The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-12-15
THE DoINGS TEsTERDAY
At the Ecclesiastical Council at Madi-

son.
 The Congregational churchi in Madison, Conn.,, having called the Rev. George A. Bushee, recently of Oxford to De- come their pastor, d council consisting of the New Haven East consoclat'on with other churches and ministers was regularly convened at the house ot wor- ship in Madison on Wednesday, Decem- Der 14, to review the proceedings of the church and society, to examine the con- dition and if judged expedient to assist in the installation service. The attend- ance was general notwithstanding the severity of the cold, some of the mem bers having driven eight or ten miles in the keen frosty air. There were thirty ministers and delegates enrolled constl- tuting an unusually large council.
 In entering on the business of the meeting it became apparent that the unfortunate division which took place in the church during the previous pas- torate, was not yet wholly healed and that on this account there was some opposition to the installation Of the candidate at this time. For this reason the council devoted it's attention to a careful consideration of the conditions prevailing in the church and society and arrived at the conclusion that they would hold no examination but advise a postponement of the formal installa- tion.
 A committee of five was appointed to report the result of the council and their report was unanimously adopted by the body The result is as follows:
 The council convened by the moder- ator of the New Haven East consocia- tion at the request of the First Con- gregational church and society in Mad- ison, Conn.,, to review their proceedings in calling the Rev. George A. Bushee to be their pastor and teacher and if deemed expedient to install him in that office, after considering with great care the papers presented in the case, viz; the call of the church and society, MT. Bushee's acceptance of the same, and the protest of number of the membe s of the church and society against such installation, come to the following con- clusicns and submit to the church and society in Madison the subjoined rec concentrations.
 1. We are sorry to find evidence of 8 serious division of sentiment in the church, existing for several years, and manifesting itself in a considerable minority vote aeanst calling MT. Bushee, in the protest against his in- stallation presented to the council and in other ways seriously threatening ! the peace, prosperity and unity of this church.
 2. In view of this condition of affairs, for which MT. Bushee is not responsi- b!e, and. while holding him in highest esteem, we do not think it advisable for the church to install a pastor at the present time.
 3. We, therefore, advise the church and society to defer the installation of MT. Bushee and to invite him to serve as their acting pastor for six months or more at the pleasure of the church. 4. We earnestly lvise the major | ity to manifest n every possi- ble manner kind conciliatory Chris tian spirit toward their bethren in the church who differ from them in thought and feeling.
 ,. We earnestly advise the minority, and those who sympathize with them, to manifest their allegiance to the | C0uTCn Dy IGllHIul dltelltldUCe upon ana support of all it's services and especi- ally to guard against a critical. fault finding spirit, and all parties in the church, by prayer, self-examination, mutual forgiveness and careful imita- ton of the meekness and gentieness of Christ, to preserve the unity of the | spirit in the bond of peace.
 G. And finally we commend to our dear brother, MT. Bushee, the great and blessed work of seeking, in his preaching and pastoral service, to re- store harmony to this ancient, honored and well-beloved church. We urge him from this day on to know neither ma jority ncr minority, but to shephel d faithfully the whole flock over which we trust the Holy Spirit makes him overseer and we i1nplore for him and i for them the blessing of the Great Head of the church, the God of Grace the God of Peace.
 1 To the question whether the advice | to the minority to support the church was meant to include financial support | the reply was made from the commit 1 tee that it included that and every oth- CT form of support by which they might cooperate with their brethren in | forwarding the interests of the church G. s. D.