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Rev.  A.  Hastings  Ross. 


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R 
POCKET  MANUAL 


—  OF- 


CONGREGATIONALISM. 


-PY- 


A.   HASTINGS    ROSS, 

Author    of   The    Church-Kingdom,    Sermons    for    Children,    The 
Church    of   God  :    A    Catechism. 


REVISED    AND    ENLARGED. 


OBERLIN,  O. 

E.    J .    Goodrich. 

i88q. 


Copyright,  1883, 
BY    A.    HASTINGS    EOSSc 

ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED. 


PREFACE. 

estV 


We  present  this  Pocket  Manual  as  an  honest 
•attempt  to  adjust  the  Congregational  Polity  to  ijt^ 
principles  and  enlargement.  Two  things  gave  it  an 
abnormal  development — the  union  of  church  and  state 
in  New  England,  and  a  false  theory  of  the  ministry. 
Repeated  attempts  have  been  made  to  correct  the 
evils  resulting  from  these  early  errors,  but  the  true 
remedy  has  not  yet  been  fully  adopted.  These  at- 
tempts could  not  have  arisen  under  a  simple,  con- 
sistent, and  complete  development  of  our  principles ; 
for  such  a  development  would  have  given  a  stable, 
because  adequate,  polity. 

The  theory  that  ordained  men  are  ministers  only 
while  installed  pastors,  and  that  removal  from  office 
deposes  them  from  the  ministry,  and  makes  them 
laymen  again,  was  incorporated  into  our  earliest 
usages  and  Platform.  It  placed  a  minister's  standing 
in  the  local  church  of  which  he  was  pastor,  so  that 
he  was  accountable  to  that  church  both  as  a  member 
and  as  a  minister.  A  vote  to  remove  him  from  the 
pastorate  took  away  his  standing  as  a  minister.  He 
had  no  other,  and  by  the  theory  could  have  no  other. 
Tliis  theory  was  so  inadequate  that  it  was  rejected  in 
about  thirty  years  for  the  true  one,  but  its  usages  con- 
tinued, and  some  of  them  still  continue.  The  change 
in  the  theory  involved  a  change  in  ministerial  stand- 
ing, since  that  standing  could  no  longer  be  held  logi- 
cally in  local  churches.  There  arose,  consequently, 
an  unsettled  state  respecting  ministerial  standing. 

Our  peace  was  disturbed  also  by  another  change, 
the  separation  of  church  and  state  in  New  England. 


IV. 

The  Cambridge  Platform,  1648,  rested  its  discipline 
ultimately  on  the  coercive  power  of  the  magistrate,  as 
its  last  chapter  shows;  and  to  that  power  there  were 
sad  but  frequent  appeals.  This  very  citadel  soon 
crumbled  into  ruins,  but  no  other  defence  was  erected 
in  its  place,  except  in  Connecticut  (see  my  article  in 
t\\Q New  Englander,  1883, 461-491, on  "Some  Neglected 
Factors  in  Congregational  Fellowship.");  and  so  con- 
fusion arose.  We  tried  to  make  occasional  councils 
conserve  purity  where  our  fathers  relied  on  "the 
coercive  power  of  the  magistrate."  The  attempt  was 
not  a  complete  success. 

We  believe  that  the  true  remedy  for  these  errors 
and  their  evils,  is  accountable  ministerial  standing  in 
District  Associations,  with  right  of  appeal  in  case  of 
injustice  to  a  council  of  churches  (^^  80,  85,  50,  51). 

The  slight  change  proposed  may  best  be  seen  in  the 
following 

PARALLELISM 

Between  the  early  and  the  new  method: 

EARLY  METHOD.  NEW  METHOD. 

1.  Ministers  held  their  ac-  1.  Ministers  hold  their  ac- 
countable standing,  as  minis-  countable  standing,  as  minis- 
ters, in  the  churches  of  which  ters,  in  the  Associations  of 
they  were  pastors.  which  they  are  members. 

2.  This  standing  was  taken  2.  This  standing  is  taken 
away  from  ministers  by  local  away  from  ministers  by  Dis- 
churohes,  each  dealing  with  trict  Associations,  each  deal- 
its  own  pastor.  ing  with  its  own  members. 

8.  In  case  of  grievance  re-  3.  In  case  of  grievance  re- 
course was  had  to  a  mutual  course  is  ha, I  to  a  mutual 
council,  each  party  choosing  council,  each  party  choosing 
haif  its  members.  half  its  members. 

4.  If  a  mutual  council  was  4.  If  a  mutual  council  is  de- 
declined,  an  ex  pari",  council  clined,  an  ex  parte  council  is. 
was  open  to  the  aggrieved  open  to  the  aggrieved  party, 
party, 

5.  In  case  of  heresy  or  dis-  5.  Perfect  liberty  is  assured 
orderly  conduct,  the  magis-  through  the  separation  of 
trate  put  forth  his  coercive  church  and  state,  the  coercion 
power  to  suppress  it  {Cam,'  of  belief  and  practice  being. 
bridge  Platform,  xvii.  7,  8,  9).  impossible. 


V. 

The  early  method  ended  in  coercion ;  indeed  it  was 
decided  that  the  civil  magistrate  need  not  wait  for 
church  action  before  suppressing,  by  civil  pains  and 
penalties,  "heresy,"  "  pernicious  opinions,"  and  what- 
ever disturbed  "the  peaceable  administration  and 
•exercise  of  the  worship  and  holy  things  of  God." 

The  new  method  ends  in  liberty,  stopping  with  self- 
protection.  It  is  the  presentation  of  this  new  and 
better  way,  as  we  believe,  in  a  simjjle,  consistent,  com- 
plete, and  Congregational  system,  that  constitutes  the 
peculiar  claim  of  this  Manual  to  attention ;  though 
-we  trust  it  will  be  found  useful  also  in  other  respects. 

The  origin  of  this  Manual,  and  its  issuance  at  the 
present  time,  are  explained  by  the  following  state- 
ment and  action,  namely: — 

The  General  Association  of  the  Congregational 
€hurches  and  Ministers  of  Michigan,  in  1S81,  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  prepare  a  Michigan  Manual. 
Tliis  committee  reported,  in  1883.  The  Manual  was 
ordered  printed  and  circulated  among  the  churches 
for  examination  and  criticism;  but,  on  reconsidera- 
tion, the  following  vote  was  passed: 

"  We  have  listened  with  deep  interest  to  the  outline  of 
a  Manual  of  Congregationalism  as  reported  by  the  com- 
mittee ;  and  we  recommend  the  author.  Rev.  A.  Hast- 
ings Ross,  to  secure  the  publication  of  this  Manual  at 
his  earliest  convenience,  for  the  information  and  aid 
of  Congregational  churches,  not  only  in  our  own 
State,  but  throughoutthe  country  ^ '  {Minutes,  1883, 11 ). 

We  have,  however,  enlarged  the  original  draft,  that 
it  might  the  better  cover  the  whole  field. 

The  Cieneral  Association  of  Michigan,  at  its^  meet- 
ing in  May,  1883,  adopted  also  the  following  resolu- 
tion, covering  the  chief  point  or  claim  of  this  Pocket 
Manual,  namely: — 

''Resolved,  That  the  General  Association  of  Michi- 
gan deem  it  to  b?  both  orderly  and  expedient  for  a 
church  or  minister,  that  may  be  excluded  or  ex- 
pelled from  membership  in  any  Association  or  Con- 
ference in  connection,  on  grounds  or  charges  claimed 


VI. 


to  be  insufficient  or  false,  to  call  the  attention  of  the- 
body  doing  the  alleged  wrong  to  the  point  of  griev- 
ance, and  to  invite  it  to  join  in  calling  a  mutual 
council  to  review  the  case  and  advise  in  the  matter ; 
and,  on  its  refusal  or  neglect  to  do  so,  to  call  an  ex 
-parte  council  for  the  same  purposes  "  {Minutes,  9). 

The  general  plan  of  the  present  work  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  "  Ohio  Manual ; "  and  we  are  greatly- 
indebted  to  the  General  Association  of  Ohio  for  its 
kindness  in  allowing  through  its  Kegister  so  large  a 
use  of  that  work,  AVe  have  taken  whole  sections  and 
even  pages  from  i*,  which  we  here  acknowledge  with- 
out further  indication,  but  which  we  could  never  have 
ventured  to  do,  had  not  the  "Ohio  Manual"  been  the 
work  of  our  hands.  As  the  many  editions  of  that 
Manual  have  nearly  ceased,  they  for  whom  it  was 
prepared  will  be  glad  to  give  its  most  valuable  parts 
a  wider  circulation  in  this  its  enlarged  form. 

We  commit  this  little  ^lanual  to  the  kind  consid- 
eration of  the  churches  we  love  so  well,  invoking  upon 
it  the  blessing  of  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church,  to,- 
whom  be  glory  for  ever.     Amen. 

A.  HASTINGS  BOSS.. 

Port  Huron,  3'Iich., 

July  10th,  1883. 


REVISED  AND   ENLARGED   EDITION 


The  Pocket  Manual  was  issued  in  Novem- 
ber, 1883.  Some  of  its  principles  met  con 
siderable  opposition  ;  but,  as  they  became 
better  known,  the  opposition  gradually  ceased, 
until,  in  1886,  the  National  Council,  meeting 
in  Chicago,  passed,  without  a  dissenting  vote, 
resolutions  (§  174)  recognizing  those  princi- 
ples as  sound  Congregationalism.  In  con- 
formity therewith,  the  General  Association  of 
Massachusetts,  at  its  meeting  in  1888,  recom- 
mended that  the  certification  of  ministerial 
standing  be  thereafter  left  with  the  District 
Conferences  or  Associations  of  churches. 

Thankful  for  these  encouragements,  and 
desirous  that  the  full  system  of  our  free  and 
unifying  polity  may  be  given  with  its  checks 
and  safeguards,  the  book  has  been  revised 
and  enlarged.  We  have  introduced,  in  place 
of  the  Creed  and  Covenant,  the  "  Statement 
of  Doctrine  "  and  the  '^  Confession  of  Faith," 
issued  by  the  Commission  of  the  National 
Council,  in  December,  1S83  ;  also  a  Consti- 
tution for  the  churches  in  place  of  the  Stand 

(VIA.) 


VI   B. 

ing  Rules.  The  By-Laws  and  Rules  of  Order 
of  the  National  Council  are  corrected  to  date. 
We  have  also  added  matters  of  importance. 

We   invoke  upon  the  Pocket  Manual   the 
continued  favor  of  Christ  and  of  his  churches. 


A.  HASTINGS  ROSS. 


Fort  Huron,  Michigan, 
JSioveniber,  1888, 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

The  Congregationalists  : 

Page. 
^  1.  Name 3 

2.  Origin 4 

3.  Progress  and  Numbers. 6 

CHAPTER  II. 

Doctrinal  Position  of  the  Congregational, 
Churches: 

^4.  Importance  of  Doctrine ]1 

5.  Their  Rule,  the  Bible 11 

6.  Their  General  Confessions 12 

7.  Their  Church  Creeds 12 

8.  Their  Doctrinal  Guards  to  the  Ministry.  13 

9.  Their  Guards  to  Church  Membership —  13 

10.  Their  Doctrinal  Basis  of  Union 14 

11.  Their  Liberty  in  Non-Essentials 15 

12.  Their  Statement  of  Evangelical  Doctrines  15 

13.  Their  Treatment  of  Weak  Believers 17 

CHAPTER  III. 

^Ecclesiastical  Position  of  the   Congrega- 
tional Churches: 

^  14.  Four  Theories  of  the  Christian  Church.-  21 
]  5.  Constitutive  Principles  of  these  Theories.  21 


VIII. 


I. — -The  Church  Invisible  Becomes  Visible  in  Churches. 

Page. 
I  16.  The  Invisible  Church 22 

17.  Manifestation  of  the  Invisible  Church 22 

18.  A  Church 23 

19.  All  Theories  Diverrxe  in  the  Attempted 

Union  of  Local  Churches 23 

TL.—How  Churches  are  Formed. 

I  20.  The  Material 24 

21.  Beginning  to  Organize 24 

22.  Completing  the  Organization 25 

23.  Seeking  Church  Fellowship 20 

24.  Legal  Kelations  of  Churclies 27 

25.  Care  in  Organization 28 

III. — The    Constitutive   Principle   of  the   Primitive, 
and  the  Congregational  Churclies. 

§  26.  Meaning  of  the  Term 29 

27.  The  Constitutive  Princijjle 30 

28.  Ecclesiastical  Authority,  where  Deposited  30 

29.  Ecclesiastical  Societies  not  Scriptural 31 

30.  Proof  of  the  Constitutive  Principle 31 

31.  a.  Election  of  Officers 31 

32.  h.  The  Law  of  Discipline 32 

33.  c.  General  Management 33 

34.  d.  Their    Autonomy,    or    Independence, 

Conceded 33 

IV. — The  Unifying  Principle  of  the  Primitive,   and 
the  Congregational  Churches. 

§  35.  The  Invisible  Spiritual  Cliurch  Indivisi- 
ble   36 

36.  The  Unifying  Principle.— 36 

37.  Development  of  the  Unifying  Principle-  37 

i. — Congregational  Councils. 

