Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-03-10

the cOinIultIec uutttr
The plaintiffs are in court to save
their life. How they have set Lost
Creek adrift to wither and die. That
is what the committee did They
say the committee had the right to
do what they did, under the Ecclesl-
astical powers. Perhaps they had,
but was it discreet Presbytery
have the right, if they believe the IN
terest of religion will be promoted,
to separate congregation, if the way
be clear" Did the committee do
that? If they found John n. Moore,
and E. S. Doty in the way, the COM
mittee should have returned and re-
ported no division. What was the
separation desired for? Here Mr..
Sponsler read from books, showing
that Presbytery has in a number of
cases refused to divide congregations
because division would be death to a
portion of the congregation. He ar
raigned Huntingdon Presbytery for
indiscretion. The committee came In
the interest of Miffiintown ; shall
they strike the match of life here
and sheath the dagger in the heart of
Lost Creek? Was that the spiritual
mission of the committee of Presby-
terry? They did not report on the
question of a ''clear way" Nol They
separated the congregations. They
established the church in accordance
with the several propositions that
was voted for, and set the AifHiD-
town congregation in the old place.
They cared nothing for Lost Creek !;
they considered them old fogies,
whose Sabbath days begin on Satur
day at noon and last till Sunday even
ing. Go out You may starve and
die on the cold hills of forgetfulness.
OH go back to God and pray for
forgiveness for your bad acts of sew
erance.
They try to make a point by de
claring that Lost Greek has more
preaching than it had before the per
petration of the acts that they COM
plain Of If they have more preach
ing, it is not owing to the men who
separated them. Let no one get
such mistake into their mind; let
no one get it into their mind that
they want to have preaching without
limit to the Lost Greek people, for
that mistake would have to be got
rid of in the light of the fact, that
when Huntingdon Presbytery sends
a preacher to preach, they set the
watch dogs all around to give notice
that he shall not preach anywhere
but at Lost Creek.
The corporation had two objects.
The primary object was to worship
God; it is that which gives life and
vitality to the church. 1t is a fact
that they hate broken asunder the
cord that bound the congregations
together. 1t is fact that Rev. Sher
rard ceased to be the preacher of the
common congregation, not because
he was not wanted, but because Mif-
tiintown severed or cut the cord.
The congregation here is a new and
distinct organization, and is no part
of Lost Creek. Where would Rev
Sherrard get his salary, in case it
should not be paid? Do the trus
tees of Lost Creek provide for the
payment of his salary! Under the
charter the trustees have the control
ing of the temporal powers of the
church. Mr.. Sponsler drew a pencil
drawing to illustrate the strangula-
ton process that had been put upon
Lost Greek. The edicts of Ecclesi-
astical courts cannot affect the law
full work of the trustees. If the
Master in this case, or if he, Spoons
ler, should turn inidel, or should de
clare that there is 10 God, then they
would become subjects for expul-
sion by the Ecclesiastical courts, but
SO long as they are orthodox in their
doctrines the Ecclesiastical courts
cannot touch them. Church courts
affect only spiritual things.
Mifiiintown says, get out. But you
cannot blow hot and cold. No, no.
YOU cannot say, we are with YOU in
the property, but we are against you
enthusiastically, and just there is the
point in the case.
We are all sorry, Barnett is full of
oil and he poured oil over brother
Parker, but brother Parker is full of
powder if be had followed the chris
tian spirit as expressed by McWil!iams,
and others when they asked Ecclesias-
teal bodies not to seperate the con gre
cations, that the sway was not clear"
we would have no SORROW. The COM
mittee was ordered to come here and
organize a new congregation, but law
yers told them that would sever tie
corporate interests for them.
Lost Greek could not have prevented
the organization of new congregation.
Look at the work of the committee,
in Presbytery at Port Royal, see the
railroad speed with which the case was
there put through, look at the record
in the case for that. | call particular
ly on the Master to examine the action
of the Committee and Presbytery on
the case at Port Royal. The people of
Lost Greek have only put up their
hands to save their face.
They gave Lost Creek notice that
they would organize new congregation,
that was the notice Lost Creek got, and
instead of that they divided the con-
gretation. 1t was saying, I'll take of
your foot and then proceed to take off
your head.
The Master here interrupted Sir.
Sponsler, aud asked him what he meant
when be said there was nothing to pre-
vent the organization of a new church.
Mr. Sponsler said tha, Mr. Doty CT any
other member OF the Presbyterian
church, could withdraw on certificate
from congregation, aud then organ
ize new congregation and ask to be
racoOuized hv preshvtarv min,