, 1876-04-09

zion, providing anIagency to give it additions
responsibility, and to furnish it On oppor
tunity to get into being and action. (S) Il
placed Drs. r. S. STORES and BuDNaroN in I
dilemma. If they consented to serve on tht
Committee of Five, they would be compelled
to accept and use the Commission, the crea
ton Of which they hnd SO severely criticised
if they refused to serve on it, it would be said
that they clamored for an investigation, ye'
declined to act Us investigators A long and
earnest discussion ensued, which resulted in
the adoption Of the proposition mentioned
above, and in the rejection Of Prof MARTINS
substitute, that the Association do its own
| Investigating. The resistance to the pro-
| posed Committees action was on the ground
that it would not command public confidence
while connected with q Commission 50 widely
repudiated by the denomination
After the action, protest was submit tied,
setting forth this objection, aud resolutions
were offered reciting the true doctrines Of
/ Congregationnlism in the respects involved.
When these were tabled, DR.. R. S. SToRRs,
BuD1SeroN, and TAYLOR, and the Rev. Mr.
McFAR1AND New York correspondent Of the
CongregahonaIsD, withdrew from member
! ship in the New York and Brooklyn Associa-
] ton. This probably means, first Of all, de-
| termination to be out Of the local Association
! which includes HENRY WARD BEEcHER.
These distinguished ministers have submitted,
! as long as they think that duty required, to
| the unpleasant fact that they were members
Of the Same Association, and were thus in
dorsers of his character and responsible for
an investigation Of the charges made against.
him. Having failed to induce that body to
take such step as would command public
confidence, and thinking that it had commit
ted itself to revolutionary doctrines and prac-
tees, they entered their protest and with
drew thus clearing their skirts Of RESPONSE
bility for Mr. BEEcHER and for the new Con-
gregationalism.
But probably something further is meant.
The joint withdrawal of four such ministers
points to united action in the future, es-
pecial1y in view Of the fact that several 9TH
ers are known to sympathizo with them,
such as Drs. WARD, MARTIN, and ScUnDER.
As every recognized Congregational minister
is member of some District Association, and
through it Of the State Association, these
gentlemen will not be content with the mere
ly negative oct Of withdrawal It has been
supposed that Drs. SroRns and BUDme1os
might become Presbyterians If no satisfac-
tion could DO had in their present relations.
But this joint action with DR.. TAYLOR and
others points to another course. They will,
70 doubt, proceed to organize d new Associa- |
ton for that region, to which will gather !
those like minded, leaving Mr.. BEEcHEn to |
the immediate fellowship of those who be- |
ieve in his innocence. This step will make
profound sensation in the denomination, |
end will deepen the feeling which already e1-
lists among the churches- It does not neces-
sari1y indicate danger Of like separa-
tons elsewhere; because the sensitive
ness will naturally be less at q dis |
tance than in the Association where the
accused man is member, and on the ground
where the criticised Council has been held.
In other places, those Of differing judgments
will probably be satisfied with earnest discus
sion Of the principles involved. Yet it is ev-
ident that much sore feeling exists, and the
special Congregational advocates of Mr..
BEEcuER and Plymouth Church are under
stood to be loud in their condemnation Of the
ministers and religious papers that are not in
harmony with their judgment. As to the de-
nominational religious papers, the Advisory
Council finds favor only with the Christian
Mirror (Alaine), whose proprietor and editor
were members OF thnt body. AS the Inde-
pendent is wholly anti-BEEcHER, the Christian
Union, BEEcWR's own paper, would seem to
be all that is left for their patronage of the
undenominational papers, and that is report
ed to have fallen off immensely in its circu-
lation since its editor was subjected to such
serious charges.
Meanwhile, the Andover movement is not
get abandoned If the sixty days shall pass
without the constituting Of the Commission, ,
Or if the Commission shall begin the form Of .
IN Investigation, when it is known that the 7
principal witnesses refuse to appear before
t because Of it's one-sided origin, tho Ando-
'er Church will probably renew its attempt
o hive thorough investigation by Coun- :
ii such as would be called to try charges
against any other accused minister. If Plym- I
'uth Church shall refuse to cooperate in this :
method, as now seems certain will be the !
:ase, Andoyer will proceed, alone or in asso-
:ation with some other church, to call such i
Council, to examine into offered evidence,
nd to decide whether denominationa1
fellowship shall longer be extended to =
Ir. BMoHER as q minister. Perhaps =
he case Of Mrs. T1lTos will suffice g
or action, after, in addition to the evidence t.
+ AIr. and Mrs. MoU1roy and Mr. Tn1oS, 8
hat of Mrs. BRADSHAW, Miss ANTHONY, Mr. T
nd Mrs. R1oHAnDs, Mr. CARPENTER, and Mrs. i
IooKER shall have been heard. If not, in II
will probably be made Of three OF Il
our Of tho many similar cases which are
legged. By more or less definite ru1uor. to t u