New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-15

TTUTdgITUH
grown lnconvenently large COLOMBO ibid xv. A.
By tne Platform further, pastor had no such general
gregatonaly common for the last century and half II
smut him up TO be the minister of his own church alone
yIbd lx. 81 and II reduced him to the ranks of the
iay at once H. at any time his official relation to that
end. Ibid, tx, ~
A CHANGE OF CHURCH POLICY
In view of these facts submit that there Ia no such
paralleism between the neutrality-suspicious. at
end but not at the oiher-comparatvey unraterna
and undeveOped mdependoney out OF which the Cam
bridge Platform grew and to which its provisions
adjusted and the Brownstlc democratic, liberal, AMI
universally fner-communicating and incrresponsble
Congregationalsm which has taken its place, as will
justify the rig and narrow application OF any section Of
that ancient instrument to the strict regulation OF our
modern affairs. Historically it has great value Its
spirit Is, IN many things, quickening and instruc-
tive. But DR. Bacon said OF 1t before the National
Council of 1865: 1t is valuable means OF
showing how little churches have departed from the
original principles and methods Of their pov. than
guide 10 the manner in which those principles applied
present day" Debates &c. 1873 Aud for the Advisory
Council, with DR. Bacon AT lis head to undct Ike TO dra
implicit submission to the tpstSsDtis rerbs Of its Third
way OF communion, as II 10 were slatulo
Sinai and for Prof. Dwight to tel lis that that Third
ls tne h,oo WY III mHe ~ VIC eIIon a, ~, A
with this scandal and to insist thatf any departure from
building will fall in ruins" is preposerousy absurd
as 10 undertake TO cover the nakedness OF the
man with the weayed but much. matched garments OF
his youth back the great oak Of the Common
wealth Of Massachusetts. She is to-day into the acorn
OF her ancient colonial vassaago TO the charter OF
Dorchester adventures and the first Charles
For myself believe. and before get through mean
to prove, that the Cambridge Platform, in its Third Way
of Communion does contemplate tine trial and deposition
Of pastor, where necessary, by Council even when
that pastor and the majority of his church refuse GO,
operation But, If did not so believe, should stu
claim all existing conditions 70 he changed that the
Platform cannot honestly be interpreted to veto such ac
ton.
NOT CONGREGATIONAL PoIITY
H. But all this, although calculated to awaken aston
shment and regret that portion of the Congregational
light which the New-aven Seminary should. i'll this
instance be obscured by the darkness of papabe mis-
conception and inaccuracy is of comparatively minor I'M
portance The great objection which press against the
view which Dr. Dwight advocates is that ii defends the
Advisory Council in urging upon the Congregational
Churches m unnatural and unphilosophical misrcprc
sentation of their polty which becomes malignant when
it is to render it poweress 20 protect itself from the
possible scandal OF impure ministry. As to this ask
leave to present the following suggestions:
a. ThcCongregational system has had gradual growth
and one OF its marked pecuarites has its power OF
symmetrzng itself it has encountered conditions OF
broader demand and of adapting itself To emergencies as
they might arise lis Fundamental tenet ON when IL
Dounccd by Robert Browne. in 15S2 in the PROPOSITION
that any "cOmpanc number OF CHRISTIANS or DcocutIs,
which by willing covenant made with their God, are
vnder the government OF God aud Christ ana kcp' ms
etc, 1D is a church. This ten years brDrc the
formation OF the church ~ Johnson ant AIMS.
worth and fourteen before that ot Nobusln ana
SInyth; most likely IL was written before Browne
himself had organized any church, and yet the system
then ay in his mind made provision for the coac-
ton Of such individual churches through council As
he says, a Synolc is aoyuIs or parlahns oI Inc a-
ihortie Of mamie churches mrtc ~ pea Tor re-
dreSse ana deciding Of mat or which cannot "tI beo
wise taken yI-when the weaker cufc1s sccAe helpe ol
the stronger for deciding 0 m 'r-i or csc
the stronger locke 10 them Tor Ielre>s 'H ~ i.u
the struggle then practical Wa win ti' S3c tt
national BODY. the nasccnt tougrcsaouali,n o ta da
was Tel 10 emphasize especially the night az litt" local
uCiv in 1889. Francis JohnS1u's True Dt-cfiiuu out
of the Word OF God, OF the Visible Church said nothing
"as is IN this present world cpnsi.icth OF com
cred IN The name of Christ Jesus &c. a.. ~. By 1896,
however when the eN In Amsterdam published their
value and necessity of mutual hepfuluess and 90 they
made ii an OF their confederation That though
congregations thus distinct and several bod}er,
every compact elite IN tselfc yet are they all t.
wake by One and the came rule aud los a mcaucs
vcneui To haue the COUNSEL and help one Oi another u
all necdfuil aiiayrc' Of tue churcn" O. iIEr
Confession, DC, @o) might thus ninueg
Cotton and Davenport and Hooker aud three genera
ona Council IN 1871, showing how every feature which
tnOw pOsscseb 10y which j. aCishcd from hc E-
tive way OF the last decade of me sixteenth century ha
been evolved i'm tle iui and legitimate Application OF
its few fundamental TfhcprS 10 lIe,i'IaI! mcAs''hl
and unforeseen neccsscs To be able TO do this is Con
gregationalisIn
PEECEDENTs NoT NECESSARY.
C2l II has therefore never been regarded sufficient
reason for tie uOnalOptiOn If needed Improvements,
that no exact precedent ont Of the Congregational past
could be produced 10 warrant it, That IL is demanded
and that IL can be met by action consonant with those
fundamental principles has been held TO DC enough The
very change 10 which have eady referred b. wichtLc
semi Presytoianism IL that early Massachusetts, theory
which in every church lodged the power OF government
in what was practically session OF NE elders, and only
the power of privilege" in the general membership be
came gradually transformed into the pure democracy Of
.-for Tt.Ff The rrlg .f frf he
ministers as body 10y Jealous pert nacity of tho pco
pc responsive 20 the pressure OF influences which eradu
ally prepared the way FOR and then compelled Repuhl-
cauism in the state improvements" inconsistent with
again in Nia,sachusctts-thc last effort hcns
led OF lHely as lsli-G by 80 good
gregationali-ts been invited in vain 10 consent to
some plan by which greater efficacy can he secured for
bc turned into little Prcsbytcrcs, ana be- authorized 10
override the local churches. To be sure their results
inst TO fail of lust consent But churches in general
Jealous OF their liberties ana prefer 10 pear thc Ills
thew have than fy TO others that they know not Of
l2g - I"S s mat whenever M. eroyth of
the country the advance OF culture the general modca-
rrs necessary some new adjustment Of or methods
that adjustment should take place. and may orderly
take place in any manner wisely "i1pcd to ne desired
cud which OileIa 40 violence 10 our 5cnlial tcnes.
TIE TRIiL or ACCUSED MINISTER'S.
a. That some method should exist Of regularly deter
mining the guilt or innocence Of minister accused Of
srapdaous crime; and-shOuid he be found gliliy-Of
terminatiug a responsibility Tor, and bearing solemn
public testimony against him. IT, on the face Of it,
prime necessity to any pOlty which conempatcs the
proclamation from It's pupis Of gospel OF purity, ana
which relies in it, work upon the confidence OF men aud
the beEcdiction OF God
"a Therefore the Congregational polity must have
or must crcatc-such a method. And should, In the
passage ~ years, individual case arise within the
circle OF its ministry peculiar that IT cannot be
touched in the following Of all ancient prcccdcnts that