I  38.  A  Congregational  Council  what 37 

39.  Letters  Missive 37 

40.  Parties  Calling  Councils 38. 


IX. 

Page. 
§  41.  Membersliip  in  a  Council 38 

'    42.  Parties  Calling  a  Council  cannot  be  Mem- 
bers of  it . —  39 

43.  Parties  may  Decline  to  sit  in  Council 40 

44.  Quorum  and  Adjournment : 40 

45.  Objects  of  Councils 42 

46.  Scope  of  Councils 42 

47.  Kinds  of  Councils 43 

g  48.  A    Singular  Council 45 

49.  A     Binary    Council 45 

50.  A  Mutual  Council — -  46 

51.  An  jKr  pca^^e  Council 48 

g  52.  Councils  should  be  Fairly  Chosen 49 

53.  Lawyers  in  Councils 50 

54.  Result  of  Council 51 

55.  Procedure  in  Councils 52 

56.  Reports  of  Delegates 52 

ii. — Church  Associations. 

^57.  An  Association  of  Churches 53 

58.  Kinds  of  Associations 53 

a.  District 53 

b.  State 53 

c.  National 54 

d.  Ecumenical 54 

§59.  Names  of  Associations 54 

60.  Membership  in  Associations 55 

61.  Objects  of  Associations 56 

62.  Authority  of  Associations  what--- 56 

63.  Responsibility  of  Associations 56 

64.  Associations  not  Presbyterial 57 

65.  Standhig  in  Associations 60 

a.  Ministerial 60 

b.  Church 60 

GO.  Co-ordinate  Bodies 61 

67.  Relation  of  Delegates  to  Associations 61 

68.  Reports  of  Delegates 62 

iii. — Ministerial  Associations. 

§  69.  Origin 63 

70.  Nature 63 


X. 

Page. 
ni.  Use 63 

72.  Continuance 64 

V. —  The  Christian  Miniatry. 

^73.  The  Ministry  a  Function  ana  not  an  Offi- 
cial Relation 64 

74.  The  Ministry  not  a  Priesthood Q>Q> 

75.  The  Ministry  one  Order Q'o 

76.  Ministers  when  Church  Oincers 68 

77.  Ordination  of  Ministers 68 

78.  Installation  of  Pastors 71 

79.  Pecognition  of  Pastors 72 

80.  Ministerial  Standing 73 

^  81.  Once  held  in  Local  Churches 74 

82.  This  Standing  fell  witli  the  Pas- 

toral Theory  of  the  Ministry —  75 

83.  Sometimes    held    in    Ministerial 

Associations 75 

84.  Never  held  in  Councils 76 

85.  Properly  held  in  Associations  of 

Churches 77 

^  86.  Ministerial  Discipline 78 

§  87.  By  an  Association 79 

88.  By  a  Council 79 

^  89.  Ministerial  and  Church  Credentials 82 

90.  Contents  of  Ministerial  Credentials 83 

yi— Church  Officers. 

1. —  The  Pastorate. 

^91.  The  Pastor 84 

92.  Induction  into  Office 85 

93.  Duties 87 

ii. — The  Diaconate. 

§  94.  The  Diaconate  a  Lay  Office 87 

95.  Deaconesses 88 

96.  Duties  of  Deacons 88 

97.  Election  of  Deacons 88 

98.  Installation  of  Deacons 88 


XI. 


iii. — Other  Church  Officers.  Page. 

§  99.  A  Church  may  choose  other  officers,  as — 

a.  Clerk 89 

h.  Treasurer 90 

c.  Church  Board 90 

d.  Committees 91 

e.  Superintendent    of  Sunday   School 
and  Teachers 91 

VII. — The  Christian  Sacraments. 

I  100.  Baptism 91 

101.  The  Lord's  Supper 92 

102.  By  whom  Administered 92 

VIII. — Church  Discipline. 

^  103.  Offenses  Disciplinable 93 

104.  The  Kule  of  Discipline 93; 

^  105.  Private  Offenses 94 

106.  Public  Scandals 95 

§  107.  Procedure  in  Trial 95- 

108.  Trial  by  Committee  or  Jury 95 

109.  Pules  of  Evidence 96 

110.  Irregularities  in  Procedure 97 

111.  Confession 97 

112.  Censures — Lifting  censure 98. 

113.  Censure  of  Ministers 98 

114.  Witnesses 100- 

115.  Legal  Protection  of  Parties  in  Discipline  100 

116.  Membership  a  Covenant 101 

^  117.  Dropping  Members 102 

118.  Certificate  of  Membership 103 

119.  Letters  of  Dismission 103 

120.  Letters  from  Churches 103 

121.  Letters  to  Churches  not  Receiv- 
ing them , 104 

122.  When  Letters  cannot  be  given.104 

123.  Force  of  Church  Letters 105 

§  124.  Sunday  Subscriptions 105 

125.  Voting  Members 106. 


XII. 


IX. — Church  Worbhip. 

^  Page. 

I  126.  Each  Church  regulates  its  own  Worship_107 

X. — Denominational  Differences. 

^  127.  Fundamental  Differences 108 

128.  Incidental  Difierences 109 

I  129.  The  Baptists 110 

130.  The  Presbyterians 110 

131.  The  Episcopal  Methodists 111 

132.  The  Episcopalians 112 

133.  The    Greek    and    the    Roman 

Catholic  Churches. 113 

CHAPTER  IV. 

ICTIVITIES    OF    THE   PRIMITIVE,  AIS^D    THE    CON- 
GREGATIONAL, Churches: 

^  134.  The  Great  Commission 117 

135.  Activity  of  the  Primitive  Churches 118 

136.  Activity  of  the  Congregational  Churches.  119 

137.  Co-operative  National  Societies 120 

138.  Theological  Seminaries 121 

CHAPTER  V. 

Congregational,  Forms,  and  Rules  : 
r . — Admission  of  Members. 

I  139.  Articles  of  Faith 125 

I  no.  Statement  of  Doctrine 126 

UL.  Confession  of  Faith 131 

142 

11. — 143.  Constitution  of  a  Church 134 

111. — Cluirch  Letters. 

§  144.  Letter  of  Dismission 152 

145.  Letter  of  Introduction 152 

146.  Comnlaint  against  an  Offender 153 


XIII. 


IV. — Letters  llissive.  Page. 

§  147.  To  Organize  or  Recognize  a  Church. .    .154 

148.  To  Ordain  or  Recognize  a  Minister 1.54 

149.  To  Dismiss  a  Pastor 155 

150.  To  Discipline  a  Minister 156 

V. — §  151.  Order  of  Procedure  in  Councils 157 

VI. — Parliamentary  Rules. 

§  152.  Rules  of  Order  a  Common  Law ,  ,159 

153.  Bringing  in  Business IGU 

154.  Disposing  of  Business 161 

Motions  and  Questions: 

§  155.  Amendable 163 

156.  Unamendable 163 

157.  Undebatable 164 

158.  Subsidiary... 165 

159.  Incidental 167 

160.  Privileged 167 

161.  Requiring  a  Two-Thirds  Vote .167 

CHAPTER  VI. 

National  Congregational  Bodies. 

I  162.  National  Synods 171 

163.  The  National  Council 171 

§  164.  Constitution 172 

165.  By-Laws 176 

166.  Rules  of  Order 181 

SUPPLEMENTAL.  • 

§  167.  How  to  Form  a  Church  Association 187 

168.  Service  for  Administering  Infant  Bap- 

tism  189 

169.  Procedure  in  Cases  of  Common  Fame..  192 

170.  Citation  of  the  Accused 192 

171.  Can  a  Corporation  Authorize  a  Member 

to  Cast  Its  Ballot  ? 194 

172.  Can  an  Informal  Ballot  De  made  Formal  ?194 

173.  Consolidation  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Soci- 

ety with  its  Church 195 


XIV. 

Page. 

174.  National  Council  on  Ministerial  Stand- 

ing  193 

175.  Ministerial      and      Church      Standing 

Guarded 200 

176.  Origin  and  Value  of  Councils. 205 

177.  Service  for  Administering   the    Lord's 

Supper 209 

178.  Ordination  of  Deacons 212 

179.  Laying  a  Corner-Stone 216 

180.  Order  and  Covenant  for  Dedication  of  a 

Church ....217 

181.  Marriage  Services 220 

182.  Burial  Services 227 


POCKET  MANUAL 


Oi- 


CONGREGATIONALISM. 


THE  CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


"Being  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
Apostles  and  Prophets,  Christ  Jesus  himself 
being  the  chief  cornerstone." — Paul. 


THE   CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

I.  Name.  The  Greek  word,  <?>^/^/<?j'/<2,  gen- 
erally translated  in  the  New  Testament 
"church,"  means  primarily  a  popular  or 
other  assembly  legally  summoned;  in  the 
heathen  sense,  the  lawful  assembly  in  a  free 
Greek  city  of  all  those  possessed  of  the 
right  of  citizenship,  for  the  transaction  of 
public  affairs;  in  the  Jewish  sense,  a  con- 
gregation, assembly  of  people  on  solemn 
occasions  or  for  worship;  in  the  Christian 
sense,  a  congregation  of  the  followers  of 
Christ  Jesus,  organized  for  worship  and 
Christian  labor.  Now  the  words  congre- 
gational, congregationalist,  and  Congrega- 
tionalism, are  derived  from  the  word  con- 
gregation; and  they,  like  the  word  trans- 
lated "church,"  have  primary  reference  to 
an  assembly.  When,  therefore,  they  are 
applied  to  a  form  of  church  government, 
they  indicate  that  the  local  congregation  of 
believers  occupies  the  determinative  place  in 


the  system,  such  as  the  Pope  occupies  in 
the  Papacy,  the  Bishop  (Episcopos)  in  the 
Episcopacy,  the  Presbyter  in  Presbyterian- 
ism.  Strictly,  therefore,  the  congregation- 
alists  are  all  those  who  confine  the  right 
and  exercise  of  ecclesiastical  authority  un- 
der Christ,  to  each  local  congregation  of 
believers,  called  the  church  of  that  place. 
In  history,  however,  the  word  has  a  techni- 
cal and  limited  signification;  and  the  Con- 
gregationalists,  in  England  also  called 
Independents,  are  a  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians distinguished  from  other  denomina- 
tions, also  congregationally  governed,  by 
marks  of  doctrine,  or  of  rite,  or  of  both. 
Thus,  the  Baptists,  the  Disciples  of  Christ, 
and  others,  are  congregationally  governed, 
but  they  are  known  by  other  names  and 
are  distinguished  from  the  Congregation- 
alists  in  all  histories,  records,  associations, 
fellowships,  statistics  and  activities.  As  a 
denomination,  the  Congregationalists  are 
as  distinct  as  are  the  Presbyterians  or  any 
other  denomination. 

2.  Orig"in.  The  apostolic  and  primitive 
churches  were  confessedly  congregational 
in   their    form    of   government    (§  34),  but 


their  independence  and  rights  slowly  disap- 
peared before  the  encroachments  of  pre- 
latical  and  hierarchical  ideas  and  practices^ 
until  they  were  lost  in  the  Papacy.  The 
Great  Reformation  was  a  partial  return 
to  the  liberty  of  the  primitive  churches. 
Luther  apprehended  the  congregational 
idea  of  the  church  as  early  as  1523,  but  the 
Synod  of  Homburg,  in  1526,  made  the 
earliest  formal  statement  of  it.  The  model 
prepared  was  too  revolutionary  for  the 
princes  of  Germany  to  indorse,  so  it  was 
surrendered  for  another.  Modern  Congre- 
gationalism first  appeared  in  England  under 
Robert  Browne,  in  or  about  1580.  It  took  a 
more  permanent  form  in  the  Pilgrim  Church 
organized  at  Scrooby,  England,  1606,  which 
removed  to  Holland,  in  1607  and  1608,  and 
thence  to  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  in  1620. 
It  is  the  claim  of  this  system  of  church 
government,  and  one  now  generally  con- 
ceded (§  34),  that  it  is  a  development  of  the 
principles  revealed  in  the  New  Testament, 
and  embodied  in  the  polity  of  the  primitive 
churches.  Hence  we  may  truly  say  that 
the  Congregationalists  have  their  origin  in 
the  planting  of  churches  by  the  Apostles, 


but  their  revival  in  the   early  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century  in  England. 

