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


gave you copy Of it, You then stated that one OF tne
churches named III cOunterpr0test cOuld NOT atehu
the council because OF the illness Of ITS pastor AMER our
meeting adjourned and late in the evening, ! re-
celyed communication from your committee,
signed by Mr. Tlney as clerk, proposing TO WIN
draw the names OF the four churches named In my
oounter-proest zone of which had already decned) If
would withdraw the names OF the two churches asan u
whom you had protested to WIZ the ChaTea OF the III
ing notified you that would communicate my answer
the l2th of January. Before the l2th had received
an official copy the resolutions by which the Central
Church OF Brooklyn had declined the proposed INVITATION
As mad, pursuant To our mutual Arrangement sent
provisional Invitations 10 the pastors OF Ee Chnrch OF
the Pilgrims and the Clinton Avenue Church, could
not without gross breach Of courtesy and placing my
self false position, consider the question OF with
drawing those churches without communicating your
protest 10 their pastors and asking "hat tnelr ch9renes
would probably do il invited after notification 0f your
protest. BefOe receiving denitve answer rom tieln
l. on the afternoon OF the lZth OF January lhet sit.
Shearman your representative and, after fccOunthg
the foregoing facts told him was shut MP TO me cnOc9
OF one OF three alternatives, rs 10 @hch ! 'Vui I
heard from the pastors Of the two churches
you had protested against. These alternatl' es
First, TO adhere to the churches protested AGAINST
with the serious risk thai the protest would prevent Their
acceptance OF an invitation 10 the council; second 10
waive those churches and name substitutes; tmrd 10 H.
sst that Plymouth Church. having IN form agreed 10
mutual council and III Tact assented To my seS>on OF
churches and ministers 10 be invited, and made II my
coping AN Invitation 10 the council It's subsequent pro
test suOyertcd the fundamental idea OF mutual council
aud IA eiec; refused ana defeated what had agreed 10;
and that II ts protest not withdrawn, Mrs Mouton
might be constrained 10 refuse u further and make
pubic the Tor her refusal at tue same time
informed Mr.. Shearnan that II you would Withdraw your
protest would withdraw my counter protest aud would
Instantly name church in place OF the Central church
and procure Mrs. MOultOns signature to the letieuls
Nh shearman retired, promising written answer
the Committee. In The evening, received your
communication, over the signature oi Mr.. Illr!, III
which you say your Committee cannot change tAeir
position IN to matter Of tie protest before bad re-
ceytd your final refusal to withdraw the protest. thc
pas the Church OF the Pilgrims and OF the Clinton
Avenue Church had notified me, that they would not
ana were vi the opinion that their respective churches
would not, accept AN invitation 10 come To the council
coupled with protest against their coming.
The EFFECT OF PLYMoUUH's PROTEST.
without scrutiny and without criticism Mrs. Mouton
had acquiesced III your selection OF churches ana
ministers named b. Plymouth Cnurch Plymouth
Church. by subtle evasion OF her right OF equal choice,
has practically oyerrued her selection, and thus excluded
from the proposed council two OF the most prominent
and wcghty churches of their denomination. and among
very oldest and most representative OF the Congre
eational churches Out OF New-En-land. Pym0ith
Church 10 be sure offers formal consent 10 t"f com
ug the council but couples with the consent protest
that nuiiies IT, ana pfcclLdrs to coming O seirse.E
ng churches, Mlt the certain additional ebec u causing
the refusal OF other churches named by hel u come to
council nom WlcD itdoiuE local chuituts nave mus n'
excluded. Tie crafty cUntrNancc Of a protest Whith
ths practically excludes t"O leading Churches may DE
uio uitgly extended 10 the exclusion OI every sIta,
church. and Of every minister most eminent Tor Chal-
acter aud wisdom In the denomination IL lapaDy yio-
Ics light aud equal choice, which rcsis upon
principles Of justice and established uniform,
and venerable usage of the church Il sanctioned, 1t puts
end 20 uutu" councils, thc ohc stohS Dody III uity
OF the collective Congregational communion; ana AIRS.
Mouitun viii not, by her acquescence, raise such IA
abuse INTO dangerous pIeteIchl b,hiueS' contest
between feeble woman ana a pOWeriui chutch II
unequal enough, without hiyns to that church
the power TO r~lcct Onc-hau OF council, ana also
the power 90 exclude from the other Aaf any cAGf, hes
and al ministers whom IL Is pleased by It's protest To de
lnimlcal ana partial A. the ldc's snow sueh
double power of selection and exclusion has been pIac-
tically ana effectively rArrted Dy plymouth Chuich III
tins ease. Consent has not diSdrmed the protest, Dut
tie protest has uulncd and rcnurlcd HauecsS the con
Thus fcnied her riShl anu prevented b! shre"d
device nom having equal and lu-t r,pn sentdon III
mutual council Mis-. loulton declines to continue ~
aboTuye effort 10 convene such cohhcii.
