The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-28
MR.. BEECIIER IN COVENTRY.
MS PfPER's sNITRs At MINISTER'S
VINO OBJECT TO ADULTERY.
Christian Unien Misstate,enta about the Man
haitian Association Hcrted - Remarks by
the Leading Denominationai journal.

F,onr n, B~eul ci~rcrirorr'is.
In our issue OF Jan. II we remarked on the
fact that the Christian Union. in its issue OF the
organization 81 the new Manha,tan kssocla-
ton, had preserved an entire silence respect
bearing Of this silence toward an important de-
, nominatioual matter upon She Ctristidn tnions
blar" as newspaper for the Congregat, onal
churches. In its issue for Jan. II this silence
OF the Christian Jn,Ou IL broken, but in "a way
10 raise in our minds the question whether, for
the truth of history. II would not have boon bet
tor for that silence to have been preserved. The
CIR unstanccs Of this cusc are very peculiar.
the Cirist'dn Union is published on the ground.
anu thnt ITS two editors are both members
Of the old New York and Brooklyn assoea-
ton out Of which the new Manhattan Assoca-
ton was formed would seem to have furnished
reason why the paper If 1t spoke at all. should
speak W ia the EXTREMIST care Ia st forth the
facts, all the facts. and nothing but the fats, IN
the dearest light. and without any approach to
nm appearance of an attempt to explain them
away. or to dvcst thcm OF their sign Il AN 90.
But the statements of the matter which the
,Tishdn tmon has now made depart SO widely
justice ~ the case in its obvious usp"'ts TINT We
cannot 1T thcm pass wIthouta respectful tut
frn protest. Our readers will bear US " tnnsss
mat beyond paragraph ~ fingers length W.
have hitherto rrirain"d from comments upon
TIE formation Of the new association. But Tor
the CHRISTIAN tHiOftS course we should not
speak now. That course however, lcavs s US no
alternative, W. do not reprint the whole OF
what the CHRISTIAN Jn,on says, but give only the
leading points:
II The spSg q 1 l7s d ar e5F; ssq"s INT, the
eiappro, al Of What. known A. The nov Anioscr plauk
ao sy VIII TIVE or nrs ls1'o.a 'r' nis 99gr sieT,
not .ympauh1e With his particular views in
y, ~ 'h M, nsDeI ea' ~? sa'sd , o. ,'oP q a.
, ,.. a.-i'a'. have ors4hled n,w mini-terni
IN earning tie Vi Or siorrs with lie d,noinA.
The account which this paragraph gives u the
a#faFH
haitian Asso 'iution. ami Of the motives and
gDert which inspired IL. is travo-iy Of the
Hts which, under other circumstances. might
hs anus ng. We ar" NJ loss e. know how the
Christian Union can Justify itself in putt ng 81 IA
an INT rpr,tgi on upon the origin OF the now
association. The idea embodied in the words
which We have italicized is simply absurd.
H.
For the tcneh Of our readers 1t should
possess NO ecclesiastical power. that It nd- no dele
that 1t not even assume TO hd,i-e tc churc hes on
,ece steal uesrons here l. ust the significance
~, lafau" 'hat ih,r" w"ud !. 10 Oh, division ." an.
othcr Assassination orsand Tor the mutual bcncAs and
enjoyment Vt it members
This exposition Of tho doctrine and function
Of min stnr,al as-o iatQns needs various qual-
II atlDn-. some OF which are OF special IN IL
canoe ~ spa,ts the rHse under ,onsilnrilt ON
But W. cont ut ourselves now with asking one
single qu stion: II there IL Just the sign H.
cane" in this separation that there would b. m
for the mutual benefit and enjoyment Of It's
in"mhers, why did the Il gistrar OF the Nv
l'th anu lt.fnNlN II AS~ff ltl Nu. WHO u uutlof-
~ 10 give letters 81 DISMISS on L. other assoc
Citations, rcius' such lntt.r--Wuich W. arr, NJ
formed he did-to those who desired to BE- DIS
missed 10 the new as-o 'Ht.un!
Ill
This a'.ocia;on eml about uiri the ras
flr- ami ut qur tlrd uf tt Conversational rlI
who wl iiruf pastoral tlHfet BOO fi.. two cities
ui D. siolr. BuAn-tun. ;, u.d-r. amt ta,lnr pr
iHln'f NN was loot mrulfr u thr l-d as-ariatiH ~.
srNtu fusOr- whu-c churches contain uhrf-lti
HhUut H.sf while 900 she D.i association ttfo uur.
fHinI d" about 49, g. fI~ without H.tNfal rhar.s
,.ht oln ulc new Asso, Dn. u'ere tw, MY
tlN ttu
In instituting these comparisons between the
two as-pf nations. II would have boon more in
\ uu pu-. Il seems to IL. e. have STAT
l. That of the " about 800 members NJ the
chur hos r"pr' s"nt"d m the old asso 'iation,
mor- than $500 belong tn Plymouth Church.
2 That IN" average membership of the re-
naming eleven churches III that ncighborhood
il about 49,
g. That the average membership Of the seven
churches reprvs entcd In the nov association. Is
about Gl7.
4 That no small number Of tn. remaining
on-pa-i RAJ members Of the old dsso cIdtlun are
nuu-ri'Sldrut.
charge. and some OF them engaged in secular
pursuits: and
8. That by the constitution Of the now assoeia-
ton membership therein Is confined Ia pas
tors and other ordained ministers in the eN'r-
else ~ the Christian ministry. or in the adm n
work Of education"
Our readers will not 'ail 20 notice further that
tn CHRISTIAN tniOn gives the total membership
Of Ia" churches T. pr,sHnt"d IN the Manhattan
Asso 'iatlon ~ " about $500" which is moro
than ~ lees than the Official minutes give.