3.  Progress  and  Numbers.  Arising 
under  centralized  and  opposing  systems, 
the  Congregational  theory  (§§  26,  27)  of 
the  Christian  Church  has  made  rapid  pro- 
gress, and  its  prevalence  is  of  unspeakable 
interest,  since  it  bears  in  its  bosom  civil  as 
well  as  religious  liberty.  It  has  a  strong 
foothold  in  England  and  the  United  States, 
chiefly  in  the  Baptist  and  in  the  Congre- 
gational churches.*     The  relation  of  polity 

"'^The    Congregational    churches    in    the 
world  (in  1880-1883)  are  located  as  follows 
Africa,  59;  Australia,  180;  Austria,  i;  Can- 
ada, 123;  Ceylon,    13;   Channel  Islands,  12 
China,  ;^6;  England,  2,298;   France,  3;  Ger 
many,   2;  Ireland,  31;   India,  77;  Japan,   16 
Madagascar,  1,142;  Micronesia,  40;  Mexico 
i;    Newfoundland,    4;     New    Zealand,     22 
North  American  Indians,  9;  Russia,  i;  Scot- 
land,  108;  Sandwich  Islands,   57;  Spain,  3 
Travancore,   6;  Turkey,   94;   United  States, 
3,936;  Wales,  876;  West    Indies,   38;    Poly- 
nesia, 292  ministers.     Total,  9,188  churches, 
besides    those    in    Polynesia,    not    given. — 
(Canadian    Cong.   Year  Book^    1882-3;   United 
States    Cong.     Year    Book,     1883.).      Baptist 
churches    in    the    world-     North    America, 


to  civil  liberty  favors  the  future  growth  of 
Congregationalism. 

27,213;  South  America,  8;  Europe,  3,034. 
Asia,  596;  Africa,  60;  Australia,  143;  total 
churches  (1882),  31,054.  To  these  must  be 
added  in  the  United  States:  Free-Will 
Baptists,  1,485;  Anti-Mission  Baptists,  900; 
Disciples  of  Christ,  4,768;  Seventh-Day 
Baptists,  87;  Six-Principle  Baptists,  20; 
total,  7,260  churches.  Grand  total,  38,314. 
^{JMimUes  Mich.  Bapt.  Ccnventiofiy  1882.) 


11. 


DOCTRINAL  POSITION  OF  THE  CON 
GREGATIONAL  CHURCHES. 


"If  ye  abide  in  my  word,  then  are  ye 
truly  my  disciples;  and  ye  shall  know  the 
truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free." — 
Jesus  Christ. 


DOCTRINAL  POSITION   OF  THE 

CONGREGATIONAL 

CHURCHES. 

4.  Importance  of  Doctrine.  Doctrine 
is  more  than  polity;  the  life  than  raiment. 
Although  polity  reacts  on  doctrine  and  may 
subvert  it,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Papacy,  still 
the  question  "What  is  the  doctrinal  posi- 
tion of  the  Congregationalists  ? "  is  far  more 
vital  than  this  other,  "What  is  the  form  of 
their  church  government?"  Soundness  in 
the  faith  is  of  the  first  importance. 

5.  Their  Rule  the  Bible.  The  Con- 
gregational Churches  "agree  in  belief  that 
the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  sufficient  and 
only  infallible  rule  of  religious  faith  and 
practice."  This  clear  and  full  declaration 
our  churches  put  into  the  constitution  of 
their  triennial  National  Council;  for  it  only 
reaffirms  their  previous  doctrinal  position 
taken  in  confessions,  creeds  and  standard 
writers.  But  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  vari- 
ously understood,  therefore  the  Congrega- 

11 


12 

tional  Churches  have  set  forth  their  inter- 
pretation of  them. 

6.  Their  General  Confessions.  After 
the  custom  of  other  communions,  the  Con- 
gregationalists  have,  at  different  times, 
either  adopted  or  framed  elaborate  Confes- 
sions of  Faith;  first  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession (Presbyterian),  in  1648;  the  Savoy 
Declaration,  in  1658;  the  Boston  Confession, 
in  1680;  and  the  Burial  Hill  Declaration,  in 
1865.  The  three  former  are  elaborate  and 
almost  identical;  the  latter  is  brief.  Our 
churches  regard  these  and  such  like  con- 
fessions as  declaratory  only;  denying  to 
Assembly,  Synod,  Council,  Conference,  or 
any  other  body,  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  the 
authority  to  impose  any  confession  upon 
the  churches  of  Christ.  Hence  these  con- 
fessions are  and  must  remain  declaratory 
only.  No  member,  deacon,  pastor,  or  church 
is  required  to  subscribe  to  them,  though 
they  are  rightly  made  tests  of  church  (§§ 
10,  23)  and  associational  (§§  10,  6t,)  fellow- 
ship. 

7.  Their  Church  Creeds.  Each  Con- 
gregational Church,  at  its  organization, 
adopts  such  articles  of  faith  for  its  creed  as 


13 

it  deems  most  scriptural,  embracing  little 
more  than  the  fundamental  doctrines.  All 
are  evangelical.  Assent  to  its  creed  is  re- 
quired of  every  candidate  for  membership. 

8.  Their  Doctrinal  Guards  to  the 
Ministry.  The  Congregational  churches 
guard  the  ministry  from  doctrinal  error  by 
examination  of  all  candidates  for  the  sacred 
calling,  and  of  all  ordained  ministers  on 
recognizing  or  installing  them  in  a  new 
pastorate.  This  examination  respects  their 
mental,  moral,  and  spiritual  qualifications, 
their  doctrinal  belief,  and  their  ecclesiasti- 
cal and  church  standing  (§  79). 

9.  Their  Guards  to  Church  Member- 
ship. The  Congregationalists  hold  that 
only  converted  persons  should  be  in  full 
membership  in  Christ's  visible  churches; 
that  all  such  persons  are  entitled  to  the 
communion  of  saints;  that  no  church  or 
churches  can  rightly  exclude  from  mem- 
bership, by  doctrinal  or  other  tests,  any  one 
whom  the  Lord  accepts  as  his;  and  that, 
therefore,  the  terms  of  admission  should  be 
made  to  correspond,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
with  the  scriptural  conditions  of  admittance 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (§§  13,  20). 


14 


Baptized  children  are  not  m  full  church 
membership;  but  they  "must  credibly  show 
and  profess  their  own  repentance  toward 
God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  before  they  come  to  the  Lord's 
table,  or  are  recognized  as  members  in  full 
communion "  (Boston  Platform  Pt.  II., 
vii,  4). 

10.  Their  Doctrinal  Basis  of  Union. 
The  Congregational  churches  make  the 
common  evangelical  doctrines  the  basis  of 
their  Christian  fellowship  and  union.  This 
has  ever  been  substantially  their  position. 
The  Congregational  churches  in  the  United 
States,  in  organizing  a  triennial  National 
Council  at  Oberlin,  in  1871,  adopted  the 
following  statement  as  the  doctrinal  basis 
of  union,  namely:  "They  agree  in  belief 
that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  sufficient 
and  only  infallible  rule  of  religious  faith 
and  practice;  their  interpretation  thereof 
being  in  substantial  accordance  with  the 
great  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith,  com- 
monly called  evangelical,  held  in  our 
churches  from  the  early  times,  and  suf- 
ficiently set  forth  by  former  General  Coun- 
cils "     (§  164).     Any  church  holding  these 


15 


doctrines  we    admit    to    our   fellowship    and 
union. 

The  General  Associations  of  the  several 
States,  with  few  exceptions,  and  generally 
the  District  Associations  within  these  States, 
have  doctrinal  bases,  as  tests,  which  contain 
little  more  than  the  consensus  of  belief  in 
all  Christendom  (§  12).  The  bodies  which 
have  no  express  doctrinal  basis  have  an 
implied  one  covered  by  such  terms  as 
'^  Evangelical,"  etc.  Conformity  in  belief 
to  these  creeds  is  required  of  churches  and 
ministers  joining  said  bodies. 

11.  Their  Liberty  in  Non-Essentials. 
It  is  patent  to  every  one  that  among  the 
evangelical  denominations  there  is  a  wide 
diversity,  both  in  doctrinal  belief  and  in 
rites,  ceremonies,  rituals,  governments,  and 
customs.  Now,  the  Congregationalists, 
while  holding  firmly  the  essential  truths  of 
the  Gospel,  say  of  these  other  matters : 
*'  Let  each  man  be  fully  assured  in  his  own 
mind." 

12.  Their  Statement  of  Evangelical 
Doctrines.  The  doctrines  held  to  be  essen- 
tial are  happily  expressed  in  the  Burial  Hill 
Declaration,  adopted  by  the  Congregational 


16 


churches  of  the  United  States,  in  National 
Council,  at  Boston,  in  1865,  and  are  as  fol- 
lows: 

"Thus  recognizing  the  unity  of  tne 
church  of  Christ  in  all  the  world,  and 
knowing  that  we  are  but  one  branch  of 
Christ's  people,  while  adhering  to  our  pe- 
culiar faith  and  order,  we  extend  to  all 
believers  the  hand  of  Christian  fellowship, 
upon  the  basis  of  those  great  fundamental 
truths  in  which  all  Christians  should  agree. 
With  them  we  confess  our  faith  in  God,  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
only  living  and  true  God;  in  Jesus  Christ, 
the  incarnate  Word,  who  is  exalted  to  be 
our  Redeemer  and  King;  and  in  the  Holy 
Comforter,  who  is  present  in  the  church  to 
regenerate  and  sanctify  the  soul. 

"With  the  whole  church  we  confess  the 
common  sinfulness  and  ruin  of  our  race, 
and  acknowledge  that  it  is  only  through 
the  work  accomplished  by  the  life  and  ex- 
piatory death  of  Christ,  that  believers  in 
him  are  justified  before  God,  receive  the 
remission  of  sins,  and,  through  the  presence 
and  grace  of  the  Holy  Comforter,  are  de- 
livered from  the  power  of  sin  and  perfected 
in  holiness. 


17 

"We  believe,  also,  in  the  organized  and 
visible  church;  in  the  ministry  of  the  Word; 
in  the  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper;  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body; 
and  in  the  final  judgment,  the  issues  of 
which  are  eternal  life  and  everlasting  pun- 
ishment. 

"We  receive  these  truths  on  the  testi- 
mony of  God,  given  through  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  in  the  life,  the  miracles, 
the  death,  the  resurrection  of  his  Son,  our 
Divine  Redeemer — a  testimony  preserved 
for  the  church  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  which  were  composed 
by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

13.  Their  Treatment  of  Weak  Be- 
lievers. The  same  National  Council  de- 
clare, however,  that  "those  who  desire  to 
profess  their  faith  in  Christ  and  to  follow 
him,  may  be  admitted  into  the  church, 
though  weak  in  the  faith,  because  weak 
Christians,  if  sincere,  have  the  substance  of 
that  penitent  faith  and  holiness  which  is 
required  in  church  members,  and  such  have 
most  need  of  the  ordinances  for  their  con- 
firmation and  growth  in  grace.  Such  charity 


18 

and  tenderness  are  to  be  used,  that  the 
weakest  Christian,  if  sincere,  may  not  be: 
excluded  or.  discouraged "  (Boston  Plat- 
form, Pt.  II.,  vii,  2). 


Ill 

ECCLESIASTICAL  POSITION  OF  THE 
CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES. 


"With  freedom  did  Christ  set  us  free: 
stand  fast  therefore,  and  be  not  entangled 
again  in  a  yoke  of  bondage." — Paul 


ECCLESIASTICAL  POSITION  OF 

THE  CONGREGATIONAL 

CHURCHES. 

14.  Four  Theories  of  the  Christian 
Church.  The  doctrine  of  the  Christian 
Church,  treats  of  the  nature  and  develop- 
ment of  the  chui-ch.  It  is  the  only  grand 
doctrine  respecting  which  there  is  a  radical 
difference  of  view  among  the  evangelical 
denominations.  On  this  all  Christians  are 
divided  into  four  exclusive  hosts:  the  Papal, 
the  Episcopal,  the  Presbyterial,  and  the 
Congregational.  Other  theories  are  only 
compounds  of  these.  We  give  the  theory 
or  doctrine  maintained  by  the  Congrega- 
tional churches. 

