New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-01
THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Yrrrrp From PROF. DWIGHT.

TUE COUNCILS DECIARATfoNs--A COUNCIL that
WoCIp DE OF ONE MIND IN CoNYICIING MIX
BEhCugI.
70 me EDITOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: In nv second letter to THE TRIBUNE
rdiscussed the subject the Investigating Commission
proposed by the Council, and defended IL against 'ne
criticisms OF the five gentlemen with whom my readers
are familiar 1t remains for 10 defend the Conhc
against their equally remarkable criticisms OF Iho o'Do
points in the result which is adopted 1t "ohd SEEM III
ordinary cases. that body of 246 Christian ministers
and delegates sitting In conference for nine Gays WIN
much prayer and elaboration, would have come 10
ras,It which contained some sngo point that was
worthy of COMMUNICATION. But unfortunately II was hoO
40 In this case Nothing which we said or dd meets tHo
favor Of the critics Our action is taken up step by step
by these eminent doctors OF divinity, ana ater OeIA5
subjected 70 the most fiery ard rhetorical trial. II Is ai'o
gethar and unsparngly condemned. Or. Storrs ihti-
mates that stands perpiexed and almost a5hasS
before one Of the proposals. DR.. bartlett says We
blush Def 10 such an exhibition" Pref Mead speaks Oh
the Council as having made bad matter worse DT.
Dexter expresses the opinion that 1t viii have 10 pac
teal bearing on the COngregatiOnalsm o. the futuie
These particular remarks, indeed are mndc IA reier-
encc u one another point in the result out DrS'
storrs and Dexter give expression to TIE same sentiment
as they review The document from beginning 10 ehd' IL
Il. however very comforting 20 and have no coaD'
IN the er members " the Council TO be assured that
rr Bartlett has Thorough confidence in our integrity
and sincerity" and that Prof Mead thinks We are es
mabe and honest men,, and that Dr. storrs' thouh NC
holds that we had no "uausual moral weight" and
though Lie has learned from friend who nae e"reiuiy
examined the statistics, that some Of us represented
seeopd or third class churches in respect to NUMBERS
and public influence" We are still persons OF lar aoy
and respectable character" Our errors tbeh' wore Vi
the head and of the heart; and we nave 'ho pleasing
assurance that, when Of these gentlemen slHi.s
apbot and another bushes IL not at or sns ont ohy
q. oar fpy We are al truly grateful TO the Church Of
The PIlgrims snre foI sending out 2'oJO o. hc'
letter Of recommendation" OF Us "to the confidence OF
tho churches" far our character Is eocerne"'
Weak but eoodl
DROPPING OF CHURCH MEMBERS.
Put en- o., as regards the influence OF action on tho
churches the evil may be as great as II We had neh-
eratoly intended and how great is the cluos 'e US
There arc three points ia tho result OF the Council
besides those already oons3srod They are lis decara
tions first respecting the so-caled dropping OF
eh1reb members, secondly respecting the rSats ana
priyegos u parties IN selecting mula! COUNCIL anu
thirdly respecting the ianciei conct between us uo
cisin ana that OF the Brooklyn Council OF lS'1 "ltA
regard to the Of these points there has been III
vision between the party TO which these gentlemen De-
Ion. and many other Congregationaiss since this
Brooklyn excitement began three years ago tut II
understand S.orTs an Dexter, they Dom no" at'
what the opposing perty have claimed-nalney thst
church NAV sepsrate a member from It's communion
"vi,hout formal censuro, in many cases IN when the
member xnies by his that he has abandoned Tel
lowship With that church IN doctrine or worship or
Christian sympsthy." The question, Therefore, Is
narrowed 1T present to The case OF members VINO
openly and VIGOROUSLY abandon all eominunioH WIN
the church. and also charged with scsndaons or
tense either DIV public by specific allegations"
with reference to persons OF this class, church
ever nd itself OF them except b. public ual ana
formal excommuBicationf The Advisory Council Oh
this subject used the following language; In such
case the church may to avoid greater scandal use
wise discretion IN selecting the oense which snail
separate him from it's fellowship and dilchaTge Itself
from all responsibility for his conduct and ohsr"cter
IL will noticed that this passage y wiliieA NlI care
And with the cslmness which belongs 10 the Result OF
an ecclesiastical council 1t says church "may," in
such cases, "use q wise discretion" in selecting The
ooeDse in order 70 "avSd greater scandal" 1t thus
allows church. not generally or universally Dut N GER
tain cases, where greater injury viii be the lesat OF
spreadnc public al the details OF the scandal
Gus eense which charged 10 Determine IN The use OF
wise discretion which of two pcssDlc courses VIII adopt
When The civil law provides that court may, under
certain circumstances and for special emo take TINS or
that particular according to its discretion, have
never supposed that any one would regard the provision
rs pecous on the ground that It's direct tendency to
lead the violate tine usual order IN OIL oven the
most fragrant cases. have even supposed That The
LANGUAGE used very clearly indicates the opposite
Ent Dr. soTrs, In the following eloquent passage, OK
presses his view OF what this statement OF tho Council
means:
In effect 1t relieves every church from TIE duty Of nvcst
T. DO examined He changed WIN ios r. 'inl'efy
sianar Win sasran breach u ,.sst Il na5 $50 for
somg nms ben a2'ss s iIh s tl e. Is sco Ito To
th deciasios c Tie Colnc tho church which he aces
"a uuiI msdies otist.on 70 ne c1mTuhiS 70 Sie
sAsine u. sroands d De uAs,i9g sCsuse d. sCSa "
sbd DO sustained by unansseIaoe proof Taat eAdfc1 = At
nberY IA Ss. On. I,g ~; " 49, ' sS, w., t
ss cioond q is continued absence from cHniC Ihe
s sss" ysTes 10 dad5 itioa rsesncs 70 aag sasp
IN Sss eiscrt5s inca casIc6 must e4t 10
inces'aous CorHthap person whom PaCl Would have lad
maniOu because Of irregular o-u en- ei'endAace
TIGERS ~ PUBLIC PAEHs.
The effectiveness " these words must have been very
great upon the audience which assembled 10 hear them,
bat 1t vac greater than 1t would have been II tho
Advisory Council had been present walking home,
toward evening. l will suppose, with Of my
colleagues l say to him I tlgk, il use a wise
discretion the selection OF them, You and may intro
duce three animals into grounds 10 asserts,
and separate quietly for Tie night On aSaking in
the nora;ng zee great crowd Of my nehbors la the
street and the loud Of OF them addressing
the rest Irush my hou,e TO know the OF the
disturbance and snd that the speaker is stirring the
crywd the highest excitement, by telling them that,
on the preceding afternoon Lad used language which
"n eject opened way for tho introduction OF
ten tigers lztO every yard in the street TIE whole
matter had been left the wise discretion Of each nd
yiusl householder; ksd though 20 DO sure. might 10
aid" 90 quote Dr. s0rss SOr tiat gOod seiise 'nti
yet good aud Christian feeling s0msunos suileI q
snspsnsep NO limit set ~ MS renars 70 the OK
OF auy individual All that he say lie afds y that he
Is astOnishod at sueh exhibition OF sanlsn folly, aud
ali 10 follow lis. I 20 up 90 hlin with al
and beg him bs quiot My scar nlesa. say. lot me
others There snoh sgIRcalcs Ia ny language as
you SUPPOSE Tigers are not At MI In accordance Niti
my taste la iSot would not have one my PIAZZA OH
my But you stated, be replies. wise dlsoo-
Al kulu ntli a 1. XUuz eIkl lus