The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-25

~ r,m,ifh rlrc rcia,cto the tea iang oi the scrip
of members Of a chGrcn can be terminstcd and ihc
con ste1cy Wiih Christian Justice and the word OF God
~ mo soecia rule Of the Church-rulc No land aisO
the practice Of the church In the application Of this
In nn,wcr to questions one and two the council ad-
viscs these Irinciplea; , , -,., .
Chfit by vows and acts which arc made directly to
f hp'S sn rom "a 6 of m Witch Se sa rs
never be 70 eascd oy man.
local church by entering into special covcnint Nv
ytue o which he Is responsi lo TO the church for his
spOnsibc for hlm and that tins responsibility doc6
s a ceae %q5 m hS SGas Y sY' % s STS
8 That church NAV declare itself released from all
h from telo sshp, Win Sensgrc, after giving Sin
ht ' 10, v , v"S ~ o. AZ % r, W v,nt
formal censurc in many cases in which petson signl
the church doctrine OF worship u Christian sYnpI:
openly and nOtorously abandon all communion with
the church and also be CHARGED with scandalOus
scand, use N,ss dscrrton in sclcctt,e The otycnce
ON which 1t shan separate him from ite fellowship and
dscige itecl from all further responsibility ior his
Ne beicyc that ticse principles are scrptural. and
aS'ei upon In the administration q di;epne 10
Aim them them at the prs,.ent scr, time. =, ,,,,,,, ,,,,,,
sgrse hat 4 1. deficient in not providing that notice
.huu.d be given Shgn practicable; In the Ordinary
ind nothing to condemn. We are gratihcd to earn
mat The measures are m progress 10 eject such Change
Ia tho phrastUl1Cy OF this cnh other rules as 20 rccOg
al2c aad enforce more distinctly the principles which
arc holc Affirmed.
WHAT SHALL BE DONE wrru rnrsr2
H. Tho church asks the council wha: course & ought
to ADOPT IN respec. to nye classes OF members as fol-
" rlrst-Momnsrs who deliberately purposcly, and
permanently absent ihcm'elNrf iiom the services ana
di.ni-son. upon the Ground that The church has
,a.e9 Ssita'n .ters mot affecting tnem personallyl
Il ought to have taken but which they asked 1t to
Second Monitors who absent themselves IN ike
manner % uIV9 1 w ,s st3uu m in & ,eS % that ky
the cnurcn hl with subsantal unauimiiy declined to
Talrd-Menhers who, absent themselves in Ike
~ "a, M her: @ @upon m h et%ysnu % NV az @ iVy i1
ve.teaicn into the flcts ciurcn could MAKE. and
Ia. acquitted ani Sustained its pastor without dis
Fourth-Mcmbers who absent themselves in like
maNfg ior some or az o. llr y tasons b lore stated
eSSd 70 have mace ehesr, "a m,nqations M oi gross
,9aofalH az H., 1insc ni,aDs, oi tss Saare' and
icperts or II sgeh ehi'scs when properly questioned
~ suil Die nT.ihstcp tor the saks OF tne purity AHd
~ a. nisi iour o. those questions the council would
given 0 The persons dt,cnbed for deliberate aad per-
rnn,,hh spsyYr t1 Va, I5a Isa oI ,I 's e
cur opinion, entirely invalid sen,smsiic, ami unchris
izauon. II member & 90 lar dissatisfied with the
ntSsi2n I oi & NE 9isea st ne esatot saare TO- it, re-
orderly way. II he iecls oouad 20 remain in It, fellow
md he " edp1 pnpGiSS sSo " hm dy Sgs to m saSboy
M M v eHnSYn tak h Oi b1. sae Eork 10
eoncet that We may protest more enfet1a " sgain-t
TIA ~ irom isfe-loNsair' We regard 40 emnehtly dan
la MT case stands ty ITSELF and admit. Of only one
pes r en,wSr A Pc,son wno 3 1, conwSicd OF the
99 u M h' SSncGss o1sn' & persisis 70 be cast out
these pfincples, We woue ADVISE any church that IN
I'M oi e1c!smen, !, sh2uid ase great toroearancs
39snp under mistaken theory Of their rights end
duties as members OF thc Church q Christ.
THE DECISION ON DEACON VESTS DEMAND.