15.  Constitutive  Principles  of  these 
Theories.  Each  one  of  these  four  theo- 
ries is  dominated  by  a  single  principle 
which  constitutes  the  polity  what  it  is,  and 
which  is  therefore  called  its  constitutive 
principle.  The  principle  about  which  the 
Papacy  is  built  is  Infallible  Primacy  (§  133); 

21 


22 

that  about  which  the  Episcopacy  is  built  is 
Apostolic  Succession  (§  132);  while  that  of 
Presbyterianism  is  Authoritative  Represen- 
tation (§  130);  and  that  of  Congregational- 
ism is  the  Autonomy  or  Independence  of 
each  local  church  (§§  26,  27,  34). 


I. — The  Church  Invisible  Becomes 
Visible  in  Churches. 

16.  The  Invisible  Church.  The  Con- 
gregational churches  believe  in  the  one 
invisible  Catholic  Church  founded  on  the 
Rock  Christ  Jesus,  composed  of  all  regen- 
erate souls  on  earth  and  in  heaven;  the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first 
born  (Heb.  xii,  23);  the  church  universal, 
militant,  and  triumphant. 

17.  Manifestation  of  the  Invisible 
Church.  This  church  universal  continu- 
ally manifests  itself  on  earth  in  local  con- 
gregations of  believers,  called  churches  in 
the  New  Testament;  as  "  the  churches  of  the 
Gentiles,"  "the  churches  of  Christ,"  "the 
churches  of  God,"  "  the  churches  of  Galatia," 
"the  churches  of  Judea,"  etc.;  beside  these 


23 


general  expressions,  about  thirty  local 
churches  are  mentioned  by  name.  Each 
and  every  local  assembly  of  believers, 
though  meeting  in  a  private  house,  is  called 
a  church  by  the  inspired  writers.  The  word 
*' church"  is  never  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment to  designate  a  visible  body  of  believers 
larger  than  a  single  congregation. 

18.  A  Church.  "Those  believers  who 
dwell  together  in  one  place  become  a  church 
by  their  recognition  of  each  other,  and 
their  mutual  agreement  to  observe  Christ's 
ordinances  in  one  society.  Their  covenant 
with  Christ  to  be  his  disciples  and  obedient 
subjects  becomes,  by  that  mutual  recogni- 
tion and  agreement,  their  covenant  with 
each  other  to  be  fellow-disciples  and  helpers 
of  each  other's  faith  in  a  distinct  church  " 
(Boston  Plat.,  Pt.  II.,  i,  4). 

19.  All  Theories  diverge  in  the  At- 
tempted Union  of  Local  Churches. 
There  is  essential  harmony  of  opinion  res- 
pecting the  invisible  church;  but  respecting 
the  manifestations  of  that  church  in  sepa- 
rate congregations,  radically  divergent 
"views  are  held  and  embodied  in  contend- 
ing systems  of    church    government.     The 


24 


point  of  divergence  in  view  and  practice  is-- 
not  so  much  the  nature  of  the  church  uni- 
versal as  the  nature  and  relations  of  the 
particular  churches. 

Let  us  now  develop  the  theory  or  doc- 
trine of  the  Christian  Church  held  by  the- 
Congregationalists  and  embodied  in  the: 
system  known  as  Congregationalism. 


II. — How  Churches  are  Formed. 

20.  The  Material.  If  there  be  two  or 
three  believers  (Matt,  xviii,  20)  in  a  com- 
munity or  neighborhood  where  there  is  no 
church  at  all,  or  no  church  which  they  can 
conscientiously  join  or  with  which  they  can 
worship,  or  where  there  is  need  of  forming 
a  new  church  to  meet  religious  wants,  such 
believers  constitute  the  material  out  of 
which  a  church  may  be  organized.  They 
may  be  already  members  of  a  church  or  of 
churches  or  only  converts  not  yet  admitted 
to  church  privileges. 

21.  Beginning  to  Organize  a  Church. 
If  such  believers  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to 
organize  themselves  into  a  church,  they  can 
do  so  in  this  way: — 


25 


a.  They  should  first  meet  together  for 
prayer  and  consultation  and  agreement  that 
their  action  may  be  considerate  and  har- 
monious. 

h.  Those  holding  membership  in  other 
churches  should  obtain  letters  of  dismission 
and  recommendation  for  the  purpose  of 
constituting  a  new  church  (§§  119,  120). 

c.  Those  not  members,  if  any,  should  give 
testimony  of  their  repentance  toward  God 
and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
testify  to  their  desire  to  walk  in  church 
fellowship  and  privileges  (§  13). 

d.  They  should  then  all  enter  into  cove- 
nant, written  or  verbal,  to  live  and  worship 
and  labor  together  in  church  relations  (§  141). 
They  thereby  become  a  church  of  Christ,  if 
built    upon    Him,    according    to    His  word 

(§  iS). 

22.    Completing    the    Organization. 

Churches  are  permanent  bodies;  and  they, 
therefore,  need  articles  of  faith  (§  139)  and 
standing  rules  (§  143),  to  guide  them.  They 
need  also  some  form  of  admission  to  mem- 
bership (§§  140-142).  Hence  they  should 
adopt  these,  in  order  to  complete  their  or- 
ganization, and  as  the  condition  of  church 


26 

fellowship  (§  23),  and  the  test  of  pulpit  and 
Sunday  school  teaching  (§  139).  A  church 
is  not  fully  organized  until  it  can  show 
what  it  believes,  and  how  its  affairs  are  to 
be  managed.  As  the  articles  of  faith  and 
the  standing  rules  constitute  both  the  con- 
dition of  fellowship  and  the  ground  of 
peace  and  prosperity,  great  care  should  be 
had  in  framing  and  adopting  them.  When 
adopted,  a  local  church  is  not  to  stand  alone 
in  its  completeness. 

23.  Seeking-  Church  Fellowship.  A 
church  so  organized  should  not  stand 
alone.  There  are  others  like  it,  with  which 
it  is  in  spiritual  union.  Christ,  its  Head, 
prayed  that  the  spiritual  union  of  His 
churches  might  be  manifested  (John  xvii, 
20-23).  A  church  must,  therefore,  seek 
church  fellowship  (§  35).  This  it  may  do 
in  two  ways  (§  37): — 

a.  It  may  call  a  council  of  churches  (§§ 
38,  40)  to  examine  the  grounds  or  reasons 
of  its  formation,  its  articles  of  faith,  and 
standing  rules  (§§  7,  14,  143),  and  to  ap- 
prove of  the  same,  if  sound  and  correct; 
and  to  give  it  the  right  hand  of  recognition 
and   fellowship.      This   is    the  old  way;  of 


27 

great  value,  if  there  be  doubt  about  the 
expediency  of  organizing  a  church,  but 
needing  to  be  supplemented  by  the  later 
and  more  permanent  way,  namely: — 

b.  The  church  should  join  the  association 
of  churches  (§  57)  nearest  by.  This  it  may 
do  by  presenting  a  copy  of  its  articles  of 
faith  and  standing  rules  to  the  association, 
and  asking  admission  into  membership.  If 
approved  by  the  association,  it  is  admitted 
by  vote  under  the  constitution  of  the  body 
(§  60).  If  the  church  by  changing  its  arti- 
cles of  faith  and  its  rules,  or  by  its  disor- 
derly conduct  violates  the  cardinal  condi- 
tions on  which  it  was  received,  it  can  be 
suspended  or  expelled  from  membership  in 
the  association  (§  62).  For  fellowship  is 
reciprocal  (§  64);  its  rights  and  responsi- 
bilities are  co-ordinate.  Hence  those  desir- 
ing its  privileges  must  piously  observe  the 
conditions  of  its  existence.  See  §  176. 

24.  Legal  Relations  of  Churches. 
Since  churches  need  meeting  houses  and 
other  property,  they  fall  into  legal  relations 
and  conditions  which  they  must  observe. 
The  incorporation  of  churches  as  such  with- 
out an  ecclesiastical  society  (§  29)  in  con- 


28 


current  action  with  them,  is  authorized  in 
nearly  all  the  States'*.  This  is  the  primitive 
method,  restored  after  centuries  of  union 
of  church  and  state;  and  it  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred as  simple,  adequate,  and  alone  in 
harmony  with  the  principles  of  pure,  free, 
and  independent  churches.  Trustees  should 
be  chosen  by  the  church  itself  (§  i43,vii), 
into  whose  control,  under  the  laws  of  the 
State  wherein  the  church  is  situated,  the 
church  property  is  confided.  (§  171). 

25.  Care  in  Org^anization.  Too  great 
care  cannot  be  had  in  organizing  churches, 
lest  strife  and  death  be  organized  into  them. 
Every  step  should  be  sure  and  legal,  and 
every  act  should  be  recorded.  To  begin 
well  is  to  end  well.  No  haste  should  be 
allowed  to  invalidate  proceedings,  and  the 
legal  conditions  of  incorporation  should  be 

^^  Having  occasion,  in  1879,  to  examine 
the  laws  respecting  religious  corporations 
in  the  United  States,  we  found  that  of  the 
thirty-six  States  whose  laws  were  examined, 
twenty-eight  by  general  statutes,  and  four 
more  by  special  acts,  authorized  the  incor- 
poration of  churches  as  churches  without 
societies.  Only  five  defined  the  qualifica- 
tions of  voters  in  religious  corporations. 


29 

strictly  observed.  As  these  ar^  different 
in  different  States,  no  rule  can  ucre  be 
igiven'*. 

III.— The  Constitutive  Principle  of  the 
Primitive,  and  the  Congrega- 
tional Churches. 

26.  Meaning"  of  the  Term.  The  con- 
stitutive principle  of  any  thing  is  that  which 
makes  it  what  it  is,  determines  its  character- 
istics, distinguishes  it  from  everything  else. 
and  answers  all  questions  about  its  nature 
and  development.  Thus  the  constitutive 
principle  of  Congregationalism  is  that  which 
gives  the  system  individuality,  distinguishes 
it  from  other  polities,  pervades  all  its  insti- 
tutions, and  gives  the  answer  to  every  query 
regarding  the  peculiar  constitution,  out- 
ward   and    inward,    of   all    Congregational 

'^  Each  State  Association  could  wisely 
publish  in  its  Minutes  either  the  law  itself 
or  a  digest  of  it,  as  the  General  Association 
of  Michigan  printed  a  digest  of  the  general 
statutes  of  that  State  respecting  religious 
corporations  {^Minutes  for  1880,  pp.  41-65), 
and  issued  a  reprint  for  the  use  of  church 
clerks  and  trustees. 


30 

bodies.  It  is  the  principle  by  which  all 
development  is  shaped  and  limited. 

27.  The  Constitutive  Principle.  This 
principle  is  the  autonomy  or  complete  in- 
dependence under  Christ  of  each  local  con- 
gregation of  believers  (§  15).  A. church  is 
subject  to  its  Head,  and  to  His  revealed 
law;  but  in  its  legitimate  sphere  as  a  church 
it  is  subject  to  no  other  head,  law,  or  au- 
thority. It  is  independent,  autonomous;  no 
conference,  synod,  presb3^tery,  council,  or 
magistrate  having  the  power  to  review, 
annul,  or  coerce  its  action.  Each  has  the 
rip"ht  to  manaofe  its  own  affairs. 

2S.  Ecclesiastical  Authority — where 
Deposited.  Christ  bestowed  upon  His 
churches  the  requisite  authority  to  manage 
their  own  affairs,  and  deposited  this  au- 
thority in  the  members.  Thus  by  majority 
vote  each  church  has  power  to  elect  its  own 
officers  (§  31),  to  carry  on  its  discipline 
(§  104);  indeed,  to  transact  whatever  busi- 
ness belongs  to  an  independent  body  (gg 
30-34).  The  authority  is  not  divided  be- 
tween the  ofncers  and  the  members;  but  it 
resides  wholly  in  the  members,  who  can  act, 
when  necessary,  without  pastor  or  deacons. 


31 


The  pastor  or  presiding  officer  has,  the| 
fore,  no  power  of  veto  over  church  action. 

29.  Ecclesiastical  Societies  not  Scrip- 
tural. There  is  no  scriptural  warrant  for 
an  ecclesiastical  society  separate  from  and 
in  concurrent  action  with  the  church  (§  24). 
The  church  itself  should  hold  property,  and 
manage  all  its  pecuniary  affairs.  "  This  is 
the  New  Testament  plan,  so  far  as  it  hints 
any  plan  at  all "  (Dexter).  The  church  can 
do  this  through  aboard  of  trustees  (§  i43,vii). 
An  ecclesiastical  society  originated  in  the 
union  of  church  and  state,  and,  though 
having  some  advantages,  endangers,  as  our 
history  proves,  the  purity  and  freedom  of 
the  churches.  (§  173). 

30.  Proof  of  the  Constitutive  Princi- 
ple. Here  extreme  brevity  is  necessary, 
and  we  refer  to  our  standard  writers  for  a 
fuller  presentation  of  the  argument. 

