The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-17
THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Proceedings in Plymouth
Church Yesterday.
MIR. SHEARMAN'S ADDRESS.
The Course Of Plymouth Church
Under Review.

The Advisory Council called upon to decide certain
questions as Congregational usages reassembed in
Plymouth church yesterday morning halfp nine
O'Clock There large attendance many ladies &C.
cupying in the gallery. The proceedings were
opened with devotional exercises the Rev Dr. Marsh
presiding. The minutes OF the previous meeting were
after some slight alterations, approved
GUN.
The Rev. DR.. BELL opened the proceedings by moving
two resolutions folIows:-
Resolved That 1t is our firm belief that the Rev
Henry Ward Beecher is innocent OF tho crimes pub
hcly laid TO his charge
Resolved, That we regard with profound admiration
and gratitude the unshaken and loving faith and trust
and devotion of the members and congregation of
pecaIy because that by these have been enabled to
arrive at all the facts by which know OF his nno
cence and especially So too because that thus we have
exemplihed the beauty fidelity ana glory OF the faith
as IL is in Christ Jesus, our Saviour and our Lord.
He added that he could give good reasons why the
Resolutions should be adopted. Mankind waiting
TO know the opinion of the Council assembled from all
parts Of the United States upon the subjects embraced
in the resolutions.
The Moderator, after some discussion, decided that
the subjects embraced in the resolutions were not
properly before the Council present, and ordered
their reference to the committee
MR. VESTS STATEMENT AND PROTEST
Professor ABBOTT OF the Business Committee reported
the protest OF William " West against the action Of
plymouth church refusing to call mutual council
his request should be read TO the Council The COM
mittee expressed no opinion upon it, but they did not
want 1t SAID that an ex officer and member oil Plymouth
church had requested that his grievances should be laid
before the Council and had been refused
The communication, alter being read referred to
the fourth special committee; and Mr. Thomas q.
Shearman continued the statement ofPymouth church's
difficulties.
MR. snEARMAS's ADDRESS
SHEARMAN
who had gone before had laid the pretty clearly
before the Council. and he would try to connne himself
TO subjects which had been scarcely touched upon by
the pastor or his brother, Dr. Edward Beecher. He
alluded briefly to the difficulties by which the church
had been surrounded Tor years, declaring that the out
side critics who said the path straight before the
church had never agreed on what that path was
There was 10 one step which the church
had taken from beginning to end that had
not been advised and counselled and Endorsed
denounced it as evasve sometimes wicked after 1t
was done This Council had been called upon two
classes of questions the first being whether there is
any method by which a church may be permitted to
part with living member other than by letter of
dismisson or formal excommuncation After very
careful study OF the proceedings OF the Brooklyn Coun
Gil of 1874 the only reference TO that point he found
was the following we say distinctly that
the idea OF membership Congregational
the individual member and the church, and
that this respons bility does not cease till
the church by some formal and corporate has de-
clared the dissolution Of the covenant" He
able TO ind anything which implied that the formal
censure He had been unable 10 find any such declar
alton by any council since the old cambridge plat
form--a council held 80 years ago, in which
IRENE effort was made to reconcile Congregationalsm
and Presby lcrlaDism That declared that membership
could only by letter accommodation Is such
the usage at the present day Hundreds OF churches
In their denominations have an express provision, by
which they enable members TO depart from their midst
without receiving letter OF dsmission and without
being accommodated. II that were wrong, then the
Council would have to cut of fellowship from at least
fourth Of the Congregational churches in the land
IL is said he continued that DO not drop members
from the roll, we simply lay them aside. We put them,
Il were, straw. They are still members, but not
perhaps in good and regular standing and we have
separate list of such. Among the manuals
which are In my possession two which
undertake to give IN detail the history of each
member ind rom these that II is a constant prac-
tice for members to 20 away and Join another church
without asking letters OF dismisson Now what is to be
done with those members OF church which says IL Will
not drop them from the roly have here the manual
of church which insists on this theory; gives what
purports to be full list OF members, the names OF
those who AFTER being called in two annual meetings
charged with absence from communion have been
dropped In answer to an inquiry he said it was Gin
ton avenue church.
our rule requires q two-thlrds vote Of the church.
Amer the recommendation OF the Examining Commit
lee, notice shall be gwen 10 the members and the
members mast not only be shown to have been alb
Tentees, but II must be shown that they have aban-
doned the church.
Mr. shearmau went on to refer to the practice OF
other living churches In Rev. DR.. Pattons church, in
Chicago, when member finds that he has been self
deceived, he upon declaration OF that fact be
moved from the roll Now, should Plymouth church
bring to account every whom the rules Obliged
them TO dropY Would 1t be right to try all these men,
bers and excom them the face the world
II not better to ceal with them in quiet Chris
The sneaker reviewed the preliminary negotiations
with Mrs. Moultons lawyer, looking TO mutual
Gil We knew, he said, that Mr. Van Colt the
right hand OF the Church of the Pilgrims,
knew II would be preposierous 10 lay il down a
dtion that he should not inform his pastor Of the OBJ
iections We thought IL fair and just TO advance
these objections that they might not be raised when
the Council was called II is said we postponed action
until we learned whether these two churches were to
the Council That rs true. We waited until
heard that the two pastors did propose to come In,
before making these suggestions
''The sixth question is whether Plymouth church. in
the principles and rules which IL has provided for the
maintenance Of order and the administration OF dis
cpline, in any known cases OF It's administration
under those principles aud rules has gone beyond its
rights a church Of Christ, justly TO forfeit its
claim to the confidence and fellowship OF Congrega-
tional churches 2"
discaim most emphatically on behalf OF the church
and committee 10 put technical construction on this
question We have always understood that this Coun-
ell BE- called 10 consider and advise upon all tho
questions which before this church The question
Is before you in the broadcast possible form. We dis
claim all limitations We desire you TO take the broad
est liberty and 70 give the fullest advice
AT this point the Council adjourned till two O'Clock
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Council reassembled shortly after two O'Clock
The galleries pretty we'll niled, among the audi
ence being large number OF ladies'. The Assistant
Moderator, Ex-Governor Dtngley, OF Maine, called the
Council 70 order, announcing that Mr. Sherman would
resume his statement on behalf Of Plymouth church
The MODERATOR (Dr Bacon) here arrived and stated
That communication had beon received cordially in
VtinR the brethren composing the Council to attend
convenient the MONDAY prayer meeting at the
OF Clinton and Fulton streets and that prayer had al
ready been offered up that the Council might be guided
IN It's deliberations
be opened with prayer which was done, alter which
Mr. sherman resumed his address,
After making this suggestion OF objections 10 the two
named Brooklyn churches, he said, and Offering 10
keep IL entirely prvaIe-icayng that OF course, as We
were bound do, TO the discretion OF the counsel OF
Mrs Mouhon-wc accompanied the suggestion with the
inusg distinct and emphatic statement that we did not
for one moment propose TO withdraw from the mutual
council because suggestions we're overlooked or
srerarded but under all circumstances 10 80 on with
any Cnurches whatsoever which Mr.. Van Colt might
choose 10 select This statement we repeated verbally
again and again and 10 was given TO him
A.. ~ waa