, 1876-02-19

his accuaers voutd have tasisfaetory oppor.
tunity to present the evidence On which thor
relied I'd making thoir charges. Tbs under-
h,gneu. therefore, ~ member OF Plymouth
comparatively unfmpoEsaat matters to shir
Couuctt. to tho neglect OF tho ono onty subfoci
or concern to the church aud tho community
namely. tho questton Of hfr. beeoher'B guilt.
sircs nlso TO call tic attention Of tho Council ia
tuo fact that In tho second paragraph OF tho
letter *missIyo. thoy aro Invited 10 giyo Especial
counsel 70 tho church. in regard to tho pro-
coednRs under It's rulcs. and In tho last question
Submitted aro askad to dotormlna tho regularity
Or tts administration of discipline, 'sin any
known caae OF ita administration under thoso
principles and r1iles": and, in concurrence with
shoao re!aests' 10 would earnestly, as m ag-
nress Tho hopo that tho aforementioned neglect
Of tho church to take posice OF Tho fearful
charger made against tlle pastor msy recsive tho
attention It dcsctyeB,, as tho source OF all the
trouble and shst tho Council wnuid aIvo ita most
soomu doIiboratton A. 10 tho lutY OF tho church
In this respect.
Who undersigned. believing himself to bo re-
ieffod to 10 tha fourth question submitted, de.
hirea 10 stata that "he did not submit charges
In form At tho timo ho aaked for mutual couu-
el be:afiso such cllargoB had already been road
9eto.o tho church by Mts. Moulton that D" he de-
!asea ios moro than scar {" hfter go-cnilel
myesises.ton a',sd bs :i'o chnrch hocauao he Ind
already etldcnvoEed, without success, to secure
All investigation Ia Mr.. TiisonH case, and had
roaHon 70 exncrt that further action would be
taken by OTHER poraons, nnd because,
ia tho uncxainrled perplexitlea In which no l,ad
boon placed Ao foand 1t difficult to ascertain
either hia rights or bis duties ~ dellnod by Con-
EEayat!ola! usage. wlluu, at last, ho was COM
peltcd to oct by ths attouint Of the Plymouth
Church to discipline him. 1t WAS undor siie best
light hc could obtain. aud with tho purpose OF
maintaining Tho pcaco nnd purity Of tho church
according to his covouant obligations. Tho un-
dcrsgna1. in tho first pface atrovo to bring sIr,
Hilton mud Atr. Bowen 10 trial. under the boief
which lc then entertained. that thay had s!an-
dared his pastor and In tue socona instance, his
solo object VAS By maaus of cuunct mutually
called. and accaptablo to both parties. to In
vesttgate tho charges against Mr. Baechar
md thus sett1o tho controversy. II no did not
uso the best courao to effect this eud, it was duo
10 hia inability to obtain batter kaow}edze Of
ecclosihstlcat proceedings. upon which he found
ministers to differ, aud especially because, ln-
stead Of being ho1Pod by tho officers OF tho Plym.
onth Church, he syas hin3erotl and trea,oa,
most unIusti5, as IN enemy. Was he right ID
wishing .eomo Mutual Council, OF other strictly
impartial eeeles'astie1! body. to try r. Dooohot
Was tho church right IA refusing hs fo4uess lor
such Council, aud Oh thoir part originating
nothing bnt an Advisory Council. io placo OF one
that would have tho coniidcncs Of all, III compo
tent to inves:ignt, NIL the cridoare. and to sens
der = decision which would bs recognized by all
Rs final? William i. WEsr
NEW Yonx, Feb. u, 1875.