The Press., 1886-11-25

SIS ,O00 was stipulated as the pr1ce to the noble 13, but most of them claim that they didn't finally get all this. ..ay
 I FoR year or two past it has been an "open secret' that the Congregational church in Willimantic was divided concerning the pull pit utterances of Rev. s. R. Free, who has been hired from year to year as g supply for the pulpit, and whose teachings.were at yari- ance with those of his predecessors. At the society's last annual meeting, Q petition sign ed by 20 church members asked that there might be a change of preachers. The socie- ty, largely made of members who have be- come such since Mr. Free's connection with the church, took no notice of the petition. At a church meeting held on the evening of Nov. 12th the subject came up. The Journ- al says:
 Other business being disposed of, Law yer Bowen said that there was another mat ter that might properly come before the meeting, viz l: the relation which the church sustains to Rev. s. R. Free. He prefaced his remarks by an allusion to that principle, we'll understood by nations E as we'll as individuals, that each person in I a nation, 8 state, or an organization, l should consult the good of the whole, re-
 gardless of personal preferences. He then
 showed that. the church had steadily de- clined, birth in numbers and spirituality, under the present pastorate. He remind I ed his hearers that the incumbent had lost his standing in the ministerial association
 to which he belonged. That he had lost I the confidence and fellowship of the min-
 istry in our town and in surrounding towns. I But, more than this, we find his theology defective, and differing widely from that
 which is expressed in our creed and cove
 nant The speaker here quoted from
 these and also from some of MT. Frees well-known utterances, showing their di-
 vergance. Some have thought that his
 preaching must be borne quietly by those
 who differ from it. It has been borne for
 four years and more. Must it be borne I forever? Some have sat and heard it with much pain. Shall not others be willing
 now to give up their preferences for a
 time? MT. Bowen concluded his speech
 by offering the following motion, which
 was seconded by Mir. Pomeroy
 I ResolUed, That this church protests against
 continuing it's relation with the present acting
 pastor, Rev. s. R. Free, and therefore would
 most respectfully ask the committee of the
 society to give him the necessary notice, ii } ant is required by the terms of the contract } with him, as soon as convenient.
 After MT. Bowen closed his remarks Mr. Stearns was asked to speak. He referred
 10 the fact that he had frequently urged
 the church to come together and have 8 friendly talk about the matter. While he did not know that Mir. Free should be
 blamed for declensleon in the church, if he , had children growing up he should not
 want them to hear such preaching.
 MT. Terry said that nothing was sc much to be dreaded as a division in the church. Aud whatever had caused fl
 would have much to answer for. He would rather see the building burned to , the ground than to see division in the
 organization. MT. Bowen had very ably land truthfully presented the case. 'I Mir. Pomeroy believed in the necessity
 of Savior. That redemption must be had by definite acceptance of Christ as
 such or we are lost. He would like to
 come back into the Congrega tional church,
 but he should not do so until there is christian teaching in the pulpit.
 I Wm. Avery said he dld not think the meeting had been sufficiently advertised, and the purpose of it had not been widely known. He would, therefore, like to have an adjournment that the church might be more fully represented. r A sister thought this 'tan underhand at- tack upon our pastor" That life oi good works is much to be preferred to any theology. That she had been very much benefited by the preaching of MT. Free. q Another lady said that she, also, had been helped, and some dark things made plain
 to her. Another said that the preaching
 had always seemed to her unscriptural. x. At this juncture MT. Hathaway offered
 8 motion of adjournment for three weeks.
 This was seconded by Mir Avery, The
 vote on adjournment stood fourteen to fourteen. The chairman cast the vote to adjourn for three weeks.