The New York herald., 1876-01-15
THE MUTUAL COUNCIL EsroPpED.

The advisory committee are to report next Friday
night
THE MUTUAL COUNCIL EsToPPED.
The following report proves that the projected mutual
council win not place. and details the for
stopping that EVENT
PLYMOUTH ooxnrrEE's REPORT
The committee appointed by the church TO confer
with Mrs Emma c. Moulton and her representatives,
upon the subject of the Mutual Council Ia which she
requested this church to unite, report.
The first church named by Mr.. Van Cott being the
Broadway Tabernacle of New York city, he was
once informed that the committee had resolved not TO
name, the part of Plymouth church, any church OF
New York or Brooklyn, deeming II unwise to involve
local churches in controversy exciting so much local
feeling To this Mr.. Van Cott made no reply,
and the reading Of the lists was concluded
without further comment. 1t was then agreed
that Mr.. Van Cott, on behalf OF Mrs.
Moulton, and Mr. Shcarman, on behalf OF the commit
should each address private notes to the pastors OF
the churches thus named well to the ministers
not in pastoral charge. Notes were accordingly ad-
dressed by Mr. Sheaman to oncha of the pastors and
ministers invited, stating that by agreement between
the parties IL had been arranged to ascertain strict
confidence from the pastors and ministers whom IL
proposed to invite whether they would accept the
taton and be present the 25th inst in order that
both parties might be assured of the attendance of all
churches and ministers invited by the letter missive
Mr. Van Cott q similar letter his part omit
ting however to express it any Obligation of conf
dence and the pastor OF of the churches addressed
by him accordingly called church meeting TOR the pur
pose of deciding whether the proposed invitation should
be accepted or not
Z
met Mr.. Van Cott at his house, when some changes
were agreed the list of churches but the commit
stated that after having taken time to consult with
each other, including the member who had been
absent the former meeting they deemed II proper to
suggest Mr. Van Cott that of the churches named
by him considered by the committee Objectionable
members of the proposed council upon the grounds
l. That the pastors Of those two churches well
known to have committed themselves to the side OF
Mrs Moulton in this controversy and that of them
had publicly declared that Plymouth church was un-
questionably wrong in its action.
That those two churches now assumed an attitude
distinctly hostile TO Plymouth church, hom which att
tude they had never Withdrawn.
8 That Mrs Moulton had for some time past been
very regular attendant at one of these churches and
understood to have avowed her intention of unit
ing with IL If permitted by the result of this council
This was formal protest but doubtless in tho
nature of protest" The committee at the same time
distinctly and emphaticaly assured Mr. Van Cot that
they had no intention of withdrawing from the coun
Gil delaying the call he did not acquesce
in the suggestion thus made to him.
The report goes on to state quoting Mr. Van Colts
and Mr.. Tilney's letter either SIDE that Mr.. Van
Cott asked Plymouth Church TO withdraw its protest
against the admission OF local churches
refusal to do protested in turn against
the admission of the Orange Valley, n. j.; Berkeley
as they had 'committed themselves the side Of
Plymouth church in this controversy" The COM
mttee then quotes Mr.. Tilney's letter on behalf
OF Plymouth church, in which he says:-As we
sincerely desirous OF securing fair and i'm
partial council we now offer without inquiry into the
facts OF the case, to withdraw the names OF all the
churches 10 which you have made OBJECTION on behalf
OF Mrs Moulton upon condition that you, on her part
withdraw the names of the two churches to which OBJ
lection has beeu suggested by II you accede to this
we ready at to name the churches TO supply
the vacancies thus created"
Then the committee speaks Of Mr.. Shearmans meet
ing with Mr. Van Cott on the 18th inst, ana the pre-
sentation by the latter ofa memorandum o. the alter
natives which he was considering, VIZ
First-To adhere upon the part Of Mrs. Moulton, TO
the two churches concerning which the question had
raised and to have the letter missve signed and
issued with those churches invited notwthstand-
ing the objections which had been suggested; or,
Second-To waive those two churches and select sub
stitutes forthwith; or
TAird-That the committee should withdraw all
papers referring to these objections upon their SIDE
whereupon he would withdraw all papers upon that
subject presented on his side; or,
Fourkh-That Mrs Mouon should assume that the
project Of mutual council had failed, and should
make a public statement claiming that she had been
substantially deprived of her right TO choose equal
number of churches upon her part, and upon this
ground had abandoned the entire scheme.
Mr. Shearman reported the result Of this interview
to the Committee, who thereupon instructed Mr. Tiney
address to Mr. Van Colt the following letter. which
was sent him early in the evening"
BROOKLYN, Jan. IL, 1876
J. NJ VAN Corr Esq
DEAR SIR-The committee of Plymouth church de-
sire inform you tnat they cannot change their
position in the matter Of the protest They are ready
at sign and issue tho letter missive, either with
or without the changes suggested, respecting the
'"O''-'' '''''N' THOMAS J. TILNEY
This is the letter which caused Mr. Van Cot write
the following communication to the Plymouth Com
Mr. VAN corr's LETTER.
BROoKLYN, Jan. 13. 1876
Rev. EDWARD BEKcHKR, u. d. THOMAS G. SHEARMAS,
Esq, and Others Committee OF plymouth church,
GESTLENHN-l last evening received the note of Mr..
TIncyt the clerk of your church. in which he says
''The committee Of Plymouth church desire me TO IN
form YOU that they cannot change their position in the
matter OF the protest." and adds that they ready
TO sign the letter missve either with or with
out the changes suggested respecting the churches to
be called" must accept this action of the committee
as OF Plymouth church, until 1t is disanirmcd
by tho church, and so must regard the dnal de-
cson of the church respecting the protest interposed
by its committee.
IIIere Mr. Van Cott nveghs against the sending to n
church an invitation mounted by a protest ~
The fundamental conceptions Of mutual council are
that tt shall be constituted OF equal number Of
churches and ministers chosen BY each OF tho par
ties: that none named in the letter mssivc shall be-
included In the council and none named shall be
cluded from It, and that the church in whose tho
letter runs and which rs thus the representa-
tive of both parties cordially invites all the delegates
SO chosen 10 constitute the council
In accordance with the venerable usage OF the Con-
ercratfonAl order you named moety of the
churches and ministers to be invited and named the
other moety the evening Of the 3d OF January As
mutually desired the council To be full, We on the
same evening agreed that letters should be sent TO the
churches and ministers named by respectively ask
ing as TO the probability Of their acceptance
OF tho invitation when sent by letter missive the
tenor Of which had been agreed upon by us), and
adjourned TO the evening OF the eth Of January when
We were 10 communicate the answers received |
promptly mailed my letters TO the churches and minis
tcrs had named Ny letters "a copy Of which annex
marked Az we're OF a uniform tenor, and carefully
avoided any intlmAton oi the party by whom the
church or minister had been chosen.
We met on the evening oi the 7th OF January and
then announced to you that had heard from all ex-
cept the remote church, and all but minister
aud the answers received we're in the affirmative,
cept from church in Massachusetts. You thus
distinctly understood that the Church OF the Pilgrims
and the Clinton avenue church would probably accept
the invitation as cordially invited be part OF the
council Alter had made this announcement you
read
WRITTEN PROTEST
that you had previously prepared land Of which you
then gave me copy, protesting against these two
churches being invited l made instant answer that
the protest violated the fundamental princinle OF a
mutual council; violated the cement by which we
had each named moiety Of the churches and minis.
ters TO be invited violated the arrangement pursuant
70 which had written TO all the churches aud minis