, 1876-03-11

Ward l}occl,cr. pastur-havo, By most wonder
FIJI and unhchrl hf rsocasB, becon'a tho cunstl-
tutio''sl Iav Of oil tho Congregational churches
Of tho country.
Is this keeping Intact Tho Independence Of
tho local church, ,-the denregt right Of CunEre-
eatlona1am"7 10 this the freedom sud intlepend-
ence Of which Plymouth Rock is tho nmyhol
Has 1t flnatfy como to this, that d few hundred
Individuals, OF extreme and ihieayncrattu views,
and representing onlv limited constituency,
can assemble, aud Ia fack though not III .tOt7'A
conati.slto themselves = judicial aud icRitlst'vo
body, aud proceed, under 1ocoRnlzed forms aud
usAEee, to mike tlccrocg and enact lawa that aro
to govern hundreds OF thoueauda OF tnop Ahu
women who have no voice whatever. otsbor d.
roctiy OF indirectly. IN controlling tho ptocacd-
tngs, or doscrnung tho rcsnlsh Again aak.
in ibis tho Freedom nlld Independence Of which
Plymouth liock IL tho symbol
It will doubtless be contended by aomo that
tho Churches not represented In tho recent
Brooklyn Council aro not bound bv iss proceed.
ipga or its dccrece. But why nota Did 1t not
represent nll parts Of tho country Wnn II not
cal!ol In duo form, aud III aocosdAncn with Con-
Ersgntlonal ussgc3 Whs IL not unanimous to
man in tho CONCLUSIONS to which It ausl'y cauao2
II tho dccrees and enactmonta. or II tho recon.
tnenlattons IL thls terminoloGy auits bestot). Of
tbs Council called by Dra. Iudlngton md
storra, 10 1874, wero binding Oh churches
S s rspsseasss ot hs tsn n IF SooIa aSa
Council blutinE upon Ill tho churches OF tho
land7 How orc wo to determino whas Congre-
Gat,nnnI usago iB, except by studying tho pro-
ccodnEs Of aucl. Councils az the Two that havo
roeonsiy boon hold in Drookiyu, ami Of othora
analogous 10 thon = II thcir proceedings, II
tlloir interpretations Of Congregational uaagc.
are not ltkod BY anybody or any church not
e.'ai tso1tty ate sher % dec;qos q aud on.etmonts
to DO reversed or repealed Lot
larger Council, claiming to DO a moro
representative body than other OF tho Brooklyn
Councils, bo called, and let It proceed to nnnul
or fibA 1nrraoa NJ nrA n.y. nifhnr NJ ffn
Brooklyn Councils. and rho al,hll say which Of tho
Councils BhnI1 be oboycd? Where iB tho au-
thority to turn mo or my church out Of tho
brotherhood OF churches, II I or my church
nccept the decrosas OF one Council. md rojeot
thoae Of the oshers7
Lot us know, lot us havo aomo clens Aud dis
tinct idea, OF tho liberty aud Independence OF
/ which plymouth Rock IL the symbol. NAaoTn.
THE ADVANCE AND THE REV. W. W. PAT.
TON.
TO .ae Editor Of Tss chieago Tribune:
Cu1oAao. March s.-plsaso allow me a small
space in your paper to say faw words regard
Ing tho present aspecs OF tho Deechor Case, and
OF tho relation which somo prominent indiyidu-
ni8 sustain to II. And frat, with rsgard 10 ths
Chicago Adcance.
ltla ovidont to every enc who has read tbs
.Adrancs since tho time this scandal was first
brought beforo tho public, that 1t has sought
livery opportunity 10 tA8o" sueplclol oh A1s
Ueecher's Innocence; and, to this end, IL has
published everything ueainat him, and scarcely
.,,th,rr IL fa faynr 1;u,a a,,;h. nova
t,,. 49, 49, s .,as. 1.a,o
oeen tuso"h III neto @no eaate 1ton'
tirno 10 time, without any connection or
explanation, which has had a tendency to leave
au unfair impression on tho minds OF its soadors
Iefpeetng LUG tfue hosl's ol shc caso. IL IL eV'"
D%rn1sr Hfd trims IL, fnten fta vtesva on othora
| Now, Rsk, ia that manly or Christian man
| mr. In which ia conIrc. A re,tp,nua nc,vananar
Tri. t.o,,a na,,,,,n ,ho1 vi, rov, n. 1ioa..,a.
.'. na y. sIas a"' po'. ~ oe'suo,
eailtg' let II 80 beiofe lilo proper uionhaI anc
| mRkc 1t known. II moi lot 1t give fair repro.
scntation OF tho case. It IL tho toadiuc pnpoy O,
ConCrosatonalssln In tho Northwest. aud ciaimt
| to represent the op inion OF Western curchcs on
/ noccnce But l eau ASSURE you that
Ii comes far from representing Western
churches on this question. At = 1neoting OF
Congregational pastors, rccontly, 1t received
nsoosa sssad. l'F " course in regard
And po1t allow ma 4 word In regard to lilo
Rev. W. W. Patton. l hsvo known Inn By
reputation from ny youth, aud 1esrned to loye
manly aud Christian bearing md dealing with
the truth. But what has beon his rotation
| to tho Doecher scantal7 In 1874 ho wrote
| An editorial for tho Advance, plainly
implying that ho know something about
Mr. tcocher that waa airi,ply awful and that, Ii
ho should mako that something known, il wouId
astonish tho world. Ths sont q thrill Of sad.
posa through tho hoart Of evory QUO who knou
him nntl lovod him. But. uhon tho limo caa,c
for that something 10 be made known, and he
WAS summoned to Drooklyn for thas purpose, ht
confesAed that he know nokhing OF tho osss. and
did not 60.
Now I ask, Is IT manly, ii 1t Christian, for any
one. and especially one occupying high posi-
tim Ia tho Church, to DO constantly limiting
that hc ia In possession OF facts diaosoditabio
to Mr. Daocher, aui, at tho Hamo timo rcfuea
| to mako those facts known when oyory oppurtu.
nifty Ia given for that purpoao7 II he kuuwa
| anything against the moral cilnrAtcs Of a broth
| or minister OF such nature aa IN this case Is
plainly tntinated Ia It not hia duty ~ minister
! Ut Christ aud lover OF tho truth to mako II
kuown7 Hns he over gone to Mr. Deochor In /
Christian manner, aud talbod with him about
| rivan us a rorord ~ H. II ba hsu t;uht IN III.
| enItnct ti,nt viii nrovo Mr., Docchcr sr,,fv ana
at the Hamo time. refupee to lot that irlt shin a