Year: 1875

ness meeting Of Plymouth Church to-
night was not largely attended. The
moderator read new letter from Mrs.
Moulton and Mr. Shearman followed
with the report of the examining COM
mittee thereon, in which they concede
her demands in the following resolutions:


Resolved, That this church accedes to
the request of Mrs. Emma Z. Moulton
for the call of mutual Council 10
advise this church and Mrs. Moulton
upon the two questions submitted by her
in her memo: andum of December 70,
1875, which are in the following words:


"TEe action of the church in dropping
me from its membership as it did, and Its
reasons for this, are invalid and lnsufii-
cient. My action IN sbstalnng SO
long from services and sacraments
of the church, while l did not wish to
withdraw from its membership-"were
nv reasons for this valid and sufficient


Resolved, That special committee OF
FIVE be appointed Dy the Moderator, who
shall have power and authority IN The
name and on behalf of this church to pre-
pare and issue letters for the calling OF The
mutual council hereby assented to, and
that the committee are drccte 10 meet at
such time and place tomorrow evening
AS shall be designated by the chairman OF
the committee, and the clerk OF the
church is hereby directed to notify Mrs.
Moulton forthwith of the time and place
of such meeting and to invite her to be
present in person or by her representa-
tive for the purpose of drawing up and
signing the proper letter missive.


ResoLred. That the committee are here
by fully authorized and directed to select
the churches and ministers TO beconvened
in mutual council to the number hereto.
fore specified by Mrs. Moulton, and to
issue the letters TO an equal number OF
churches and ministers, to be named by
Mrs. Moulton; and they are further d.
rected to appoint the meeting OF said
council for the earliest practicable day.
Rcsolre9, That the clerk of
this church is hereby instructed to for
ward a copy of these resolutions to Mr.
and Mrs. Moulton. This was adopted,
and Rov. Henry Ward Beecher offered
the following resolution:


Resolved, That the committee of seven
appointed to call IN advisory council IN
this church are hereby instructed to fix
the day for the assemblage of that council
at least one week after the assemblying
OF the national council, IN which this
church has agreed to unite.


Some discussion WAS had on the
resolution, after which Mr.. Beech
er arose and, with an evident
feeling of reluctance at addressing so
small q number, said it might seem
strange that the church should spend so
much time in writing letters to lady.
He wished to say he regarded the matter
as being sdone ..for the purpose of re-
moving from the church the imputation
which has been cast upon il by its enemies.
People said that they carried on course
which was oppressive to the members
The church had always attempted to act
as household, and even i'll disciplning
its members this had been done. 1t had
not acted rs a legislative or executive
body. When affection can do no more
the church must do what 1t
can towards properly disclplining
its members, and for this
reason the name of Mrs. Z. G. Moulton
had been dropped from the rolls, her
rights having been looked upon as just
as sacred as those of any other person.
They knew the power by which she
WAS being impelled was concealed be-
hind her; they were all onei that this
was an unscrupulous power, and one
that had watched every opportunity
to iniure the church. These were tho
reasons so much care and attention had
been given this matter In regard to
the Advisory Council he desired to state
the church called it, because the time
had come when it intended TO take its
own matters in its own hands The
speaker referred at some length to former
councils, and said that they had been
taught by experience that every Oppor
tunity 90 iniure the church would be
taken and zealously hunted up, and they
decided to clear it of the many imputa.
tions heapcd upon it. They would turn
| their books inside out, and would answer
any and all questions that might be put
to them by mortal man. He declared
it a shame that the community should
be so annoyed and families
injured for no justifable reasons what
ever but because of the ill-feeling OF
those persons. All the church wanted
was liberty to pursue its own business.
Nothing more. He wanted mutual
council on these questions of Mrs. Moul-
tons and was not afraid to meet her in
relation to them. This advisory council
called by Plymouth Church was not
intended to be mere handful. They
were going 10 have one that
would make an impres Ion on the
minds of the public, but it could not
control the mutual council. During his
address, which was very spirited, Beecher
was frequently applauded. The resoIu-
ton was adopted unanimously, as wa
the following offered by Sherman:


R,soircd, That the special committee OF
seven heretofore authorized to call an
advisory council, be empowered to amend
the letter mlssive by making whatever
changes may be necessary and by limit
ing, if they see fit, the scope of the ques-
tions AS TO the affairs of this church. A
committee of five, composed of the fol
lowing gentlemen, WAS then appointed to
call a mutual council: Rev. Edward
Bccchcr r w, Raymond, Thomas q.
Shearman, B. f. Blain and 7. }. Tilney.


The meeting adjourned till Friday
evening next.


Confession of m False witness.