments when might DE- s'ih 's'
WHERE, were th'y nor Iccotn p'n.ru VIZ, d y,
argue before proper tribunal We doubt tnc plOWicty
of inserting in correspondence speeches intended for
council lhat Is not 10 ~ calied but ~ p'lh1pN "PpV
pirate that witch was always designed for news
paper effect should terminate again III newspaper lidl
Iu Conclusion, the Committee recommend that TIE Al
ysOry Council 20 called 10y tins church he requested
10 the Oh The church ana Committee
in the negotiations for mutual council, and to advise
this church whether any error has been committed on