Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-15
RoTH SIDES AcoUIEsCE.

EtOIkt SADHS ASSG OAAASOAze | A Meeting Held Yesterday at the Milford Church-The Resignations of the Deacons Accepted but Some
 Thoughts of a more Serious Nature A Letter from Drs. Smyth and
 Tw1tchell.
 It is probable that now the troubles which have existed lately in the First Con gregational church of Milford, are pretty l nearly healed The advice given by the council called in to consider the case, was a credit to that body, as giving each side been acquiesced to by the two factions Immediately after the morning service yesterday, meeting was held, which had been appointed the Sunday preceding. As it was known that the church had given public notice it would at this time take final action regarding the fulfllment or non-fulfllment on the part of the deacons, there was therefore an unusually large at- tendance. The meeting was quiet and set tied things in quick order. John G. North was chosen chairman and D. l.. Clark, clerk pro tenn. ,as Clerk George U. Platt was absent. Mir. Clark read the call of the meeting. The business of which was to dispose deacons, Henry and George F. Platt, for the non-fulfllment of their pledge to the church, notices having previously been given to them in writing to appear and answer to the charges made The deacons were called upon, but were not present. The chairman then stated that he understood resignations had been read at the prayer meeting on the Friday evening previous and also resignation |<c -1.. I DIa&& He therefore advised it would be courteous on the part of the church not to proceed with the business under the call of the meeting to depose the deacons, but to al low them now to tender their resignations. And that vote to lay this business on the table would be in order; whereupon Dea-, con E. B. Clark offered a resolution to that effct, which was passed. Then the chair man called upon the deacons to present their resignations, in compliance with the advice of the late council. After waiting for response, none being made as the deacons were absent, he then called if there was any communication from them it should now be presented. Whereupon the clerk of the standing committee read the following resignation, signed by both deacons:
 To the First Church of Christ in Milford: We regret to learn that an absence from the ", z, caused any misapprehension regarding our pur- pose to resign our office as deacons.
 upon which once @ us personay wons Y t would would be more fitting that we should not be present.. filed o9 our with b1 them to that effect, and having expressed our determination to abide by it's decision, and to resign in any event, we did not suppose there | could be any question as to our following the | advice of the council. As we understand the action of the council m you till after your action in this matter and that thereupon they should be submitted without un- | We therefore in accordance with the advice of the council to us. hereby seyerally resign the of held so long we wish to thank you all far your sympathy bestowed so generously upon us | through many years. The many pleasant hours we have spent together in work and worship will | always be fresh in our memories.
 As is always the case with men who think and act Independently, we have looked at some things that we have endeavored to perform the duties of in the fear of God, holding ourselves accountable | only to him and this church.
 As felow-members with you of this church we | peace and prosperity. Yours in the gospel,
 GEORGE F. PLArT, | HENRY N. PIATT.
 Milford, Conn.,, Dec. 12, 1890.
 This was immediately accepted by the church with some opposition, principally
 by those who in sympathy wished the dea- cons to retain their offices
 As regards the resignation of the clerk
 ship, some dicussion alluding to whether
 censures should be considered arose, which
 the chair ruled as out of order. It was
 for the church simply to say whether o1
 not it would accept the resignation, which
 read as follows:
 '
 | Iwould hereby acknowledge the receipt of 6
 letter signed by D. L. Clark clerk of the standing | committee requesting me to turn over to thai
 as Wth vote sSe | church passed last Sunday, December
 of the of ana ! vember g. 1890, and carry out it's instructions.
 preparations to complete the records of the year | vote of the church November g. 1890, according
 to the best of my understanding, so that if possf
 ble they might not through any error or misap
 prehension on my part fail to approve themselves | In this intention and endeavor have found I myself embarrassed concerning the exact form
 and attest as clerk the papers approved by vote | of the church as the correct minutes.
 w o to aa as Saae
 perplexed. On the one hand do not see how
 meeting at which was not % present aithoueh
 could enter, and am now willing to enter, upor | the record book any minute of that meeting
 be authorized to sign the minute as clerk prt | tenn of that meeting, and to attest as clerk tn,
 desirous to do all in my power to assist the stand | ing committee in putting the records in the mos
 correct and properly attested form; In compli | communicated to me, do hereby hand over thu papers mentioned and the incomplete records O clerk of the church and request that it be imme | diately accepted. With Christian salutations your brother in the Lord,
 Milford, Conn.,, Dec. 12, 1890.
 The vote was then taken and the resig
 nation unanimously accepted.
 The annual meeting of the society vii
 be held this evening, at which time officer } for the ensuing year will be appointed tt ! the satisfaction of all, it is hoped. Mex Sunday the annual meeting of the churcl
 will be held, when the offices of deacon and clerk, now vacant, will be filled. ! The following is reply received by tn deacons from Drs. Smith and Twitchell: New Haven, Dec. il, 1890. | Mir. George F. Platt:
 | Dear Sir-In view of some question which seem
 to have arisen among the brethren in the churcl ! at Milford concerning the time within which tn
 resignatiOns of the two deacons should be offered
 you ask us our Judgment regarding the mesnin ! upon that point of the result of the counci which we were deputed to communicate to tn ' church.
 , | In reply we would state that in our judgmen the course of action advised by the council, re I qures first, that the church should rescind it vote disposing the two deacons, and that thel l the resgnations of the deacons should be pres l scented to the church without any unnecessary o | unreasonable delay.
 , We understand that the church by its vote ol last Sunday, December 2, complied with the ad vice of the council. Had these resignations bee ! in the hand of some third party to be presente l at that meeting immediately after that action o the church, certain misapprehensions and mis l understandings might have been prevented. While regretting that these have arisen we ar of the opinion that the advice of the council, g.
 far as it relates to the deacons twill be compiled ! with if now they avail themselves of the first or portunity of presenting their resignations to tn ! church. Yours very truly, NEWMAN SMITH.
 J. E. MITCHELL.