31.  a.  Election  of  Officers.  In  the  se- 
lection of  the  apostle  Matthias,  the  whole 
church  took  an  equal  part  with  the  eleven 
(Acts  i,  15-26).  The  seven  alms-distribu- 
tors, whose  office  developed  into  that  of 
deacon  (§  94),  were  chosen  by  the  members,, 
and  set  apart  to  their  work  by  the  apostles 


32 

(Acts  vi,  1-6).  The  primitive  churches 
elected  their  own  delegates  (Acts  xv,  2;  2 
Cor.  viii,  19).  The  manner -of  appointing 
elders^  bishops^  pastors — names  of  the  same 
officers  (§  75) — is  not  indicated  in  the  New 
Testament;  though  ecclesiastical  history 
shows  that  the  people  had  a  voice  in  their 
selection.  Whenever  the  New  Testament 
indicates  the  manner  of  an  election,  the 
membership  had  the  duty  of  choosing  offi- 
.cers  laid  upon  them  by  the  apostles. 

32.  b.  The  Law  of  Discipline.  The 
law  was  given  by  Christ  (Matt,  xviii,  15-20), 
and  it  limits  appeal  to  the  local  church  of 
which  the  guilty  party  is  a  member  (§  105). 
So  clear  is  this  limitation  that  Dean  Alford 
is  constrained  to  say:  "  Nothing  can  be  fur- 
ther from  the  spirit  of  our  Lord's  command 
than  proceedings  in  what  are  oddly  enough 
called  '  ecclesiastical  courts.'  "  This  was  the 
view  taken  by  the  apostles;  for  Paul  directs 
the  Corinthian  Church  to  discipline  a  mem- 
ber (i  Cor.  v,  13),  which  it  did  by  majority 
vote  (2  Cor.  ii,  6).  John  did  not  excom- 
municate Diotrephes,  who  prated  against 
him  with  malicious  words,  and  cast  the 
apostle's  friends  out  of  the  church  (3  John 


33 


9,  lo).  In  harmony  with  His  own  law,  He 
who  walked  "  in  the  midst  of  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks,"  "the  seven  churches," 
laid  upon  each  church  individually  the  duty 
of  discipline. 

33.  c.  General  Management.  Each  lo- 
cal church  is  presented  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  acting  independently  of  the  control 
or  supervision  of  others.  In  their  intercourse 
with  one  another,  they  acted  freely.  There 
is  not  one  trace  in  the  New  Testament  of 
the  subordination  of  one  church  to  another, 
or  to  any  number  of  churches. 

34.  d.  Their  Autonomy  or  Independ- 
ence Conceded.  Of  the  leading  church 
historians  we  quote  the  following,  no  one 
of  whom  was  a  Congregationalist:  "  Every 
church  was  essentially  independent  of  every 
other "  (Waddington,  EccL  Hist.,  43). 
"The  apostles  founded  Christian  Churches, 
all  based  on  the  same  principles,  all  sharing 
common  privileges,  *  *  but  all  quite 
independent  of  each  other "  (Archbishop 
Whately,  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  Essay  II.,  §§ 
20,  136,  137).  "Every  town  congregation 
of  ancient  Christianity  was  a  church.  The 
constitution  of  that  church  was  a  congrega- 


34 

tional  constitution.  In  St.  Paul's  Epistles^ 
in  the  writings  of  Clement  Romanus,  of 
Ignatius,  and  of  Polycarp,  the  congregation 
is  the  highest  organ  of  the  Spirit  as  well  as 
the  power  of  the  church  "  (Baron  von 
Bunsen,  Hippolytus  and  his  Age^  iii,  220). 
''  Neither  in  the  New  Testament,  nor  in  any 
ancient  document  whatever,  do  we  find  any 
thing  recorded  from  which  it  might  be  in- 
ferred that  any  of  the  minor  churches  were 
at  all  dependent  on,  or  looked  up  for  direc- 
tion to,  those  of  greater  magnitude  or  con- 
sequence; on  the  contrary,  several  things 
occur  therein  which  put  it  out  of  all  doubt 
that  every  one  of  them  enjoyed  the  same 
rights,  and  was  considered  as  being  on  a 
footing  of  the  most  perfect  equality  with 
the  rest"  (Mosheim,  Hist.  /.,  196).  "The 
primitive  churches  were  independent  bodies, 
competent  to  appoint  their  own  officers, 
and  to  administer  their  own  government, 
without  reference  or  subordination  to  any 
central  authority  or  foreign  power.  No 
fact  connected  with  the  history  of  the  prim- 
itive churches  is  more  fully  established  or 
more  generally  conceded  "  (Coleman,  Prim- 
itive Christianity^  95).     "  Each  church  was  an 


35 

absolutely  independent  community "  (Mil- 
man,  Latin  Christ.  I.,  21).  The  last  edition 
of  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica  says  that 
the  "constitution  "  of  the  primitive  churches 
was  "thoroughly  democratic"  (vol.  V.,  699). 
"  The  theory  upon  which  the  public  worship 
of  the  primitive  churches  proceeded  was 
that  each  community  was  complete  in  itself, 
and  that  in  every  act  of  worship  every 
element  of  the  community  was  present." 
"  Every  such  community  seems  to  have  had 
a  complete  organization,  and  there  is  no 
trace  of  the  dependence  of  any  one  com- 
munity upon  any  other."  "At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  [fourth]  century  *  *  *  the 
primitive  type  still  survived;  the  govern- 
ment of  the  churches  was  in  the  main  a 
democracy;  at  the  end  of  the  century  the 
primitive  type  had  almost  disappeared;  the 
clergy  were  a  separate  and  governing  class." 
"In  the  first  ages  of  its  history,  while  on 
the  one  hand  it  was  a  great  and  living  faith, 
so  on  the  other  hand  it  was  a  vast  and 
organized  brotherhood.  And  being  a  bro- 
therhood, it  was  a  democracy"  (Hatch's 
Bampton  Lectures  (1880)  on  Org.  Early 
Christ.  Chhs.,  141,  213,  216). 


30 


What  is  thus  conceded  by  these  and  other 
writers,  pre-eminent  as  scholars,  and  ad- 
herents of  other  systems,  we  may  consider 
as  proved  beyond  reasonable  doubt  by  the 
facts  of  history.  If,  then,  the  churches 
become  apostolic  again,  they  will  be  demo- 
cratic, independent,  congregational.  They 
will  become  again  "  organized  brother- 
hoods," each  a  democracy  complete  in  itself. 

IV.-— The  Unifying  Principle  of  the 
Primitive,  and  the  Congre- 
gational Churches. 

35.  The  Invisible  Spiritual  Church  In- 
divisible. "  By  one  Spirit  we  are  all  bap- 
tized into  one  body."  There  is  but  one 
kingdom  of  heaven.  This  kingdom  is  in- 
divisible. Separation  from  it  is  apostasy 
from  Christ.  All  true  believers  are  one  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Hence  Christ's  prayer  (John 
xvii,  23)  was  for  visible  unity. 

36.  The  Unifying  Principle.  This  prin- 
ciple is  the  free  and  equal  fellowship  under 
Christ,  of  all  true  churches;  free^  as  becomes 
independent  bodies;  equal,  as  it  is  not  the 
numbers  but  the  individuality  of  the  several 


37 


churches  that  constitutes  the  ground  of  fel- 
lowship (§  60);  under  Christ,  so  that  no  one 
can  rightly  surrender  its  independence  for 
union;  true  churches,  as  there  can  be  no 
union  with  societies  not  founded  on  the 
Rock  of  Ages  (§§  10,  20).  This  principle 
made  the  primitive  churches  one,  and  it  has 
virtue  in  it  to  make  all  Christ's  churches 
again  one  in  visible  fellowship  and  co- 
operation (§58,  d)  . 

37.  Development  of  the  Unifying 
Principle.  This  principle,  without  im- 
pairing the  liberty  of  the  churches,  has 
been  developed  into  two  systems  of  unity,, 
which  we  give  in  detail. 

i. — Congregational  Councils. 

38.  A  Congregational  Council  what. 

A  council  is  an  assembly  of  such  churches 
by  pastor  and  delegate  (and  of  such  indi- 
viduals) as  may  be  invited  by  letters  mis- 
sive, to  advise  on  a  matter  or  matters  speci- 
fied in  the  call,  or  germane  thereto. 

39.  Letters  Missive.  The  letters  call- 
ing the  council  are  designated  Letters  Mis- 
sive.    Thev  should  be  the  same  in  form  for 


38 


each  church  or  individual  invited  on  any 
council,  should  state  precisely  the  object 
respecting  which  advice  or  light  is  sought, 
and  should  give  a  list  of  all  churches  and 
individuals  called  to  sit  in  council.  If,  after 
the  issuing  of  the  letters  missive,  any  alter- 
ation or  addition,  whether  of  matter  or  of 
members,  be  desired,  such  alteration  or  ad- 
dition can  be  effected  only  by  the  issuance 
to  all  that  have  been  invited  of  a  supple- 
mentary letter  missive  specifying  the  desired 
changes. 

40.  Parties  calling  Councils.  The 
parties  calling  a  council  are  persons  wish- 
ing to  organize  a  church  (§§  20-25);  ^ 
church  or  churches;  an  association  of 
churches  or  of  ministers  (§  50);  an  ag- 
grieved member  or  members  of  a  church 
or  association  of  churches  or  of  ministers 
(§  51):  any  party  or  parties  in  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  Congregational  churches  need- 
ing advice.  The  privilege  is  as  wide  as  the 
need,  of  which  the  churches  invited  in  any 
given  case  must  determine  for  themselves. 
Past  usage  cannot  bind  here,  but  only  be  a 
guide. 

41.  Membership  in  a  Council.    Mem 


39 


bership  in  a  council  has  been  fixed  by  the 
letter  missive  (§  39).  A  council  cannot  add 
to  or  take  from  its  own  membership.  It 
■cannot  invite  to  honorary  membership  in 
itself.  The  party  or  parties  calling  it  have 
determined  its  membership,  and  no  one 
can  change  it.  This  is  fundamental  to  the 
nature  of  councils,  and  no  emergency  can 
justify  a  violation  of  the  rule.  The  party 
or  parties  calling  the  council  cannot  by 
-committee  or  otherwise  change  its  mem- 
bership, except  by  a  supplemental  letter 
(§  39)'  To  declare  a  minority  (§  44)  that 
may  respond  to  the  call  to  be  a  council,  or 
to  be  the  council  invited,  is  subversive  of 
councils. 

42.  No  party  or  parties  calling  a 
Council  can  be  members  of  it.  The 
reason  is,  that  they  ask  for  impartial  advice 
from  disinterested  persons,  while  they  are 
by  necessity  interested  parties.  Their  in- 
terest varies  with  the  occasion,  but  no 
party  will  call  a  council  without  some  in- 
terest in  the  result.  Hence  the  rule  is 
essential  to  the  impartial  nature  of  the 
result.  In  case  an  association  of  churches 
or  of  ministers  join  in  calling  a  council,  no 


40 

church,  minister  or  laymen,  in  such  associa- 
tion, or  within  its  bounds,  can  be  permitted 
to  sit  in  said  council,  since  all  directly  or 
indirectly  are  parties  to  the  calling  of  the 
council,  or  are  interested  in  the  council. 

43.  Any  party  invited  to  sit  in  Coun- 
cil may  decline.  As  the  party  or  parties 
calling  are  free  to  choose  whom  they  will 
under  certain  limitations  (§§  42,  52),  so  the 
party  invited,  having  cause,  may  decline  to 
accept  the  invitation,  and  send  the  reasons 
for  its  action.  If  any  church  or  individual 
be  invited  with  whom  fellowship  cannot  be 
had,  the  invitation  should  be  declined.  No 
church  or  person  accepting  the  invitation 
can  challenge  or  exclude  another,  since  the 
rights  of  all  are  equal;  nor  can  the  council 
itself  exclude  a  member  or  challenge  his 
vote,  since  none  were  compelled  to  accept 
the  call,  and  the  nature  of  councils  forbids 
the  challenge. 

44.  Quorum  and  Adjournment,  a.  A 
quorum  in  a  council  of  churches  is  a  ma- 
jority of  all  who  have  right  of  membership 
in  it  (§§  39,  42).  A  minority,  if  composed 
of  only  one  person,  certainly  if  composed 
of  two,  can  adjourn  the  council   to  a  fixed 


41 

time  and  place.  To  this  end  it  can  and 
should  effect  a  temporary  organization  and 
enrolment;  but  it  can  legally  transact  no 
other  business,  except  to  keep  a  record  of 
its  doings. 

