Morning journal and courier., 1883-07-18
Church Versus Council

The Howard Avenue EOngregatiOnaI 1 Church Vote by an Overw heIming Ma jOrity tn OVerEnIe the Action Of The Council.
 There was large attendance at the spec ial meeting of the Howard avenue Congrega tional church in their chapel directly after the regular church prayer meeting last eyen- ing. The question of abiding by or over ruling the action of the council which. recent Iy examined Mr. Park and found him want ing in several essentials of the Congregation al faith has besn agitating the minds of the church members very strongly and it was ev ident that they had nearly all decided which view to take. Deacon Rufus s. Pickett was chosen chairman of the meeting An informal ballot was taken on the question: Shall the church extend call to the Rev. Charles l.. Park to preach to them until the 1st ot June, 1884? There were II votes cast on this ballot and B were in favor of the ques- tion, 6 being against it. Then the chairman called upon all the brothers present to give their views of the question and their reasons for voting as they did Nearly all respond ed w. c. Scobie said that he liked Mr. Park personally, but that he (Park) had ad mitted that he was tending toward Univer- salsm and therefore he could not vote for him. Mir. Hubbard voted for Mir. Park He did not think that MT. Park would dissemi- nate any of his doubts from the pulpit One years preaching would not hurt the church at least He hoped the church would get better acquainted with NIT. Park.
 Messrs. E. A. Beckley, Thomas, Alfred Miner, William Smith, Henderson, John Wilkinson, Clemens and others briefly ex- pressed their views favoring the pastor. Dea- con George w. Hazel stated that in regard to the subject of infant baptism, upon which there had been so much said, he could prom ise for Mir. Park that he would not be averse to performing the ceremony whenever parents wished 1t. He had also asked Mr. Park pointedly if he believed in universal salvation. The answer was squareIy, no He had also asked him if he believed in flu ture probation and had received the same an swer. On these points he was firm.
 One brother arose and said that he was not against MT. Park, but under the circumstan- ces he thought it not best to call him if it was expected he would accept Another said that when lie and his wife had been asked to join the church by certain deacon who now strongly opposed the calling of Mr. Park they had frankly told him that they did not believe in infant baptism, but the reply was that that made no difference. If it was right for him to come into the church under such conditions why make such a cry against MT. Parks coming? Others ex- pressed the opinion that MT. Park was just the man who was wanted for the church and that he would do more toward building it up than any man they could get Deacon Rufus s. Pickett then made some remarks decidedly opposing the pro- posed action of the church. He asked the church if they were prepared to cut loose from Congregationalism, and cited cases of churches which had done so and died soon after. The church needed every man, wo- man and child in it. Two eminent doctors
 
 church at heart, had told him that the church would put itself outside the pale of the Congregational order if it reverses the judgment of the council in this way It meant isolation, and such a position had terrors for him. The church was built as Congregational church: The money was raised partly from other Congregational churches. Dr. Dennen said that the council were unable at any time to get MT. Park to assent to the dec- Urine of inspiration, and he had said that if any other man had written @ book that ap- peared to him as Paul's writings did he would give it weight and honor. He had no doubt but that Mir. Park was good and pure man, but so was Theodore Parker who did so much to ruin Congregstionalism. He ad. vised the church to take time and give the important question much deliberation He moved that the matter be ta- bled and brought up in three weeks, with the expectation that in the meantime the church get advice from Dr. Barbour, pr. Hawes, Newman Smyth and Mir. Meserve, who were not present at the council. This motion was lost The origi- nal motion was then taken up by ballot and the result was 32 in favor and against The clerk was instructed to inform the so- cfety and committee Of three from the church were appointed to notify the pastor of the action of the church coniointIy with a committee of three from the society. The meeting then adjourned.
 CaledOnians of Hartford - Field Day
 Sports.
 At the field day sports of the Hartford Caledonian society in Hartford Monday prizes were won by the following from this section:
 Running hop and jump-E. J. Keatine, of brantord, 2d; four competitors.
 Half mile Enn-won by Mir. Howard of New Haven; five competitors.
 Quarter mile run-eight competitors: MT. Howard, of this city, 1st, and j. Fl. Daley of Waterbury, 2d. -A@
 Running long jump-fiye competitors: E. J. Keating. Branford, 1st.
 Mrs. Joseph Church, of Hartford. died yesterday, aged ss. Two children, Fred. E. Church, the artist, and Miss Elizabeth Church survive her