The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-16


Dr. Bacon was then confirmed as Permanent Moder-
ator and General Bates, OF Illinois, and Nelson W.
Dingey Jr, Of Lewiston, Ne, were elected Assistant
Rev Lyman Abbott then offered the following resO-
lution-
Resolved That business committee Of eve be appointed
trAnsaciing its business
The MoDERAroR opened slip of paper which had
been handed 10 him. and announced that IL signed
BY member Of the Council aud contained a request
thai they read from the nineteenth chap
inc with The words aAnd he set Judges
in the land throughout all the fenced
to the judges, Take heed what ye do for ye judge
for man. but for the Lord who is with you in judg
ment Wherefore now let the fear Of the Lord be upon
you take heed and do it. for there iniquity with
tho Lord our God nor respect OF persons taking Of
gifts y
The Rev. DR.. Bacon then offered prayer
The scribe then read the letter mlssive convenin
the Council
BAoos's ADDRESS
The Moderator then sad-Ne are now ready to pro-
ceed 70 the consideration OF the business Tor which We
arc convened The letter missve which marks out for
us the line Of our meeting has just been read in our
hearing, and Il seems proper in few words TO remind
ourselves now, the outset or what 10 do and
OF what We are not 70 do in this Council Let me say
then first are not assembled TO swhitewashn either
this church or its pastor II It needs whitewashing
II should have called others than us 70 perform
service OF that kind (Applause.l Let me say,
secondly, not called TO revise and correct the
judgment OF any former Council Such supposition
contravenes the very idea on which Congregational
representing their case, will naturally show US that
the first and second questions In their letter mssye do
not call US 10 ST. IN Judgment on me Council t1at was
held in neighboring church two years ago In the
third place. we are not here to amuse the pub
he by drawing off attention TO any side
would be disrespect TO this church
10 suppose that II has convened here with any such
intention. In the fourth place are not here TO de-
eide to try the main question, which has agitated
not only this city but the entire country and all English
speaking ChIisendom may say for the last three years
We AaV nth IN do with
the main question II IS not submitted TO us ltwoud
be preposerous TO submit such question as that 10 an
assembly like this. While we more numerous than
a Presbyterian synod We more unified for any.
judicial function than the General Assembly OF The
Presbyterian Church itself -aughter.) We are not
invited to sit here for the trial Of such as that
Let II be understood at the outset that even " this
church should by It's committee invite US to try that
question and decide 1t, have nothing 70 do with IT,
We perfectly incompetent 70 try cause like that
We are not here for that purpose. What are we here
forY say in the nth place are here 10 advise this
church concerning the manner IN which 1t has dealt
and the manner IN which II ought TO have dealt with
what is we'll known as the great scandal
To revise al tho proceedings of this church in rela
ton TO that matter and 10 give advice as TO whether
those proceedings have been wise and discreet and
right and especially advise in regard to the proper
manner. Of proceeding in the case under the NTH
specincatonI think It is of the third section That
point which think competent to advise,
not question Of fact 10 be tried but question OF
principle, question OF advice TO this church how to
deal with such question as that And then, finally,
we to give whatever advice may seem right and
expedient in regard 10 the matter submitted
in tho sixth and hnal question Let me say,
| the pastor has already intimated, the whole
history OF this church for six and twenty
yearsthe whole history Of the church Is opened for
the Council TO review and and 70 advise If in any point
anywhere il seems to have erred its proceedings
Now this, brethren is very serious affair we have
hand and trust we shall take il up. know shall
derby and lovingly in the fear Of God and under the
guidance OF the Holy Spirit Of God And let me say
one word, not only TO the Council but to
all who may be present here limitations In
whatever form-audibie intimations Of approval
of disapproya will not tend to facilitate or
guide the deliberations of this Council Our
friends who fill the galleries must remember
that we do not want TO hear on any occasion
during the sessions of this Council expressions Of ap
prevail or disapproval We want siIence-soemn
silence earnest sence-from first to last the part
OF all who are present here as auditors and spectators
And therefore say, furthermore that we want silence
OF the same sort on the part OF the members OF the
Council silence as IN Sabbath assembly in ar old
him who for the Time being has the right 70 be heard
who has the floor, they say and not disturbing him
With expressions OF approval or disapprovaL
TIE COMFORT or DELEGArEs.
hr Beecher came forward aud explained the meas
which have cten taken to entertain the members
OF the Council % fsosids for their comfort during the
session
Rev. Lymon Abbott, OF New York; Rev. DR.. J. p
Warren, Of Lewiston, Ne President Farchild of
oberlin; Judge Whitney, of Indiana and Presiden.
Sturtevant Of Illinois College
Rev. Mr.. FEssENDEN, of Stamford said SCI hold In
my hand communication directed TO this Council and
which have been desired TO present call for its
It's reading for the information Of the IN Getting"
The paper entitled "A statement and Protest to
be laid before the ADVISORY Council called y Plymouth
signed civilian r. West" Amer considerable dis
cusson It decided to let the paper go into the
hands OF the Business Committee, in common with all
other documents which might DO presented TO the
Council
PLYxourHs PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
II was resolved that the convention Is now ready to
hear the Committee OF Plymouth Church in reference
TO the matters concerning which II asks advice where
upon Henry Ward Beecher assembled the platform and
opened the case reading from the printed statement
prepared by the committee, aud occasionally adding
thereto such remarks tended more clearly to elnc
date the peculiar conditions OF the church in relation
to which the council has been assembled
After recitiug the early history Of the church. when
its membership small and stating that in This
stage Its rules OF discipline simple and formed
the patterns OF Congregational churches OF tho
bershp, which from 100 in 1873 had grown ten years
later TO $50 including very few wealthy citizens OF
Brooklyn large number from it's middle class aud al
most many more from the respectable poor These
liable TO scatter from business and other reasons
yet though church officers the absentces
10 form connection with other churches they were
reluctant 10 do so, hoping TO come back After the
employment OF Mr. Halliday as assistant pastor IL
made hts duty TO visit the members who reside In
Brooklyn and New York at least year and TO
correspond often or otener with all absentees whose
address could be learned IL thus the church en-
deavored 70 maintain supervision its membership
be conversant with their daily life and religious
state. But with q 500 MEMBERS Notwithstanding all
these efforts there must remain considerable number
concerning whom no satisfactory Information can be OBJ
tanned Some persons, sincere in their apparent
were mistaken Others change their views yet do not
desire to ask letters OF dismIsson for many causes.
For all these classes OF cases the church had at first
provision for sevoring their membership except by
the harsh method OF accommodation and censure,
which fact never applied. special case in
1855 brought about the Adoption OF rule that men,
bers might be dropped from the roll upon their
request and the recommendation OF the Examining
Committcol In 1858 the rule amended SO that IL
member had abandoned the church his could be
dropped the application Of any other person. con
hrmed by the Examining Committee and vote OF the
Oh In hfQ form de md
phed TO many II has been complained Of
until within the last year. and then the rule but Its
application TO particular case
Mr.. Beecher alluded TO accommodation practised
IN the Catholic Church, and said that even among
Protestants it understood 10 imply censure
as impracticable - harsh In a large church.
and proceeded TO consider the several classes
Of subjects Of discipline with which the
Church finds itself specially called TO
deal, alluded TO IN the letter missive. A
further diffculty OF discipninR churches in large
cities is the exposing all proceedings to the pubic
through the We compecd % accent