H. in finally excluding her, the church assumed that
her prulc,sed belief IN the gum VI bet pastor was slu
celt it was assumption the church hid no night to
iu4kc uul II was uer rgnt yiuIoa1e her sincerity b.
producing the proofs by her believed L. be c"Seht ana
irresistible, substauutc the facts which Lad Impressed
her mind with inonse conviction she challenged IN
quIs desired trial, sae was really 70 FURNISH Ae1
tral In court which nad produced conviction Of the
quit ~ tie pastor upon many 81 ths slheeies'
and best minds oI the country sue was Ieiu5 10 POu'o
other iucug proofs excluded by the technical rules
IN court Law, but relevant, oompetgn and pelsu.i-
siye in a court OF conscience Dcnied py I.y.n,outn
Church opportunity 20 produce tHIs NJ" evidence
lie desired oPpJrtdht to t.iNc INC l"dsmen. ~ a
council upon rs suHtithy 20 J1St.iy 1I u
the truth Of the charges against the pIsOI Driven nom
Plymouth Church without tif was Al not hrt HEnt u
the Judgment hd 'nt SOiscc'se' 90 tno DEE, ''' 90
tine churches whether she had not Oceu ulAsty OciFtd
of her place within the fold OF CAr,stt
III said tndt the evidence OF the pastors quit how
ogcu TO her min and however onfihci- 70 tAOu-
did not JUSTIFY her absence RON lhc MINISTRY 1hu sIcii
ments OF Plymouth Church, and tlat she "ia excluded
a | "a
question Tor tue advice o great NOun'i' anu tlt qits
tom she desired council To answer Can TIE proPOs
lion be maintained thd' ienaie cnuLch meinoGt' VINO
upon coSenI evidence 1O'olutey eoiN ihc'Hs 70 Aet
mind believes her pastor Ia have been guilty OF
adultery, of tricky devices 10 prevent Hs eN-
posdre, and then OF PERJURY TO escape lts penalty
Is bound Ia 20 To mat pastor Tor religious
instruc,ious and to receive the saanents Of tn CUrc
from his Eands May he break the 9rc''a Tor et ana
yc the cup at The supper or the Lord whether shc
viii Must ne lay MS hands upon the head VI het
children Grated III baptism ana adhhi,ei inc 's
consoatOs to her dyug aud perform Tor Itr te ias.
Offices Ol the dead Aud must she Il sincerely D,tFhS
IN L.s guilt DC eousehtli5 part! To 81, hoilIol.
num,ry and hypocrisy 40 NOT discuss the question
sincere IA believing that lac was, ana offered To snow
cogrut reasons Tor her belief and that SHE sincerely
deucy TO prove his gnli, she Was Justified ia ctS upon
her conviction in rejecting him ~ her religious teaeher,
and m refusing receive the sacrament from has hands
1t seems To her. and she desired the wesHy advice oil
a Council upon that question is to Aef rehS'oHs duty'
am instructed by Mrs. Mouton TO say tina: She re-
arns charges made IN her written protest before
Plymouth Church, the sincerity and intensity 81 htr ne
LEI their truh, and her readiness Ia produce ample
yct zee To Justly her belief aud ner conduct slc Is
Wiling To be judged 10y the public opinion OF the world
which Is usually right ~ Last, and Oy ti uhal judgment
ia wni, IA there Will be uO aduNtdIe OF human error
with pleasure express my oense OF the mutual cour
tcsy has marked our intervene Most rtspeeiul
yours, 1Os"oA NJ VAN Noil'
THE PLYMOUTH CHURCH MEETING.
REPORT OF THE CoMMlTGEE-REYIEw OF IHk con
FERENCEs AND NEGoTIAroNs-A QUESTION FOR
TIE ADVISORY COUNCII~AN EARNEST AID
DRESS BY MIR. BEECllER-HIs OPINION or MRS.
MoULToN AND DRs. STORES AND BUDiNGroN.
Just before the benedictiOn was pronounced at the
prayer-meeting OF Plymouth Church Last evening,
Mr. Beecher said there would be a business meeting
for the purpose of hearing the report OF the Com
mitt.e concerning the Mutual Council. The entire
congregation, which filed every part of the lecture
room, remained. Mr.. Beecher said the Committee
were still engaged at their report i'll Mr. Shearmans
house, but they would probably be present soon
He then spoke a. follows: