The Portland daily press., 1876-02-25
THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Their Report Submitted Last
Evening.
COURSE OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH
GENERALLY SUSTAINED,
A New Investigation Recommended.

BROOKLYN Feb. 24-The advisory council
assembled this morning at 10 o'clock to COM
mence the final discussion before presenting to
the church and public the conclusion in regard
10 the SIX questions in the letter mssve and
other matters The reports of the committee
throughout have been favorable to Beecher, and
the final report will be presented in open ses'
sion this evening
The scene which occurred at the pastoral
helper Halliday's house, last evening, forms an
interesting theme among the delegates.
The conclusions on the first five questions
are all in favor of the action of Plymouth
church, and these were discussed at length
Rev. Lyman Abbott, chairman of the bust
ness committee, reported adversely to the reso-
luton offered on Wednesday morning by Rev.
Or. Bell, to the effect that the council should
declare Mr.. Beecher innocent of the charges
preferred against him.
The report was adopted.
Dr. Bell desired to make personal explana-
ton and said he thought it only proper that
the community at large should know the feel
lngs OF the eminent members of the council,
and for that reason he had offered the resolu-
ton.
A delegate brought up the question of the
giving away OF the news, and DIR. Bell, who is
charged with giving the proceedings of the
council to the public, admitted that he had
done so. He said that before becoming dele
gate to the advisory council he had acted in
that capacity in ecclesiastical and legislative
bodies when they had been in secret session,
and thought he could discriminate as to what
should or should not be given away. He had
not given out anything that should be kept Sc
cret. He was not responsible, he said, for the
detailed reports of the proceedings which ap-
peared in certain newspapers.
At the afternoon session Gen, Bates pre-.
sided
The discussion was resumed on the commit
tee of mines report on the six questions of the
| letter missive. The discussion was very quiet.
| An adjournment was had at 5 p. m, At p.
m. another secret session was held, lasting
half an hour, at which the report was finished
The night session convened at o'clock. The
| galleries were filled and there was scarcely
| room for the council in the aises, SO many re
| spectacle people came who had to be accommo-
dated. The delegates were glad to find camp
| stools for themselves in the passages. All the
Beecher family were in the church and all the
noteworthy people of the congregation. Short
| ly before o'clock Mr.. Beecher assembled the
platform and simply said, speaking very rapid
| ly: II wish to renew my request to every
friend of mine in this audience, that at every
| part of the service, on the reading of every
document and the enuncation of every result,
| that it may be received with profound quiet
ness Any man that claps his hands would
knock me down and any man that would
cheer think must be man that would open
his mouth against me. 1 beseech the congre-
CATION, which really expect are we'll bred
ohu 0COCue pCOpiO, W IcSdIu uy opportunity.
Let this meeting be far more quiet than an Or
binary Sabbath mornings. I make this re-
quest because it would be matter of bad taste
TO greet the result of the council whose sessions
have been most earnestly religious and who
have been called on to discuss the fundamental
elements of the Christian church with COM
mon rejoicing of secular demons trations. But
| it should be received with grateful hearts, with
thankfulness and silence before God, and
take this opportunity before the council
commence of making this request to YOU
Then glorious burst of harmony arose from
| the organ and the council fled in by two sep.
arate doors and the choir rose and sang tri-
umphant hymn.
The Report.
The following report was read:
The council in the discharge of its duties has
besides hearing the pastor and the special COM
mittee which signed the letter missive, listened
first to statements from the examining COM
mittee of Plymouth church which is directly
charged with the administration Of discipline;
second, from the members OF the investig eating
committee to whom the church committed the
preliminary examination of the charges which
were publicly brought against the pastor;
third, from Mr. Henry c. Bowen in relation to
the truth of the statement controverted by him
and incidentally in relation to certain transac-
| lions between himself and Rev. Mr.. Beecher;
fourth from J. W. Van Colt ESQ. in relation to
negotiations between himself aud Mrs. Moul-
ton and the examining committee of Plymouth
church touching the calling of a mutual
council.
They have also received a protest signed by
VIM. f. West The council have also consid-
cred letter address to Plymouth church by the
Congregational church in Andover Theological
School inviting that church to unite with the
last named church fer the purpose of investi.
eating the case of Mr. Beecher before mu-
tual council. The letter was submitted to the
council by the committee of Plymouth church
for advice respecting it, and the communica-
VIC rot fn q n III
read a report which was unanimously adopted
| by this body and is appended to this Each of
| the several points submitted was entrusted to
large committee which made it the subject of
careful consideration and an elaborate report.
As the result of their enquiries, reports and
discussions, the council submit the following:
FIrst-The first two questions submitted TO
the council by Plymouth church relate to the
teaching OF the scriptures concerning the meth
cd by which the connection of members of a
church may be terminated, and the consistency
with Christian justice and the word of God
The special rule of the church, rule z, and also
the practice of the church in the application of
this rule in answer to questions one and two
the council advises these principles
THAT person becomes member of the
church of Christ by VOWS and acts which are
made directly to Christ himself in a cove nant,
which in its nature is everlasting and from the
obligations OF which he can never be released
by man.
2.-fhat peason becoming member of a
particular local church by entering into spec
ial covenant. by virtue of which he is RESPONSE
BILE to the church for his conformity to the law
of Christ, and the church is responsible for
him, and that this responsibility does not close
until the church by some formal corporate
act has declared the dissolution of the coven-
ant.
3-That church may declare itself released
from al responsibility for member by finally
separating him from its fellowship with CEN
sure after giving him a fair trial and using all
reasonable measures to bring him to repen-
lance.
At may do the same without formal cere-
mony in many cases in which person signifies
by his acts that he has abandoned bis fellow
ship with the church ia doctrine or worship or
Christian sympathy.
5-The case may occur that a member should
openly and VIGOROUSLY abandon all cOmmun-
ion with the church and also be charged with a
scandalous offeuce either by public rnmor or by
specific allegations. In such case the church.
to avoid greater scandal, may use wise dis
erection in selecting the offence on which it NAV
separate him from its fellowship aud discharge
itself from all further responsibility for his con
duct and character.
We believe that these principles ale all Scrip
tural and actedupon in the admins ration of
discipline in churches of every Denomination D.
and that it is wise to affirm them at the present
time. In respect to rule No. z of Plymouth
church, We suggest that it is deficient in not
providing that notice should be given when
practicable In the ordinary practice of the
church the council, so far as advised, find moth
ing to condemn. We are gratified to learn that
measures are in progress to effect such change
in the phraseology of this and other rules as to
recognize and enforce more distinctly the prin-