Year: 1864




siastieal tribunals, then all civil
lied and enlightened men must conclude
that religion tends to the worst features
of barbarism. To condemn man nm
heard, or adjudge him indebted to anoth.
er without considering his defence strikes
the mind of every person, two removes
from the savage state, as most fragrant
wrong. | must presume that your body
have some by laws, rules and regulations
which provide the means by which an op-
portunity for fair hearing sha all be Sc
cured is cases Of this kind and that in
this instance, the spirit if not the letter
of them, was most grossly violated.


The matter to be decided upon. if the
decision we're to have any binding effect
upon Mr.. Cutting, or influence upon the
public mind, was certainly one of grave
Importance to him. For nearly twenty
years he had devoted himself to preaching
what he believed to be the gospel the
best part of his manhood had been spent
in bending all his energies to complete
preparation for the work he had shown
his ardent love for his chosen vocation,
by his persistent continuance in it; his ac-
quirments, gathered to himself by long
and patient study, with porsevering prac-
tice, were his whole capital with which to
carry on the business Of after life, in a
way to secure his own happiness and be.
come useful in the world. Was it "a mat.
ter of slight Importance to him that the
acquisitions of life Of intense labor
should be rendered comparatively value.
less, and all the cberish he'd hopes of an
honorable ambition be blasted by the de-
cree of an ecclesiastical Council? And
was that Council to be held $50 far as he
was concerned) in secret, the more elfcc-
tually t" subserve the purposes of his bit
ter enemies, who, under the guise of
friendship, not having the manliness and
courage to give him an opportunity to de-
fcnd himself, put forth q most vigorous
effort to induce the Council to pronounce
snap judgment against him? The mo-
Tee of those who procured the adoption
of such a resolution, undoubtedly was to
destroy the influence of Mr.. Cutting =
to embarrass him as much as possible,
and render it difficult for him to find em-
ployment by Universalist Societies, and
especially, to effect his dismissal from the
position he now holds at Stowe in short,
to break him down as preacher. That
would be the natural effect if such a res
oution had been adopted after regular
proceedings +; aud such may be its effect
now, for time, because the people will
at first, only look at the resolution, and
will not mstrust that Council of. chris.
tian ministers. could be guilty Of such
unspeakable folly and wickedncss, as tc
assume that he could not defend himself
| if he had an opportunity. and pass judg
ment of expulsion upon him without al
lowing him to know that he was accused
or even accusing him in such manner and
form, that after sentence he could know
what his crime was. Hence justice te
truth and decency among men, as well as
to Mr.. Cutting, demands that the public
should know how this thing was accom-
plshed; and when they do know it, thu
good old maxim will again be justified
that Honesty is the best policy = Their
|it will be determined who has lost inAu
ence with the public, Mr.. Cutting. or thos'
who attempted to stab him in the back


You seem to think that had som,
difficulty in understanding the resolution
There was no difficulty about that. !


bears on its face unmistakable indications
that the drawer felt there was something
embarrassing in approaching the suhjec
directly, and so attempts to put into th'


belly Of the resolution a speech to swell


its gaunt proportions into little respec
liability. What occasion was there to re
/ cite that "Mr. Cutting once voluntaril.
resigned his connection with our demon


ination and with the christian ministry


by expressly relinquishing his letter 0


fpllowshin and his credentials of ordina