Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-16

more than l was before the decision was
rendered. felt in duty to myself and to
the cause Of God bound to take this course,
because the presbytery by this decision viz
tually convicted me of having departed from
compliance with my ordination vows, OF
disobedience TO the presbytery OF which L
am a member 1t is the inalienable right
of every Presbyterian minister, whenever be
has suffered what he considers an unjust de-
cision, to appeal for remedy to the higher
courts of his denomination; and 1t is by no
means uncommon for men 10 do 1t. In nine
cases out of ten the man who feels that he
has received the infection OF an unjust de-
cision f-om his presbytsry appeals at once
fer remedy 10 the synod, and from the
synod TO the assembly. This is what l have
done, and what consider 1t my right and
duty to do. 1t is true that am bound by
my ordination VOWS TO obey my brethren in
the Lord But the question ia what
does that mean? No man of COM
mon sense will hold that 1 am
bound to obey whatever my brethren in
the Lord may see. fit to order me to do! That
would be popery OF the widest and most de-
grading kind. / understand it to mean that
1 promise to obey my brethren in the Lord,
so far az they enjoin and advise what is in &C
cordance with Holy Scriptures, the Spirit of
Christ and the constitutional prerogatives OF
presbytery. / did not vow to surrender my
conscience and my judgment to my brethren
in the Lord The presbytery has its right
and / have mine. 1t has a right to govern
within the proper limitations Of its power;
but whenever presbytery goes beyond its
legitimate prerogatives, then l and every
presbyter are bound to resist such usurpa-
ton of power. Now, l consider this decision
Of Memphis Presbytery as an exercise of
papal power-such is not warranted by
the constitution or the precedents of our
church. THIS is not simply my opinion; but
there are many of the best and wisest of my
church who will stand with me on this point.
few years ago, when pastor OF the church
in Tallahassee, Fla, / received call to
another place, which felt il my duty to ac-
cept. / presented my resignation TO the
church, but they refused to accept it, and
appealed to the presbytery to keep me there.
Before the presby terry dared to consider the
c8se, they FIRST inquired of me If / were will
ing 70 abide by their decision. They felt
they had no right to lord it over my con-
science. L agreed TO abide by their decision,
Notwithstanding felt it my duty to go, and
after consideration the presbytery declined
to let me go. Now, in regard to this action
of the presbytery an old school doctor of d.
viuity, and one of the ablest men and
preachers of this State, declared to me that,
rather than submit his conscience TO the
presby tery, as L had done, he would cut off
his night hand. You zee, therefore, that
Presbyterian ministers do not generally con-
oede to the presbytery those arbitiDg powers
which these brethren seem TO claim. But
in Somerville a presbytery substantially
charges and convicts man, without regular
trial, OF non compliance with his ordination
vows, with disobedience to the authority of
his presbytery, and other misdemeanors, and
then orders him to quit work TO which he
feels that God has called him, and does it,
too, contrary to the custom of the church for
almost a century, and over the head of d.
rect deliverance of the supreme court of the
church. 1 am, therefore, bound, as man,
IS lover of law and constitutional restraints,
as a servant of the living God, to fight snch
and exercise of papal power to
the last possible ditch, and, if driven from
the last, to dig ditch outside and fight in
that. There lies before me no other honorable
course"