The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-21
THE COUNCIL OF EVASION.
CALLED ny HENRY Wand BEECHER
the ADTISORY COUNCIL.

1tffiD III ~ ~ IT " u ~ BEEtHH NIX
THE ADTISORY COUNCIL.
-
How They mny March up HIii aud March
Down AsPin-A Possible Check TO New
Inquiry -Beocher's Law OF selection.
The delegates to Mr.. Beecher's select
council were, yesterday, for tho most part 10
Brooklyn, walking In tho sunshine, preaching
or church-going. Tho lay delegates attended
the large churches. The Rev. DIR. wolcott OF
Cleveland preached In tho morning In the Purl-
tan Church In La Fayette avenue, and the Rev.
ID. W. Marsh OF Owego In the evening. The Rev.
Frank Russell OF Kalamazoo preached In the
Park Congregational Church, OF which be was
formerly pastor; the Rev. w. ID. Wright OF Dos-
ton preached in the South Congregational
Church the Rev. o. 9. Deane' OF Indianapolis
preached In tho Harrison Street Church In tho
morning, aud tho Rev. J. l.. X. Trssk .of Hol-
yoke In the evening. Other ministers we're sim
Harry employed.
Tho council Is to Reasonable In secret session
this afternoon, and II is expected that the Com
mttee OH the Sixth Question will DO ready to
report This question, In the letter missive.
usksi
vcs Il han proyded for tie Of orer he
administration OF discipline. or Ia known eases OF
beyond IT, rights As church Of Christ 60 as jniy to
forfeit ts ciin 10 the confidence and fellowship Of
Congregations churchcsY
Under the liberal construction placed upon
this question by the church committee, the
council have been able to go into the scanda as
much as they have, for tho question OF the
! thoroughness OF tho investigaton into MIR.
Beechers guilt or Innocence arises out OF the
! consideration OF tho administration OF Its dis
cipline. The sixth Committee are to make tho
most important report OF all, and whatever
withdrawing IL TO be done must be doue In
connection With the action of tho council
whether or NOS Plymouth Church should
! join In a further inves gation Of tho pastors
| guilt or Innocence, leaving IL to the council to
| decide what the Investigation shall be. The de-
sire OF the Plymouth Cnurch committee has
| evidently been that this Committee aud the
council Shall decide tnat having settled 1.-THE
| tney ought not To have their Cnri.tian work in,
| terruptcd by Investigations demanded from
| without. While sir. Shearmar, DIR. Beecher,
aud Ross Raymons have reiterated the willing
ness of the churcn to pursue amy other investi-
cstion the council may adyise, yet this profer
has Oeen almost Invariably accomp MED BY the
| viii not settle the question nnY better. or that
ANYTHING substantially additional can ee gained
| by II.
The multiplied Influences OF tho church have
put the members OF the council into such
! PROPAGATION VIII serve 70 maze them lLulct
| another Investigation on Mr. beechcr, for whom
! there exists the deepest sympathy In the hole
Ihe Ecclesas,ical Council asked for by the
| Andoyer Church Is questioned 90 the grounds
OF Concreg .ttonnl comiiy as well - p1lity, the
call having been made after the lettof misslves
for an advisory council were sent out. This
| question w.s rhsed by Prof Dwight OF Yale
| theological seminary. the rival OF the Andover
Seminary, and the decision OF II was referred to
/ a special committee Of seven. with Dr. Bacon as
the Chairman and Prof. Dwight MS member.
| The letter was read to the council before IL was
presented to the church TO which II was ad-
dressed, and II was not un.il utter consultation
with the managing DELEGATES that IL was read IL
IL believed that this effort TO Investigate, which
is not welcomed by Mr. Beechef will fall
through. II IL does. the counci's deliber tons
viii serve but to fortiiy Plymouth Church in It's
designed In the beginning.
The decision of the council on the eccleslasti-
cal questions is not looked for with much inter-
est. Mr.. Beecher mas already promised to alter
the rule for drooping members
The council went into secret session with not
much difference OF opinion as to the regularity
OF Plymouth Church's dealings with Mrs. Moul-
tor, ana no adverse advice Is expected on this
Inc deliberations of the council have shown
that of the two hundred and twenty-seven
members VINO went into the secret session there
less than ten strong ministers and five or Il Z
able Law delegates, aud the predictions OF all
these are in Mr. Bsecher's favor. with the excep-
tion OF the lay delegates who were chosen 10y
their churches at home, the ministers have
been selected for having said or done
favor for Mr. Beecher. DR.. Bacon preJudged
Mrs Moulton's case In a New Haven lecture
Lyman Abbott wrote an elaborate defence OF
MIR. Beecher, which was printed In Hdtpcr'
rem edits the Christian Mirror. which has sup
ported the church In its dealings with Mrs
Moulton, and eG-GOy. Dlngiey publishes it
Mr.. Boecher IN lss4. IhO Rcy. T.. B IlinVham OF
Rockville, Conn, s relative of Publisher Cleve-
land. Samuel ScOville is the pastors son-in-
law. Dr. Marsh. Of Owego, succeeded James
B'echer As PASTOR and Is "a close friend Of Gen
Is. +. Tracy, and others are ia the council from
their favorable connection with the pastor and
| his friends. DR.. Strong, Of oNbury, WAS added
to the list after it was 1rst made out, because In
the Boston Interview with MIR. lieecher, where
the Rev. ID. q. Mears and W. b. Wright were. he
developed much enthusiasm for the pastor
| Ntth these sentinels In the ranks, and tho m a.
iOnty Of delegates who Will do nothing but vote
the pastors inter sts are safe III the councif'
| hands. DR.. Wellman, DIR. Strong, Of Minnesota
and Dr. Wolcott are apparently the most able
ministers IN the council who are not partisans
and judge Mithe, Judge Griuneil, ana Gen
BunkcThoh are doubtless the representative
fair-minded lay delegates. There are at least
two hundred mempcrs in the council who have
become loyal under MIR. Beecher's tears.
DEEcnER's SUNDAY SERVICE.
A thousand persons waited yainy at the doors
opportunity TO enter. "A spriukliug Of the dele
gates 10 the council was in every part OF the
church. one, layman, MIR; shaw Of kans as
VITO was found outside, hOp peless of getting in
by MIR. Bcecher, sat on the platform.
Mr.. Beechcr prayed:
May Thy servants that are prOVdentially IN ou
md. erleG 10y iny RrpVdenGe' & oe Ere9ty blessed =
Of heaven, of the vision of - glory. II they ia ac
Comfort other. tnai are IN lfoabc Ne prsy that tc
hVusthold' III er absence may be in the very shadow
carrylns 5es.ns! Grant t6cs an ensrscment
tha.r soul, toward Christ a more eminent faitn an'
growing years tnry may grow In Chrlst.
The sermon contained no reference to thu
sclud j.
ing. In the opening prayer Mr.. Salter askeC
God 10 cover Mr.. lieecher's head in the time o
abuse, ohloquy' and wrong, and help him L
walk Ia the footsteps OF Jesus.
|