A  party  or  parties  cannot  by  vote  or 
otherwise  transmute  an  assembled  minority 
into  a  majority  or  into  a  legal  council,  by 
declaring  it  to  be  the  council  called  (§  41). 
The  letter  missive  cannot  in  this  way  be 
subverted,  without  destroying  councils  as 
guards  of  purity  and  peace. 

In  the  case  of  a  Singular  council  (§  48), 
or  of  -'  Binary  council  (§  49),  there  being 
no  controversy  or  doubt  involved,  a  mino- 
rity sometimes  acts  as  a  council  by  general 
consent.  But  even  here,  as  in  cases  of 
ordination,  important  interests  are  involved, 
which  require  the  guard  of  a  legal  quorum. 
As  a  violation  of  a  rule  becomes  a  prece- 
dent to  be  quoted,  security  demands,  at 
whatever  cost  in  time  and  money,  that  there 
be  no  recognition  of  minorities  assuming  to 
act  as  legal  councils. 

b.  If  a  council  be  called  to  meet  at  a  fixed 
time  and  place,  or  if  it,  on  assembling, 
adjourn  to  a  fixed  time  and  place,  it  must 


42 


meet  at  the  time  and  place  specified,  or  else 
its  legal  existence  is  destroyed.  An  ad- 
journment without  day  also  destroys  its 
existence.  In  none  of  these  cases  can  a 
council  legally  act  afterwards.  Neither  the 
officers  of  a  council  nor  the  parties  calling 
it,  have  power  to  postpone  an  adjourned 
meeting;  but  the  ofncers  may  be  empow- 
ered by  a  special  vote  to  postpone  or  call 
the  council  at  their  discretion.  A  council 
lapsed  in  one  of  these  ways  can  be  assem- 
bled again  by  new  letters  missive,  which 
make  it  a  new  council. 

45.  Objects  of  Councils.  A  council 
may  be  called  for  various  objects:  to  advise 
respecting  the  organization  or  dissolution 
of  a  church;  the  ordination,  recognition  or 
installation,  dismissal,  or  discipline  of  a 
minister;  wrongs  of  aggrieved  members  of 
•churches  and  associations;  church  troubles, 
and  any  other  matter  of  common  concern 
to  the  churches.  Only  installed  pastors 
require  a  council  for  dismissal. 

46.  Scope  of  Councils.  A  council  is 
limited  in  its  action  by  the  letters  missive 
(§  39)-     It  cannot  examine  into  things  not 


43 

directly  or  indirectly  covered  by  the  said 
letters.  While  called  for  one  purpose,  it 
cannot  do  what  is  not  involved  in  that 
purpose.  If  called  to  dismiss  a  pastor,  it 
can  make  all  inquiries  necessary  to  a  right 
result  respecting  that  pastor's  character  and 
conduct,  since  his  dismission  must  be  either 
with  or  without  papers  of  commendation; 
but  great  care  should  be  exercised  lest  the 
scope  of  councils  be  enlarged  beyond  their 
legitimate  boundaries. 

i^*].  Kinds  of  Councils.  It  is  of  the 
greatest  importance  both  to  the  understand- 
ing of  the  subject  and  to  the  peace  of  the 
churches,  that  there  be  a  consistent  and 
complete  classification  of  councils.  And 
when  classified  they  should  be  appropri- 
ately named.  The  classification  and  names 
must  rest  on  the  same  principle  through- 
out, and  not  partly  on  one  principle  and 
partly  on  another  principle,  as  unfortun- 
ately is  now  the  case.  Thus,  the  Boston 
Platform  and  Dr.  Dexter  make  three  kinds 
of  councils,  "Advisory,"  "Mutual,"  and 
^^  Ex  parte. ''  But  as  all  councils  are  ad- 
visory, and  since  the  principle  of  classifica- 
tion is  not  the  same  in  all  the  kinds,  con- 


44 


fusion  in  thought,  and  trouble  in  practice 
have  occurred,  and  are  inevitable. 

If  we  seek  the  principle  of  classification 
in  the  result  of  councils,  then  all  are  re- 
duced to  Advisory;  if,  in  the  objects,  then 
the  list  is  too  long,  and  the  names  of  two 
classes.  Mutual  and  Ex  parte ^  must  be  given 
up,  which  will  not  be  done;  if  we  call  them 
Ordinary  and  Extraordinary,  then  the  sub- 
divisions lie  open  to  the  above  difficulties. 
We  see  no  better  way  than  to  classify  and 
name  them  on  the  principle  of  the  parties 
calling  them,  since  two  of  them  have  been 
so  named  of  old,  and  no  change  of  name 
in  them  can  be  hoped  for.  We  must  find 
co-ordinate  names  for  all  the  kinds  of  coun- 
cils. 

To  avoid  confusion  by  unity  of  principle 
and  completeness  of  comprehension,  we 
have  ventured  to  present  the  following 
classification  of  councils.  Since  the  names 
Mutual  and  Ex  parte  are  not  likely  ever  to 
be  given  up,  the  other  names  must  be  made 
co-ordinate  with  them.  This  consistent 
arrangement  will  give  four  kinds  of  coun- 
cils, namely:  i^ingalar,  Binary  Mutual, 
and  Ex  parte.     These  names,  if  barbarous, 


45 


are  nevertheless  the  best  we  can  find,  to 
two  of  which  we  have  become  accustomea, 
while  all  are  co-ordinate,  and  include  all 
councils. 

48.  a.  Singular  Council.  This  kind  of 
council  is  called  by  a  single  party  standing 
alone  in  the  transaction.  The  party  calling 
it  has  no  other  party  in  view,  but  acts 
singly.  A  company  of  believers  desiring 
to  form  themselves  into  a  church,  a  church 
already  formed,  or  any  other  single  party, 
acts  in  calling  a  council  as  one  person;  and 
the  council  so  called  is  a  Singular  Council. 
No  matter  what  the  object  or  the  result  of 
the  council,  the  fact  that  but  one  party  is 
concerned  in  calling  it,  distinguishes  it  from 
all  other  councils,  and  so  appropriately 
names  it. 

49.  b.  A  Binary  Council.  This  name 
expresses  a  duality  of  parties  in  friendly 
agreement  and  concurrent  action.  They  are 
not  in  any  controversy  or  difficulty  between 
themselves.  Councils  of  ordination,  instal- 
lation or  recognition,  and  often  of  dismis- 
sion, are  examples.  A  council  called  by  a 
minister  and  a  friendly  church,  to  inquire 
into  any  matter,  as  the  minister's  standing, 


46 

or  the  action  of  a  third  party  with  which 
the  minister  may  have  had  a  controversy, 
or  by  which  he  may  have  been  expelled, 
is  not  a  Mutual,  but  a  Binary  Council, 
because  called  by  parties  in  agreement. 
Good  order  requires  that  such  councils 
should  never  be  called  Mutual;  for  they  are 
not  Mutual,  as  defined  by  our  usage  and 
standards. 

50.  c.  A  Mutual  Council.  The  term 
Mutual  implies  also  two  parties,  but  par- 
ties in  "difficulty  or  controversy"  between 
themselves  {Boston  Platform^  pp,  47,  48,  52, 
53).  The  parties  agree  so  far  as  to  join  in 
calling  the  council,  but  disagree  as  to  mat- 
ters respecting  which  advice  is  sought. 
"Occasions,  calling  for  the  formation  of 
Mutual  Councils,  are  always  understood  to 
imply  the  existence  of  two  parties,  which 
sustain  to  each  other  such  a  relation,  as  to 
render  it  expedient  to  deviate  from  the 
common  practice."  Those  occasions  are 
"  cases  of  controversy  "  (Upham's  Ratio  Dis- 
ciplincE^  §§  159,  158).  The  parties  stand  in 
some  things  over  against  each  other,  not  in 
mutual  admiration  and  love,  but  in  mutual 
antagonism  or  controversy.     "  Case;  of  con- 


47 


troversy  in  general  between  a  church  and 
its  pastor;  cases  of  controversy  between  a 
church  and  a  private  member,  or  members  " 
(Upham,  Ibid),  call  for  Mutual  Councils. 
To  which  may  be  added,  cases  of  contro- 
versy or  grievance  between  a  minister  or  a 
church  and  an  association  (§  40).  Such 
councils  are  the  only  ones  strictly  mutual, 
since  those  called  by  two  parties  for  other 
cases  (§  49)  are  radically  distinguished  from 
these  by  the  absence  of  controversy. 

In  the  selection  of  the  members  of  a 
Mutual  Council,  each  party  chooses  one- 
half,  with  no  right  or  privilege  of  challenge 
in  either  party.  Still,  fair  minded  churches 
and  men  should  ever  be  scrupulously  se- 
lected (§  52).  If  the  right  of  challenge  were 
to  be  allowed,  a  strong  church  could  use 
the  right  to  crush  out  any  attempt  at  re- 
dress of  grievances  made  by  a  weak  mem- 
ber unjustly  dealt  with. 

And  the  parties  need  not  call  the  council 
through  the  mediation  of  a  church,  as  is 
sometimes  held.  Magistrates  as  well  as 
churches  called  councils  in  the  early  days. 
As  late  as  17 16,  Increase  Mather,  in  "A  Dis- 
quisition  concerning   Ecclesiastical   Coun- 


48 

cils,"  says:  ''There  have  been  great  dis- 
putes on  the  question,  Who  has  Power  to 
Co7ivoke  a  Synod]  Whether  it  belongs  to 
magistrates  ar  to  pastors.  I  shall  not  insist 
upon  that  enquiry,  only  say,  that  if  we  keep 
to  Scripture,  churches  have  this  power  be- 
longing to  them"  (i2  Cong.  Quarteidy,  246). 
It  cannot,  therefore,  be  affirmed  that  by 
usage  none  but  churches  can  issue  the  call 
for  councils.  Since  a  minister  in  connec- 
tion stands,  as  a  minister,  in  relation  of 
fellowship  with  the  churches,  he  may,  in 
case  of  injury  by  an  association,  appeal  to 
the  churches  for  inquiry  and  advice,  asking 
the  body  doing  the  wrong  to  join  with  him 
in  calling  a  council  for  that  end.  There  is 
no  violation  of  principle  in  so  doing.  As 
formerly  a  pastor  could  join  with  his  church 
in  calling  a  council,  so,  in  the  wider  view 
of  the  ministerial  function,  a  minister  may 
join  with  an  association  in  calling  a  council 
■of  churches. 

51.  d.  An  Ex  parte  Council.  The 
qualifying  term  here  implies  two  parties, 
but  parties  in  controversy  so  intense  that 
one  party  will  not  consent  to  join  with  the 
other   in    calling  a   Mutual    Council.     If  a 


49 


party  be  unjustly  dealt  with,  either  by  a 
church  or  by  an  association  or  conference 
in  connection,  the  aggrieved  may  in  a 
courteous  manner  call  the  attention  of  the 
party  doing  the  wrong  to  the  grievance, 
and  ask  it  to  join  in  calling  a  Mutual  Coun- 
cil; and,  in  case  the  request  be  refused  or 
unduly  neglected,  the  aggrieved  party  may 
call  a  council  to  review  the  case  and  give 
advice.  Such  a  council  is  rightly  called  an 
Ex  Parte  Council. 

The  first  thing  for  an  Ex  parte  Council 
to  do  after  organization  is  to  offer  itself  as 
a  Mutual  Council  to  the  party  doing  the 
alleged  wrong.  If  its  offer  be  refused,  it 
may  proceed  to  action  and  issue  its  result. 

52.  Councils  should  be  fairly  chosen. 
It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  impar- 
tial churches  and  men  be  chosen  on  all 
councils.  In  Mutual  Councils  "each  party 
is  supposed  to  look  after  his  own  interests; 
and  the  courts  will  not  scrutinize  very 
closely  the  materials  of  a  Mutual  Council; 
actual  partiality  must  be  proved.  But  in 
Ex  parte  Councils  the  court  have  set  aside 
results  that  they  would  willingly  have  en- 
forced   on   the    suggestion    of    a   possible 


50 

unfairness"  (Buck,  Mass.  Eccl.  Laiv,  219). 
Nothing  could  be  more  abhorrent  to  Chris- 
tian honor  and  the  principles  of  our  polity 
than  for  a  party  to  choose  a  council  from 
ascertained  bias  or  partiality.  A  council  so 
selected  in  whole  or  in  major  part  is  un- 
worthy of  recognition,  and  its  result  should 
have  no  legal  or  ecclesiastical  weight. 

