New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-27
THE DISCUSSION.

Dr. Burlington who said among other things: ave pray
that all who speak tonight may be guided by Thy spirit
and the of Thy presence We want the evidence In
our hearts God with and that the issue He will
and bless We ask for Thy presence and power and
wait in the belief that Thou dost hast answered,
and will answer. We pray for grace and ask that we
may be made instrumental in doing Thy WILL Dr.
Burlington then said that he wished to be excused from
presiding the meeting, and called Mr.. Mitchell TO
the chair.
Mr. Mitchell said that the meeting had convened In ac
cordance with the call Of the pastor Sunday end the
clerk Mr. Gambler read the call for the meeting and the
letter missye from the Tompkins Avenue Congregational
Church, which was sent to all the Congregational
Churches in New-York and Brooklyn. Mr. Brinkerhoh
moved that the speakers be allowed only 10 minutes
each and although an earnest appeal iof a
longer time was made by Deacon Spellman, who
said that the question to be considered involved
the character harmony, and perhaps the life OF the
Church. the motion was carried. The Chairman an
nOunced that the subject OF the letter missve was peoe
the house. pause OF some length followed, which was
interrupted by the presiding officer who suggested that
II no one cared TO speak motion to ADJOURN would DC
in order This brought Mr.. Benedict to his feet lie
moved that meeting should not accept the invitation
of the Tompns Avenue Church and refuse TO send del
egates to the council Mr.. SDeman at once moved as
an amendment the very reverse OF this notion ana TAX
ing manuscript from his pocket proceededas follows
So far as any act of church the past is concerned
vation. There is nothing to prevent its acceptance
We have objection to their PASTOR or to the members
of church its organization. There Is no reason
nnless we take action to the contrary why we shond
not accept and it lies Win those VINO UpUsSS WIS wSc
may influence many persons in the church TO Sec n@
R Saestigaic O aud decide for AcsOrng TO the
nsages o both church ana s are reasoSs wy ws
should not attend this council they lie in the action OF
Of PywouG Church iu the character and actions Of
IA uastOr Ru
church by the courts and by council OF churches anu
again be disturbed by courts churches II we decline
this invitation show want of confidence in the asso-
II we are not satisfied with the decisions of these
tribunals we must farther investigate the case.
There is no basis of fact on which we are
enabled make deliverance that would command pub
lie confidence and meet with general approval De
in the churches whose ATE nall eehg a9e
that Dr. Burlington called OF Goa 10 lbe me pOsVh
that Lie does; but the question Is not Where nc sIds
but where the church stands AZ any rate give he rea-
sons and grounds of your action 1t is unmanly and
travesty to do 1t duty We owe TO the lomp-
kins Avenue Church
Mr. spelman's time having expired A. s. Barnes
asked that 1t extended, but Mr. Packard objected and
MI. Spelman took his seat.
A. s. BarnesIf vote nat to accept this invitation,
we do 50 because Plymouth Church is invited and for
this reason by action we excommunieate Plymouth
Church and disellowship it, Are we ready to do thatf
Then we cannot give letters of dismissal to that church
4
point.
Dr. Budngion-"I will express my views by and by
Mr. Barnes--"Th question involves the wellbeng OF
the church and the interests of religion small body
Of Christians desire to form Congregational church,
with pastor against whom not voice has been raised,
and they send out etter-mssive TO every Congrega-
tional church in New York and Brooklyn Among these
Plymouth was included. We have received similar
invitations in which Plymouth was included, and
they were nut to vote without previous notice
from the pulpit The first of these from
the church in Orange Valley, and the second was from
the Church of the Putans in this city. Both invitations
were declined Now tho invitation is to attend new
church and install its pastor VIII the church take action
in oppositon to Dr. BudngtOns views l am in favor,
If the pastor will not attend OF sending one delegate to
give the right hand fellowship TO the pastor This
church should be Oh terms of fellowship with every Con-
gregatiOna church in the city, so long as no council has
disowned any. Let the people act with an unbiased
Judgment. The pastor of Plymouth Church was tried
by some the purest and best Of that church and
acoutted he was on III for six long months
and acquited he tried by an ecclesiastical council
and acquitted and then commission was appointed 10
examine any charges that might be brought against TINS
remarkable man. Was there any respOnsei None.
When a church Of 1000 members stands in solid
phaanx to assert their confidence in him. ii becoming
in lis or in our pastor backs on the TOmpkns
Avenue Church and give DR.. Hemer the cold shoulder
simplv because Plymouth Church is invited to this
councll"
Mr. Elwell said that he had paper or minute which
he would offer amendment to the pending notion
He said 1t introduced matter but the subject was
forced upon church by the terms OF the letter mis-
sve The paper expressed the good will OF the church
n the Tompns Avenue people, but declined to meet Ply
month Church in a council. He then read the paper
follows:
ettcrissye from the Tompkns Avenue cCn gre
gaona Church has been received by the clerk OF ms
dies IL
at council tie convened on the 2Stn INST iof the pu
pose Of rec2gnnn,S tha cnfo q in e
of the Congregational churches But lnasllch as he
nd th pv3opth Church to be represented in the
aforesaid council it becomes an unwelcOme Dut al u-
First That this church felt bound In conscience to
protest against certain proceedings OF tha chch as De-
ing destructive OF the discipline OF ihe congregations
Second That in this protest we represented the in
terests OF the fraternity Of Congregational churches
whose principles discipline and whose faIr CHRISTIAN
fame Was endangered" in express terms affirmed
neent IN character ever before assembled
Third That we constrained by advice OF that
conci made obligatory by subsequent events by our
nreyous action similar occasions and by sense OF
duty TO ourselves and TO the denomination al large ana
aboye All 10 the Great Head of the Church, to decline
Representation in the council whose object we would
Plymouth Church is invited under existing eircum-
stances. . A., .,, ,,o.,,o. .,o.,;
its goodwill to the Tompkins Avenue Church and lis
ma s1orelpct desires also 10 maintain fellowship with all
the churches owng ane iva tSa BroasIvp Concl Of
1STI called by this church In connection Win the
on 1be I'd of April 1874. The clerk OF the church Is
hereby instructed to send copy OF this minute to the
Tonnkns Avenue Congregational Church
A II. Dana-This paper, think large majority of
o, will saw is concatoro just and consistent with the
action OF this church the past If we accept this nvi-
totiop we admit take no exception to any church
invited 10 the council We must then decide now whether
we Will sit in council with Plymouth Church If we &c