III. The fourth section is follows;
Ought MS church to have called mutual other
couaci Of ehuTehss, for me purpose Of investigating
member OF the church who has meyer submitted any
made for The rst time more than one year aftcr in
vssnsaton has been had by the church Itself the
MS question The Council woSii reply vS'f q. foows
The church the tribunal sppointed by Christ for the
tual council cannot the the csse exist un.
Tie case sSrPos Sa cosnc c5nSo propry BE- cali
e. unless Ne ager eyed person has submitted specl1c
ovicsnce tat can make tnem good. We uttsriy ard
church member tnds himself IN a nnorty-eyen
sp s Of h he therspS SnS Sas INV
clam upon the church 70 unite with MIN IN calling
satisfied state OF the public mind the cngrch
moy rem m oe aSa U ny b9 II h
propos is not accepted he has no sternatye but TO
the church ordinary way TO remain in It's fel
oNsnlp. and labor in Christian spirit to convince his
~. T6e nth question is as follows.
" Has the course of Plymouth Church. ana OF the
uoas netwecn the church and Mrs. Mouton concerning
ment Of wnichis enclosed been wise and Just or hes
lter been any error on the part Of tie eauch in this
Tie answer Of the council to this may he gathered
Is one selected bs mutual aercenent between tie bar
ties and II very desirable that al the churches called
inpartialty II It not aha essential the authority
an 6a Of S s aGaPGgSsi
ana CHRISTIAN they may be IN tact are disturbed hy local
influences which uncOntciousN affect their Judgment
ald therefore they properly be exclu led from repre-
happened that councils have been constituted Altogether
from churches remote from the scene Of excitement
aa ai y 9eswsS9 Sn S st ter e he
tyos OF Mrs Mouton. There may be room for diiier.
ence Of opinion in respect to the construction put by
parties GU each side on the proposals Of the other but
The cousGi has no hesitation IN affirming that the com
nit oi Pymouth church had right " object to the
the opportunity OF making known their objections at
unfortnnste. however that they did not state them
igy al The nrst interview, when the principle which
ney were made ae aoes not '
tho Claim which they urged that they were sincerely
We regret that IN view Of this claim the representa-:
eos @ and sBSe ao oRF eSuShs @ Tor
winch objection had been mace ana taus crafty the
%e lake ne liberty 10 ADD that the practice Of ad
ps @ @ yetner ney eI @ s
sent TO serve upon couneli,ls In ylew open to
grave objections
sU6TAINING PLYMoUTH's COMMITTEE.
Y. The church has also presented the following ques.
tion.
'Ias Plymouth Church IN the principles and rules II
has provided Tor the maintenance Of order ana tue adj
mnisrAtiOn Of dScplue-Or IN any known cascs OF It's
admlnstraton under those principles and rues-goue
boycnd its rights church OF Christ Justly to
forfeit It's claim 10 tue G9nhdenee and fellowship of
COngre egatOnAl Churcnes2"
That part Of this 1nt l0n which relates TO the prin.
sweTed. The question Of their application to the
which occasloned forncr council was decided by that
council, The only case of administration under these
principles which We need to consider IN the case OF the
We regret that this from tho hrs was not made the
that In Plymouth Church out OF II had not
sought for satisfaction from the pastor himself in
spect the real grounds Of the sanderOus reports
winch were current. Ilad this u-''~0 - '-' --
undcttaken according to the rules LAID down in Mat
iheN l6 according 70 the uniform practice of pol
M 3tl years, TINS Rrleyous anu ap ling calamity,
WIN al l- eNlla, might never have been known III the
pastor were guilty he would have left the ministry II
he were innocent he would have explained MS silence
ana been restored to the confidence VI the brother who
had souph ht 10 fain him.
We md no reason to call in question the method by
gated the charges against the pastor, their hig
DeIsunll character the integrity with which
prOceedings were Conducted We believe they sought
10 aatlsfy their minds to the guilt
of their pastor They sat In secret as every such In
aues does and ought TO do. They used such discre
lion as Is allowed TO every almlar Invest CATION, calling
for witnesses and in judging whether their testimony
would be material, but they were held TO the thorougi
discharge OF their duty by such consideration OF cyl
| dcnce as Is rarely offered the minds OF men. The
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