53.  Lawyers  in  Councils.  It  is  held 
by  some  denominations  that  it  is  not  con- 
sistent with  the  nature  of  the  church  (i  Cor. 
vi.  i-ii),  or  conducive  to  its  peace,  for  lav/- 
yers  as  such  to  be  admitted  to  conduct  a 
case  before  the  local  church  or  before  a 
court  or  council  of  churches.  Yet  men  so 
trained,  if  church  members,  may  assist  as 
Christian  counsellors  any  party  needing 
help  in  the  conduct  of  his  case.  But,  if 
such  counsellors  are  members  of  the  body 
before  which  the  case  is  brought,  they  justly 
lose  both  voice  and  vote  in  making  up  the 
result.*     The  winsome   spirit   of  Christian 

*As  this  is  a  matter  of  growing  impor- 
tance we  give  the  usages  and  rules  of  other 
denominations: 

The  Baptist  churches  (§  129):  "It  would 
not  be  proper  for  any  member  on  trial  be- 


love,  and  not  the  rivalries  of  the  court 
house,  should  control  all  trials  before 
churches  and  councils. 

54.  Result  of  Council.  The  formal  ut- 
terance of  a  council  is  called  the  Result. 
This  Result,  in  respect  to  matters  of  fact  and 
jurisdiction,  provided  the  council  be  fairly- 
fore  the  church,  to  bring  a  person  who  is 
not  a  member  to  appear  as  his  advocate  and 
plead  his  cause." — Hiscox's  Directory. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (§  131): 
"The  accused  shall  have  the  right  to  call 
to  his  assistance,  as  counsel,  any  mem- 
ber in  good  and  regular  standing  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church." — Discipline 
(1872)  §  347. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  (§  130):  "No 
professional  counsel  shall  be  permitted  to 
appear  and  plead  in  cases  of  process  in  any 
of  our  ecclesiastical  courts.  But  if  any 
accused  person  feels  unable  to  represent 
and  plead  his  own  cause  to  advantage,  he 
may  request  any  minister  or  elder,  belong- 
ing to  the  judicatory  before  which  he  ap- 
pears, to  prepare  and  exhibit  his  cause  as 
he  m.ay  judge  proper.  But  the  minister  or 
elder  so  engaged,  shall  not  be  allowed  *  * 
to  sit  in  judgment  as  a  member  of  the 
judicatory." — Discipline,  XXI.  This  rule  is 
rigidly  enforced.— Z>zV^^/ (1873),  513,  514. 


52 


called  and  impartially  conducted  (§  52),  is 
final.  The  civil  courts  will  not  go  behind 
it,  and  the  party  or  parties  accepting  the 
Result  are  protected  [/ones  v.  JVafso/i,  U.  S. 
Sup.  Ct.  13  Wallace,  679,  seq.;  Buck's  Afass. 
Eccl.  Law^  204-246).  But  the  Result,  in 
respect  to  the  party  or  parties  calling  the 
council,  is  advisory;  that  is,  either  party  or 
both  parties  may  accept  or  reject  the  Result, 
in  whole  or  in  part,  according  to  their  good 
pleasure.  This  advisory  nature  of  the 
Result  ensures  the  independence  of  the 
churches. 

55.  Procedure  in  Councils.  All  the 
proceedings  of  a  council  should  be  calm, 
deliberate,  impartial,  and  orderly,  as  befits 
a  gathering  of  the  churches  of  Christ.  To 
secure  these  ends  some  order  of  procedure 
in  business  should  be  observed  (§  151),  and 
the  ordinary  parliamentary  rules  should  be 
followed  (§§  152-161). 

56.  Reports  of  Delegates.  As  a  coun- 
cil is  constructively  the  invited  churches  in 
consultation  (§  t^^,  the  delegates  are  but 
the  representatives  of  said  churches,  and 
as  such  they  are  bound  to  report  their  do- 
ings in  council  to  their  respective  churches. 


53 

This  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  full  un- 
derstandifig  of  those  common  affairs  which 
lie  at  the  foundation  of  all  church  fellow- 
ship. Hence  the  duty  should  never  be 
neglected  (§  6S). 

ii. — Church  Associations. 

57.  An  Association  of  Churches.  Con- 
gregational churches  within  specified  dis- 
tricts meet  in  stated  gatherings  by  pastors 
and  delegates,  with  such  ministers  as  may 
be  allowed  membership  in  them  (§  80),  un- 
der constitutions  defining  membership,  ob- 
jects, functions,  and  limitations;  and  such 
bodies  are  Associations  of  churches. 

58.  Kinds  of  Associations.  They  are 
divided  into  four  kinds: 

a.  District  Associations.  These  em- 
brace the  Congregational  churches  within 
a  small  district,  usually  smaller  than  a 
State.  They  hold  their  meetings,  generally, 
twice  a  year. 

^.  State  Associations.  These  include 
the  churches  of  larger  districts,  as  whole 
States,  though  sometimes  including  churches 
in  other  States.     They  meet  annually. 


54 

c.  National  Associations.  These  in- 
clude the  churches  of  whole  nations  oi 
countries;  like  *'The  Congregational  Union 
of  England  and  Wales,"  formed  in  1833; 
and  "The  National  Council  of  the  Congre- 
gational Churches  of  the  United  States," 
organized  in  187 1,  and  meeting  every  third 
year  thereafter  (§§  163-165);  "The  Congre- 
gational Union  of  Ontario  and  Quebec," 
formed  in  1853,  out  of  the  Congregational 
Union  of  Canada  East  and  West;  "The 
Congregational  Union  and  Mission  of  Vic- 
toria" (Australia),  organized  in  i860. 

d.  An  Ecumenical  Union.  Before  the 
Congregational  churches  shall  fully  express 
the  unity  (§§  35,  36)  for  which  Christ,  their 
Head,  prayed  (John  xvii,  20-23),  they  must 
widen  their  fellowship  into  an  Ecumenical 
Union  or  Association,  meeting  either  occa- 
sionally or  statedly,  as  decennially.  This 
is  needed  also  to  bind  the  churches  which 
we  are  planting  in  heathen  lands  into  such 
sympathy  and  fellowship  with  the  home 
churches,  that  they  shall  be  saved  to  the 
doctrine  and  polity  in  which  they  have  been 
planted  (See  16  Cong.  Quarterly^  291-303). 

59.  Names  of  Associations.    They  are 


55 


variously  named.  In  this  country  the  pre- 
vailing name  is  "Association,"  both  for 
district  and  for  State  bodies.  "  Confer- 
ence "  is  often  used,  but  as  it  is  liable  to 
•confound  our  churches  with  those  of 
another  polity,  it  is  being  discarded  for 
"Association."  In  Great  Britain  and  her 
Provinces,  "Associations  "  are  used  as  names 
of  district  bodies^  and  "Unions,"  of  the 
larger  bodies. 

60.  Membership  in  Associations.  At 
the  convention  called  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  the  Association,  the  churches 
adopt  a  constitution,  defining  the  mem- 
bership; each  church,  in  virtue  of  its  essen- 
tial equality  with  others,  being  entitled  to 
the  same  number  of  delegates;  for  it  is  the 
individuality  of  the  church  that  is  repre- 
sented, and  not  it  size.  Thus  equality 
among  the  churches  as  among  the  mem- 
bers is  preserved.  Any  other  principle  of 
representation  is  dangerous,  giving  to  met- 
ropolitan churches  undue  influence  {^New 
Englander^  1878,514-520).  Unless  restricted 
by  the  constitution,  each  church  may  elect 
as  delegate  whom  it  will  of  its  members, 
but  it  cannot  go  beyond  that  membership 
for  a  representative. 


56 

61.  Objects  of  Associations  Associa- 
tions of  churches  are  organized  for  a 
broader,  a  more  inclusive  and  systematic, 
fellowship  than  occasional  councils  afford 
(§  ^S);  for  co-operation  in  the  business  of 
evangelizing  the  world  (§§  137,  138);  and  for 
the  manifestation  of  their  unity  (§§  36, 
58,  d),  that  the  world  may  believe.  These 
things  are  enjoined,  and  can  be  exemplified 
better  in  free  churches  than  in  any  other 
(§  127). 

62.  Authority  of  Associations — what. 
The  constitutions  of  these  bodies  usually 
provide  against  the  exercise  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal authority  over  churches,  ministers,  or 
individuals.  Yet,  they  have  the  common 
right  of  self-protection,  to  enforce  the  pro- 
visions of  their  constitutions  against  un- 
sound or  disorderly  members  (§  64). 

63.  Responsibility  of  Associations.. 
While  Associations  have  no  authority  ex- 
cept that  of  self-protection,  they  are  them- 
selves accountable  under  the  law  of  Chris- 
tian fellowship.  If  they  apostatize  from 
the  faith  or  walk  disorderly,  the  law  of 
fellowship  which  excludes  a  violater  of  that 
fellowship  from  a  local  church  or  from  aa 


57 

Association,  excludes  an  Association,  when 
a  violater  of  it,  from  fellowship  with  other 
similar  or  larger  bodies.  An  Association 
may  be  excluded  for  cause  from  State  and 
National  fellowship,  otherwise  their  consti- 
tutions and  doctrinal  bases  are  null  (§§  23, 
64,  65,  85). 

64.  Associations  not  Presbyterial. 
No  one  who  understands  the  facts  will  call 
this  right  which  Associations  of  churches, 
like  all  other  bodies,  have  to  protect  them- 
selves from  unwelcome  intruders,  Presby- 
terial. It  has  no  elements  of  the  Presbytery 
in  it,  except  that  of  self-protection  (§  62). 
The  Presbytery  is  composed  of  presbyters 
and  elders  from  the  Sessions  of  the  churches 
composing  it.  The  membership  of  those 
churches  exhaust  their  rights  and  liberties 
in  choosing  their  respective  elders  for  the 
Sessions;  while  from  each  Session  commis- 
sioners are  chosen  to  Presbytery  and  Synod 
by  the  Session  itself.  Then,  too,  the  records 
of  a  church  are  subject  to  Presbytery  for 
approval,  and  its  pulpit  is  in  the  hands  of 
the  Presbytery.  A  Presbyterian  church  is 
not  free,  therefore,  to  manage  its  own 
affairs  with  no  power  except  in  heaven  to. 


58 


call  it  to  account  for  what  it  does;  but  it  is 
subject  to  the  Presbytery,  the  Synod,  and 
the  General  Assembly  (§  130). 

There  is  nothing  of  this  right  and  power 
in  an  Association  of  churches  to  regulate 
the  internal  affairs  of  a  church  in  connec- 
tion. That  church  is  independent  of  all 
external  control.  Its  discipline  and  records 
and  pulpit  are  its  own,  to  do,  and  to  keep, 
and  to  fill  as  it  may  elect.  All  this  we  hold 
as  Scriptural  (§  34)  and  sacred.  But,  when 
it  asks  for  the  fellowship  of  other  churches 
in  councils  or  in  Associations,  it  seeks  to 
enter  into  reciprocal  relations  (§  23).  It 
has  no  right  to  force  itself  on  their  fellow- 
ship. It  must  show  its  claim  to  their  recog- 
nition in  Christian  beliefs  and  Christian 
practices,  its  Creed  and  Rules;  and  they 
have  the  right  to  inspect  the  same  and  vote 
whether  or  not  the  applying  church  can  be 
fellowshipped.  And  if,  after  admission  into 
fellowship,  that  church  lapses  in  faith  or 
practice  or  both,  it  has  broken  the  con- 
ditions of  fellowship,  its  "covenant,"  as  the 
courts  call  it,  and  the  Association  has  the 
right  to  ascertain  the  fact  and  to  cut  it  off 
from    fellowship    (§  6^).      This    does    not 


59 


trench  on  its  internal  management,  but  sim- 
ply adjusts  its  external  relations  to  that 
internal  management,  by  cutting  it  off  from 
the  privileges  of  a  covenant  which  it  has 
broken.  Nor  is  this  a  new  thing.  Our 
churches  have  always  practiced  it.  They 
provided  for  it  in  the  Cambridge  Platform 
by  councils  (ch.  xv.,  2)  and  "the  coercive 
power  of  the  magistrate  "  (ch.  xvii.,  8,  9), 
and  they  used  the  latter  power  freely  in 
ecclesiastical  matters  (see  my  article  in 
New  Englander^  1883,461-491).  The  right 
of  self-protection  in  fellowship  was  used  in 
the  Unitarian  apostasy  during  the  first 
third  of  the  present  century.  There  is 
nothing  peculiar  in  allowing  it  to  Associa- 
tions of  churches  (§  57),  guarded  by  right 
of  appeal  to  councils  mutually  chosen  (§ 
50).  The  denial  of  this  right  is  the  nega- 
tion of  fellowship,  and  ends  in  church 
isolation.  If.  some  heretical  church  or 
churches  should  send  delegates  to  our  Dis- 
trict, State,  or  National  Associations,  would 
not  the  doctrinal  bases  and  conditions  of 
membership  exclude  them  ?  This  right  we 
have  always  asserted  and  exercised,  with- 
out   trenching    on     the     liberty    of     local 


60 

churches.     Hence  we  do  not  make  an  As- 
sociation a  Presbytery,  or  any  thing  like  it, 
by    giving  it  the  natural  right  of  self-pro- 
tection. 

