Year: 1875

pect sympathy and who accordingly have been shown
IL by US whenever they meddled with this church have
never done i with the soft side OF their hand IN one
single instance IL has never been the palm that was
extended TO as, but always the knuckles daughter
and appause) And under such circumstances, stand
ing with US, we have been Obliged TO submit 10 20
pcted with fiery ice


This expression was received with loud laughter by
the assembage but Mr. Beecher preserved his gravity
and looking around him, said tmpressively repeat
IT, They have peted us with fiery lce-with codness
that has burned like FIRE. say that the spectacle oil
the quietness, the cohesion and the internal activity,
the genial ongoing Of this church Is spectacle that
will be omitted from the writings OF any future his
torian Of the ecclesiastical affairs of the times;
tAppausel And now, while we have suffered
long and so patiently, believing that pa
tience would at last bring persecution 10
end and that by patient continuance in well doing
could put TO shame those who falsely accused. US,
hoping that by reticence and by refusing 20 strike
back ana by refusing all belcose spirit and action
might be spared the misery OF seeing spiritual con-
fagration carried into the Congregational churches
here and in the large cities round about us But we
have that point in which IL is very plain that
the campaign TO 90 and that II is the intention Of
those that meant well and those who
sought by trick and indirectly to do that
which they never dared to take the respon-
sbility Of doing in their own proper person-t
is evident that the campaign is meant to 90 on and
since it must go on 1t is time that we should take
things into our own hands and have something TO do
with the tactics of the battle field Applause)


We call, then the advisory council not because we
think in ourselves that AFFAIRS disointed
out Of harmony with the affairs OF Congregational
churches. declare my firm faith and belief that not
only is Plymouth church regular but | Will
defy any church OF the Congregational faith
and order In these United States to compare
defy those that stand chief accusers TO open
the history of the Roman Church in the mat
tier Of v soPe bso,v sa order d n I%a s5aps
and order of this church in the management Of
our affairs. Loud applause.l shall show under such
circumstances that with packed committees with the
ignorance of the whole Church, ministers have man
aged the AFFAIRS and hoodwinked the churches the
nature of the steps which we're taken and which
q involve the life Of those
churches. (Sensation II has been done by the minis
ers alone and given forth as the act OF the members OF
the church themselves whereas has been done
in this church. Not single subject that has not
been broached before the whole church with foregoing
notice of such business And this church has had the
frankest, cearest and most continuous administration
OF Its own affairs from beginning TO end. This church
was born in the spirit of liberty and we believe with
the doctrine of the church law in the proper church.
and there never has been Tor there has been but one
husband here but one pastor in this bride OF Christ
and know it's history from beginning TO end And
there has been thing done in this church that
has not been aided in by council of the members.
And when you come to say that not Congrega-
tiona throw that charge out and say they not
that accuse US. (Applause.)


What will be the influences of this advisory council
What is advisory council IS distinguished from
mutual councS II is c6dhM o. churches-of
churches asking ADVICE from their fellow Churches
while mutual council is council called by two par
ties not able TO settle between them given matter An
pdre council is council called by party TO hear
a matter in alteration between them and any other
church. Now we ask an advisory council to consider
this case and mean TO have large enough and we
to have it enough. cloud and prolonged
aapplausel is proposed to have u on
OF January. (Appause) We mean TO have this advi-
sorry council made up of no mean men in knowledge,
in experience and in the usage OF the Congregational
Church. and then not to those that have never shown
anything but enmity but to those that are impartial
that have stood apart and act in some part judi
cal brethren we mean TO open our bosoms and hearts
and they can question us and try us and say
whether there any evil in as And they
may satisfy themselves; for there has
n
coming to me in q Christian spirit and treating
me like Christian man who could not have found out
anything in the whole history OF affairs that he de-
sired TO ask. And say that no body of ministers In
council come to this brotherhood and go away
without knowing anything that can be known In
spect TO the order, discipline and practice OF this
church We say in advance that their advice will be
most respectfully needed and that any changes in our
rules any additions to them which may be sug-
gesed by them, II they do not conflict with the unda
mental liberties Of the church. will be accepted
and will be adopted We don't ask them to come here,
of course and ratify what We have done We say TO
them -sCome here, and If there Is anything that can
make us better nobody wants so much TO do it as we
do.n one effect OF this advisory council will be
thshat hereafter every person that has had the disc
pline Of the church laid upon him for misconduct
that shall be disciplined by this church for these
acts-cannot run to the rear parlor and get up q
call for mutual council daughter and applause }
think that may say that, after an advisory coun-
Gil shall have been held here Plymouth church can
hope 10 afford hereafter 20 ignoeswe At least nne-
OF the twenty OF the councils that have been
expected be called. With these remarks resume
my motion that the preamble and resolutions be
adopted.


TIE motion was put by the Moderator and carried by
a rising vote. AS quite number OF persons remarked,
jocularly There were good many who did not rise,
but they weren't members of the church"


Mr. shearman then read the following letter from Mr.
West


DEACON VESTS LETTER.


New YORK Dec 10 1875.
TO THE MEMBERS OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH, Brooklyn,


DEAR BRErHREN-Your acton in passing the rcsolu-
tons which presented to you last Friday evening
both shocked and greved Although from the outset
was radically wrong, yet after my Intellectual attempt
to secure the trial of Mr. Tilton, re-
mained silent for the sake of peace until your
unexpected and nasty action In dropping my name
from the roll compelled me to speak in self defence.
Afterward wrote you ettor, frank and kind in tone,
suggesting plan by which all our differences could be
settled and asking you TO join me in putting this plan
into operation Without having my letter read before
/ the church you passed series of resolutions which
4 seemed to me to be unjust and Inconsistent ] am,
| therefore, compelled TO make the following reply -


First-You charge with insulting you by publish
ing my letter before II was presented to the church
This the first time had ever heard that the sending
of open letter an insult to the body TO which 1t
i was addressed | certainly did not intend IL as an
insult the reasons gave for II In the letter itself
VIII show. | did not think that you in
tended to insult Mrs Moulton when your letter
10 her published days before was delivered
\ to her. | did not consider it insult when you
\ dropped my name from the roll Of membership, and
received notification OF 1t except through the me-
dunn of the public press / will also mention in this



connection that delivered my first letter TO the clerk
OF the church November "a and did not publish IT,
\ Two DAYS afterward while that letter in the hands
of the clerk you reconsdered your former vote drop
ping my name. My letter not being presented TO you
I'LL after such action had been taken, could you with
consistency have received me again into membership
after having heard that letter. in which stated that
could not conscentousy consent to attend the ser
\ wees and sacraments of the church until a
regular and impartial investigation Of the
/ charges against the character of the pastor
/ had been made by properly constituted council? Or
would you consistently have censured me for repeating
in the second letter what had already stated in the
hrst2 think that the facts which have mentioned
4 amply justified me in publishing mysecond letter. In
fact when the letter brought before the church IL
was read and Mrs Moultons letter, which had not
been published also referred, without reading, TO
4 the examining committee.


Second-You state that | demanded the call
\ ing of council to consider matters which
| had never laid before the church or
before any Of its committees, and demanded
that this council be called to investigate charges
which had never been made by me and which had
not the first place been submitted the church, and
you aftcrward stigmatized this action as being $50
plain a violation of Congregational usage and Christian