Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-06-20
The Action Of the Congregational Convention.

CAsTLEToN, Vt, June IA, 1879.
To the Editor of the Free Press and Times:
Your editorial of the 18th inst, upon the
Congregational Convention is so justly dis
eliminating in regard to the subject of Evan.
gelists and appreciative of the general pro
ceedings of the body, as have been also YOU
daily reports of meetings, that am encour,
aged to hope that you will give place in your
paper to an unofficial presentation of diff.
ferent view from that which you take of the
action of the majority in voting down the
amendment to the Historic Resolution.
You frankly express profound astonish-
ment that Il Congregational Convention any
where should be found willing to vote square
ly down declaration that they did not wish
to be understood as denying the right of APP
peal from human standards to the word of
God. Such declaration, pure and simple
and standing by itself, the Convention voted
down by avote of two to one of the minis
tiers members p present."
The vote was more nearly three to one and
perhaps that majority of ministers and intel
ligent laymen of Vermont, appearing to vote
against an almost self-evident right, should
give pause to any hasty Construction of that
vote apart from its accessories
For it was just precisely because that dee
laration was not to stand by itself pure and
simple" but as an amendment to another
proposition, deemed by the majority to con-
tain all the truth of the amendment, that it
was voted down so emphatically To fully
iuStify ltrsl a of THAR action, ac
you seem TO give and as others more inter
ested will very likely give elsewhere
the Convention must have been resolved
to vote down such proposition as
this: namely, that every man has the
right to appeal from all human judgments
TO the Word of God in support of his own
opinions, conduct and utterances on his own
platform. Does any one suppose that the
majority, or any individual of it, would deny
that? But you would deny the right of any
man to utter certain sentiments that can be
thought of, ostensibly supported by the
Word of God, through your paper or in your
house. The Republican party would deny
the right Of campaign speaker on its
stump" to utter Democratic principles, or
combat its own; and would very soon
abridge his liberty of speech for the party
Denomination in the church universal are
analogous in some respects to parties in the
nation, which are at present at least neces-
sary evil. You and think it very impor-
tant, We will suppose, that the next political
should be fought out by the Re
publican party mainly on the two principles
of honest suffrage and honest money. Those
planks make our platform. Are We deceived
by any appeals of the other party to the
as forbidding us to scrutinize
the ballot and execute national laws by ma
tional power? Both parties claim to stand on
the constitution, the Democratic party al
ways the most vociferously. Does that
make it partisan in an evil sense for MS to
insist that all doubters of those two Repub-
lican principles should promulgate their
doubts from the Democratic stump?
Senator Edmunds and President Hayes did
not hesitate, the one to oppose and the other
10 veto appropriations for the necessary ex-
penses of the government, and just because
hose appropriations did not stand by them
selves, ''pure and simple" but encountered
with amendments which were intended to
1ullify important national rights and party
principles which the Republicans believedt to
De identical with national rights. Do we
blame them and accuse them of starving the
government?
The Convention voted no on this PROPOSE
ion really:-a preacher in Congregational
pulpit discoursing adversely to our hitherto
understood creed, if cited therefor, can by
imply appealing to the Word of God, stop
Ill proceedings or judgment in his case and
etain his pulpit and place in the denomina-
ion, the appeal of the Council to that word
o the contrary notwithstanding.
Whatever truth there was in the amend
nent by itself, needing TO be endorsed, was
bought by the majority to be claimed in the
declaration of the resolution that the word of
iod is our only rule of faith and practice.
If there weremore intended by the amend
nent than that.-yiz., that every individual
ould always preach in our pulpits his own
Jews of the word of God, however they
night differ from the creed of all our
hurches, then the amendment intended too
much TO be accepted.
Very respectfully yours,
IT