New-York tribune., 1876-03-13
TIE ADDRESS.


The Church of the Pilgrims was crowded by
very large and eagerlyeXpecant audience, DR. storrs
having morning service that in place of
the usual Sunday evening sermon he would state his
views regarding the decision OF the Plymouth Advisory
Council. After the usual exercises OF prayer and
praise he gave notice that business meeting
at which all the members of the Church
were requested be present. would be held this evening
in the lectureroOm and then began to read his state
ment which he said had been prepared AT the request of
gentlemen who had right TO ask II. His manner was
very earnest, and though his remarks were sometimes
sarcastic enough smile the faces of his list
ene-s his face did for moment lose its serious and
almost severe expression HIS hearers were very atten
tive during the whole Of the reading, which occupied
about an hour and half. Sometimes remark of unu
sua force caused slight stir and hasty exchange OF
glances through the whole house.
The more important parts of the address statement
of DR.. Sorrs were as follows
The fact having become public, by no agency OF mine.
Onal communion and IL having been naturally l'ierled
acts of those appearing 10 represent tat
communion. 1t proper that should state distinctly
the ground Of my objection 10 these and the reasons OF
Withdrawing from the positions have heid.
As to the personal charges which have been so
Church, 7 have never taken any part in
and painful discussions and certainly shali nov
now begin. But / have some thoughts which to me
Just of the relations Of tine recent Counc 10 te
general scheme of government ana tnese
ony INV opinion and nave no wish than to state
nco r others to think Of but they are sincerely enter
tanned ard over my action must he controlling The Ad
visOry Council appears 10 have been one OF la aD!
,Hi weight It was large in numbers howevtr, repre-
senting 37,6l1 members In the churches "h9se
Churches represented The Council OF 1874 averaged
present membership Of s43. OF the IL individually
20 similarly invited to the more recent Council IL APP
Deared While many of them were second or thrdlass
churches in numbers and public interest their advice
and testimony properly 10 be regarded as indicating
the views land and practice ,aa Og 9 G @ bac% sTS
of favor with the pastor or pledged 10
s ysv IppgS EsT that s' ~ true @ of Sonsdeabo many
Of them. At the time there were in The Council
STnerir,. This ryes il an importance IT would
otherwise have attained Members OF colleges theoogl-
toned among the number. The declarations put forth
quite loosely though ngeniGuy stated ana Ig rea a.
CongregaOnalsm more obscure than Is the moon
Frs The result says for example. that in many cases
where member has sSnifed by speech or Dy @ Ills aes
that he has abandoned fellowship In cheh In doctrine
IN worship, Christian sympathy 1t may properly sep
arate hlm from IL without formal cenSure Ihat Is true,
provided charge has been made against the member
Affecting his character. and provided too he makes no
objection hut stated indefinitely this declaration leaves
the church wholly at liberty 70 Dase any
on such its II may think proper and decide Tor
action is proper 1t certainly is dangerous doctrine
Second Still more dangerous Is the further deciaa
| ton, wnen a member has abandoned open communion
with the church, or has abandoned 1t either by Tnor OF
by specific allegations, the church to avoid greater scan
|
snail separate him from II and discharge ltSe RON al
further responsibility This may seem plausible but III
effect il relieves any church from investigating INTO
| Inc dongs of any offender whom it does not
wish to examine, and makes his rcSPonsI6lty
doing he may choose to commit nothing. IL enables any
criminal to avoid church censue by abandoning cnuch
without Intention undoubtedly, has heaped dirt upon
TE,rd: Though not of any primary Importance, the
dctum Of the Council in regard TO certain class OF qus
| tious claims moments attention. For example,
|
from the services on the ground that they
the church, after investigation, has acquitted him.
! The declaration is that such reason for absence
Council seems thoroughly aroused. 1t is undoubtedly
true member who may believe the pastor gnilty OF
wickedness should seek elsewhere for religious IN
| struction. II such a member should continue in the
church for fractions purposes his remoial from II Is
plainly matter OF duty. There are not reN cases
where letter Of dismissal cannot be asked for except az
"a matter Of form, and the better course would be
for the member to wait IN the Sopvlctl"n ana ~ the
prayer that God shall bring to light the hidden things
Fowu-A mutual council is defined as one selected by
mutual agreement between the parties II did not take
coming hundreds. thousands OF miles away to give this
| definition. Is Mutual Council one in which
! the two opposed parties agree IN common
on every member of the tribunal is It one in wicn
they agree in common on having tribunal. and then
proceed 10 constitute IT, not In common but rocprOca
F5Hh The Council assures the public that il finds no
reason call in question the method by which the nyes
iigatng Committee OF Plymouth Church were constl-
tuted The integrity Of the gentlemen who served Oh
tnat anomalous committee they socially pleas
friends aud valuable citizens one VIII be 30 ready
| to admit who has known most Of them long; but
il has not been usually the that an investigating
committee has been named wholly by the party accused
II does not generally consist OF his personal friends
business associates # acting for church and taking the
place Of u church committee.
| PROTECTING AN ACCUSED MINISTER THOROUGHLY.
Sirth: Lest, however, this arrangement should
not give wholly sufficient protection to minister
accused OF whatever crime the Council in another way
makes his security nearly perfect This is OF the
most remarkable things connected with this remarkable
result The church in the Andover Seminary had ad-
dressed to the Plymouth Church wise and tender fra
terna letter expressing the injury done
| 10 the cause Of religion in consequence Of the
painful anxiety felt by many III regard 10
he character of the pastor OF the latter aud asked
Plymouth Church to unite with 1t in calling a Council
fully and imparally examine the facts and set the
Christian mind of the country forever al rest GOlng
wholly outside the lotternisye the Council ooE thls
up and adopted certain resOluOnsa junction Tor which
It had not been appointed and il had no more right TO
| consider this question than 1t had the sinniis-
| neOus trial OF Gen BabcOck. In giving an Opih-
ion adverse to the letter of the Audover Church u
clearly showed the revolutionary character Of much
Of its action The old rule has been that an er pdrie
! council cannot be called until mutual council
has been refused Here the rule s rcverfed and
ell certainly wholly p0rtc concerning this matter
Jaoiar.s . tuture of order
COngregaOnasm cannot but suspect that the general
Christian mind of the country viii think has had about
enough Of it, Certainly priest or minister in any
other body of Christians ever known on earth was so
entirely shielded from Inquiry 70 his character ne IL
the pastor Of Congregational Church, according TO
he statement of this assembly long he succeeds
in keeping his hold upon his circle of local hearers.
I His mower deceive them - the guaranty or his
safety. Their ignorance is his absolute defense He
laugI at all tie cccleslastc6 inquiry IRON Mbat-
quarter so long as his personal followers adhere
aud Wue the solemn declaration OF this Council spreads
before him IFS shield and bucker MS 10 drive the last
nail in which is 10 hide such one the Coun
chi makes even this tedious in direct aud unworthy pro
cess 10 be conditioned upon previous neglect
to investigate on the part OF the church IL
claiu all tha AZ