New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-15
DIR. BACON on PLYMOUTH COUNCIL.

DR. BACON on PLYMOUTH COUNCIL.
| DEACON WEsTs CAsE-FAILURE or THE MUTUAL
coUNcTL-ExPEcTATroS TO INVESTIGATE THE
| SCANDAL.
FRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF 1Hs TRIBUNE !
NEw-HAvEy, March 1i.-Dr. Bacon resumed his
lecture on Plymouth Council this afternoon He
said:
The fourth question in et:ernissivo relates To the
request which member OF That church, formerly NJ
its deacons deacon Hest-wnon believe To DE good
laitnin honest man. and in 1879 brought against
Theodore lton for slandering Mr. BeecherIad made
for a mutual council. The question Is fought this
church TO have called inu ual other council of
chutehes Tor the purpose Of investigating the character
OF It's pastor DC The ~ the Council Isl "Tho
church the tribunal appointed by Christ for the nves
gitun OF mo onenses OF its members" &c. Remember
TINS No member OF church possibly have right
aY cnss 10 rsI9eit TO mutual council in
west requested the church 10 call mutual council for
certain purpose Mutual between wnomi between him
sell ana Dir. Beecherf There was question pending
before the church between him and Mr. Beecher parties
Mutual between the church and Mr. Beecher The church
an M beecher were agreed-weie both on the same
He OF every possible Question Mutual between Deacon
brtween him aud tie church that time iii remember
the facts was this very question whether there should
DE mutual council aud 10 call mutual council for the
q mutual council for some other purpose Is absurd
hun to position in which night reasonably have re-
quesed mutual council 4" for the purpose investi
hlm his fault bctworn tiee and him alone
II he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother. But
Brother West take with thee or two more, that in
the mouth OF two three witnesses every word may be
is this tuird direction, "Te It the church" That tell
ing it to the church mplios by the nature OF the case.
charges thspec1caons OF the facts that constitute the
and tuat he shall be Responsible TO prove the facts
which lie alrms in his specIhcatiOs Then and not I'LL
them 1t Is his right to ask tGat the case thus brought TO
the church may be tried by a council.
w, to the question concerning the failure OF
the negotiations with hIrs MOuon Tor a mutual council
the hth question Of the letterinissiye- The answer
ri
cipe the particular facts may Do contested Win al
os, S ob ST ." in eS Of fm %as BE Church.
20 the two neghboring churches Sh,uld
Prs or NOT at ALL o Il should not have been
made or even hinte after permitting those letters OF
On would be more manifest st we We're pl not Ip
Church had no scrupe about nominating on tueI
their declared aud partisan friends Ihey mten1u
10 nominate and kueT they nominated on ther oNp sue
pastors and chuicH's wI0 were rs declared ~
ties as Drs StOrrs and BudiugtOn are antiJ}etcher.
ties" mutual council ought to be mutually aereeu
upon that botn parties can trust it, and 30 tha the
public may respect IL and accept IT'S rsult sos for
churches winch are not committed send. and avoid get
ting pastors and Delegates into the bear garden you
Inc m question invites the Council to review the en-
tire history OF the plymouth Church aud TO gEe aofce
church. Yet tney say Inc Council vl9iaae' , its
ocean intentionally Every church there understood
thu tue Council was TO investigate al that tho ciod
in regard To tho great scandal that mas heo TUG
whole world. -, A., ,,.,,
AZ il nad right do. considered Whatever tue churc
AID done and Whatever il uad not done OF what !. 9usnt
TO have done may do, In relation 10 the scanda con-
uccted with ho name Of ITS pastor lt refused 70 con
sdtr what the ehufcn did IN Inc ease OF MI no nr
What tha church had dore in tho ease OF
Mr., Noulton It took up the manner OF constituting
the mvestigang committee Of 1874 then It recognized
the fact that outside of tat church the result OF nat
inquest and Of the further trial In eiyil court
IS not satisfactory TO all. And for that red,
S. not have been there IL they had not expected TO
pronounce upon that question DR.. sturtS'ant Would
not have been there. DT; warren you'd no. haye
1crn there aud Gov Dinglcy. ! have reason 70
AFFIRM would NOT have been there n had not Ceen l1rl
understanding 1t did not undertake coany lR ouu
v.e the church how to get fair and thor0ugh nyest
CATION Of the facts what Is the plan ~ me encn Is
primarily responsible Tnat il ongregatioiIllsm snh
there is not any The independence OF each chch
the very cornerstone ana Keystone too' y, ISb
gitlOnalism q sys,cm. (2 In many eases the chIch
delegates to committee 9i lts own bh ,hs the
ceJdOna cases To council OF lts nesDor s, ' h
duty OF finding the facts and reporting Nhlt shOulu NC
pained that MI. Van COTS lcter WIS not h
enough TO ne read IN Plymouth Church meeting, ne
tne girIs stay awayi What KIND a church meeting IS
that before which twO-trds or tbe qurstOis WHICH no
TO investigated cannot be mentonedI lSJ issesd pl
committee OF church members 1t IL lrOposed that tIc
church that duty tn 1--we emuen men outside OF
IFS ovn membership and the Council nlnlnatCs ~, Tuh
among whom five shalt be selected. men whose names
alone should warrant TO the public0f I'll competency
know Dr. sorrs. and greatly esteem MIN iOf MS pro
found learning, for his unsurpassed eoluehce ior ms
power as preacher, foT his dignity anu weight OF cha
acter H. stands second. in my esteem 70 no living MN
ill., cIrsg which ne took Sunday evening and last even
ing into which lac is leading his church aud he churches
that will follow him. H. painful 20 because IL ~ NEON
salient with the respect and honor which owe to hi
and which will not cease to pay him.
The Council appointed commission 10 Try chalses'
prefcrrcd by some responsible party to the church In
church uare not refuse receive the advice OF the COM
ml sion if charges arc brollgnt by responsible com
planant if tine commission shall DO constituted anu
charges made before IT, ,..,,,
in regard 10 the effect Of this TRIAL Cong egtonallsnl
III II .halI destroy attempt to make II seer sali
thank Cad IL but the solvent OF all stcts
and il Won make IL a il Il the meaueSt 0f all Again,
there il tal OF Dr. stOrrs leaving the Congregatohi
Church He cannot leave any church but the Chlrch Oh
the Pilgrims There Is Congregational chuch that IN
cludes All Others there Is among the PresDyerahs
hut each is independent. standing By tel associat g
with others the sort MS IL rleases- that IL ts
| life, beauty, and power.