65.  Standing"  in  Associations,  a.  Min- 
isterial Standing  (§  80)  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  the  welfare  of  the  churches; 
but  there  is  not  at  present  a  clear  appre- 
hension of  what  it  is,  or  where  it  should  be 
held,  and  hence  no  uniform  practice.  It 
ought  to  be  held  in  Associations  of  churches, 
for  reasons  given  in  another  place  (§§  81- 
«5). 

b.  Churches  have  standing  also  in  Asso- 
ciations. They  are  admitted  by  vote  on 
approval  of  Articles  of  Faith  and  Standing 
Rules  (§  23,  b)  and  can  be  expelled  by  vote 
for  cause  (§§  d^)^  64).  Churches,  like  min- 
isters, not  in  connection,  hold  no  account- 
able relations  to  Congregational  fellowship. 
As  fellowship  is  reciprocal  in  rights,  privi- 
leges, and  duties  (§§  23,  64),  its  privi- 
leges cannot  be  shared  without  its  corres- 
ponding duties.  Hence  associated  churches 
cannot  be  held  responsible  in  any  degree 
for  the  faith  and  practice  of  unassociated 


61 


churches.     Standing  in  some  Associlition  is 
requisite  to  true  church  fellowship. 

66.  Co-ordinate  Bodies.  Bodies  in 
which  standing  (§  65)  is  held,  whether  of 
churches,  or  of  ministers,  or  of  both,  are 
co-ordinate  in  respect  to  that  standing. 
Such  standing  is  transferable  from  one 
body  to  another  on  request.  And  the  action 
of  any  such  co-ordinate  body  is  entitled  to 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  all.  Hence  a 
church  or  minister  excluded  or  expelled 
from  one  such  body  should  not  be  received 
into  another,  without  proof  of  repentance 
and  amendment  on  the  part  of  the  said 
church  or  minister.  If  wrong  has  been 
done  in  the  exclusion  or  expulsion,  appeal 
should  be  had  to  a  mutual  council  chosen 
by  the  parties  involved  (§  50). 

67.  Relation  of  Delegates  to  Associa- 
tions. It  is  the  church  which  has  member- 
ship and  standing  in  the  Association,  and 
not  its  delegates  (§  57).  Hence  the  church 
is  enrolled  as  present  in  its  delegate  or 
delegates,  and  such  enrollment  gives  no 
membership  or  standing  in  the  body  to 
delegates,  whether  ministers  or  laymen,  ex- 
cept as  the  representatives  of   the  church 


62 


sending  them  for  that  single  meeting.  If 
each  church  be  entitled  to  be  represented 
by  its  pastor  and  one  delegate,  that  pastor 
by  such  representation  acquires  no  other 
or  different  connection  with  the  Associa- 
tion than  his  fellow  delegate  acquires.  He 
ceases  at  the  close  of  each  meeting  to  hold 
any  personal  connection  with  the  Associa- 
tion; precisely  as  his  fellow  delegate  does. 
He  can,  therefore,  no  more  claim  to  acquire 
ministerial  standing  (§  80)  in  the  body  by 
such  representation  than  his  delegate  can. 
Ministerial  standing  is  something  entirely 
different  (§§  80-85). 

68.  Reports  of  Delegates.  As  dele- 
gates are  selected  to  represent  the  churches 
in  the  meetings  of  the  Associations,  they 
should,  as  in  the  case  of  councils  (§  56) 
report,  on  their  return,  to  the  churches 
sending  them.  This  is  needful  in  order  tO' 
keep  the  churches  informed  and  interested. 
Besides,  the  churches,  since  all  members 
cannot  attend,  express  their  fellowship 
through  these  delegates,  and  the  delegates 
should  bring  back  and  express  to  the  mem- 
bers the  salutations  and  greetings  of  the 
whole  fraternity.  This  important  duty 
should  not  be  neglected. 


63 

iii. — Ministerial  Associations. 

69.  Origin  of  Ministerial  Associations. 

They  had  their  origin  in  professional  needs 
and  Christian  fellowship,  which  were  not 
satisfied  in  occasional  councils.  Hence 
ministers  met  together,  after  the  just  jeal- 
ousy of  independent  churches  had  subsided 
enough  to  permit  them,  and  formed  Asso- 
ciations. 

70.  Nature  of  Ministerial  Associa- 
tions. Their  nature  is  a  little  mixed.  Some 
are  mere  professional  clubs;  but  from  early 
times,  as  the  Cambridge  Platform  broke 
down  in  its  theory  of  the  ministry  (§  73), 
some  sort  of  ministerial  standing  (§  80)  has 
been  held  in  them,  which  has  been  recog- 
nized by  the  civil  courts  (see  the  discussion 
in  the  JVew Eiiglander^  1883,  46 1— 49 1).  Hence 
some  Associations  expressly  recognize  the 
fact,  and  give  or  withdraw  such  standing  as 
the  case  may  require.  Ministerial  standing 
ought,  however,  to  be  held  in  Associations: 
of  churches  (§§  80-85). 

71.  Use  of  Ministerial  Associations.. 

They  have  been  great  professional  helps; 
but  their  chief  use  has  been  as   stepping- 


64 

stones  for  the  churches  over  the  gulf  be- 
tween isolation  and  stated  fellowship.  Our 
churches  were  afraid  of  ministerial  rule 
through  stated  fellowship.  The  ministers, 
through  their  Associations,  notwithstanding 
occasional  slips,  proved  that  stated  fellow- 
ship, even  when  confined  to  the  'clergy, 
does  not  logically  or  necessarily  lead  to 
centralization  of  power,  or  the  use  of  coer- 
cion. When  this  had  been  shown,  church 
fellowship  in  Associations  arose  with  rap- 
idity. 

72.  Continuance  of  Ministerial  Asso- 
ciations. As  church  fellowship  has  grown 
into  favor,  the  Ministerial  Associations  have 
declined,  and  some  have  been  merged  in 
church  Associations.  They  are  few  out  of 
New  England.  There  appears  a  tendency 
to  substitute  for  them  Congregational  Clubs, 
composed  of  ministers  and  laymen. 

'  v.— The  Christian  Ministry. 

73.  The  Ministry  a  Function,  not  an 
Official  Relation.  The  early  New  Eng- 
land churches  held  that  the  ministry  is  an 
official  relation  (§  92).     Ordination  was  the 


65 


inauguration  into  office  of  a  pastor  of  a 
particular  church,  and  removal  from  that 
office  was  deposition  from  the  ministry. 
That  single  act  of  removal  made  the  min- 
ister a  layman  again  {Cambridge  Platform^ 
ix.  2,  6,  7;  X.  6).  Dr.  Dexter  declares  this  to 
be  "the  necessary  verdict  of  the  principles 
of  Congregationalism  in  regard  to  this  mat- 
ter" {Congregationalism^  Revised  4th  ed., 
150).  This  view,  however,  did  not  stand 
for  a  generation;  and  yet  it  was  not  form- 
ally rejected  until  the  Boston  Council,  1865, 
declared  that  the  ministry  includes  all  who, 
having  been  ordained  to  the  ministry  of 
the  Word,  have  not  forfeited  the  rights  and 
privileges  conferred  by  ordination,  and  been 
deposed  {Boston  Platform^  65,  dC).  By  the 
Cambridge  Platform  only  about  one-fourth 
of  our  ministers  are  ministers  at  all. 

The  ministry  is  a  function  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  to  which  men  are  called  of 
God  and  set  apart  by  the  churches,  to 
preach  the  Gospel  as  missionaries,  evan- 
gelists, and  pastors,  and  to  administer  the 
sacraments.  This  theory  of  the  ministry  is 
held  by  all  denominations. 

This  theory  of  the  ministry  does  not  give 


66 


power  or  authority  to  ministers  in  or  over 
churches.  An  ordained  man  must  be  called 
to  the  pastorate  (§§  76,  91),  in  order  to  be- 
come an  officer  in  any  church.  Until  so 
chosen  he  can  exercise  only  the  influence 
of  a  private  member.  He  may,  indeed, 
hold  ministerial  standing  (§§  80,  85)  in  an 
Association  of  churches;  but  such  Associa- 
tion has  no  authority  in  or  over  churches 
(§  62).  Hence  no  danger  arises  to  the 
liberty  of  the  churches  from  this  theory  of 
the  ministry. 

74.  The  Ministry  not  a  Priesthood. 
Christ,  having  offered  himself  once  for  all, 
abolished  all  sacrifices;  and  hence  he  gave 
to  his  ministers  neither  the  functions  nor 
the  prerogatives  of  priests.  Those  ordained 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry  are  conse- 
quently separated  from  the  brethren  only 
by  official  and  ministerial,  not  by  priestly,, 
marks. 

75.  The  Ministry  one  Order.  The 
ministry  are  called,  in  the  New  Testament, 
elders,  bishops,  pastors,  teachers,  evangeh 
ists,  and,  perhaps,  angels;  but  these  are 
only  different  titles  of  the  same  order,  and 
all  in  this  order  are  essentially  equal.    They 


67 


^re  brethren,  of  equal  dignity,  rank,  and 
authority.  A  bishop,  in  New  Testament 
usage,  is  only  an  elder,  a  pastor,  having  in 
rank,  grade,  order,  authority,  or  position, 
no  pre-eminence  whatever  over  his  brethren. 

That  the  Apostles  left  no  successors  is 
clear  from  their  special  qualifications  and 
functions.  They  were  called  not  merely  to 
the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel,  but  to  the 
ordering  of  the  churches,  and  the  giving  of 
a  supreme  rule  of  faith  and  practice  in 
their  writings.  To  accomplish  these  things 
they  had  special  qualifications: 

a.  They  were  all  personally  instructed  by 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (Acts  i.  21,  22).  Paul 
was  no  exception  ( i  Cor.  ix.  i ;  Gal.  i.  11,  12). 

b.  They  were  all  personally  selected  by 
Christ  (Lk.  vi.  13;  Acts  i.  23-25;  Acts  ix. 
15)- 

c.  They  were  individually  inspired  of  God 
(John  xiv.  26;  xvi.  13;  i  Cor.  ii.  12,  13;  xiv. 
37;  Gal.  i.   II,  12;  John  xx.  23). 

d.  They  performed  special  miracles  as 
proofs  of  their  apostleship  (Acts  ii.  43;  2 
Cor.  xii.  12). 

e.  They    had    universal    authority    over 


68 

churches  (Acts  xvi.  4;   i  Cor.  v.  ;;i-6:  2  Cor. 
X.  8;  xiii.  10). 

As  these  qualifications  and  chief  functions 
ceased  with  the  apostles,  they  have  no  suc- 
cessors. 

76.  Ministers  when  Church  Officers. 
A  minister  is  not  an  officer  in  any  church 
by  virtue  of  his  ordination  and  member- 
ship, but  only  by  virtue  of  his  election  to 
an  office  in  that  church  (§§  73,  91).  When 
chosen  by  it  to  officiate  in  the  ministry  of 
the  Word,  he  becomes,  as  pastor,  its  highest 
officer;  but  he  retains  this  position  only  so 
long  as  he  fills  its  pastorate.  The  pastor 
should  become  a  member  of  the  church  in 
which  he  labors.  A  minister  has  the  right 
to  vote  only  in  the  church  of  which  he  is  a 
member, 

77.  a.  Ordination  of  Ministers.  Some 
believers  are  called  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry by  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  they  are  or- 
dinarily set  apart  to  it  by  the  laying  on  of 
hands  in  ordination.  This  ordination  con- 
fers no  peculiar  gifts  and  graces,  and  is  not. 
therefore,  necessary  to  the  existence  of  the 
ministry,  but  only  to  the  well  ordering  of 
the  churches. 


69 


b.  Licentiates  are  not  ministers,  but  lay- 
men approbated  to  preach  the  Gospel  as 
candidates  for  ordination  to  the  m.inistry. 
This  approbation  is  given  by  Associations 
either  of  churches  or  of  ministers. 

c.  It  must,  however,  be  firmly  held  that 
each  church  has  the  power  to  ordain,  as  it 
has  the  power  to  choose,  its  own  minister. 
This  power  belongs  to  it  in  virtue  of  its 
autonomy,  or  complete  independence,  in 
the  management  of  its  own  affairs.  Take 
this  right  and  power  away,  and  no  church 
can  be  in  itself  complete;  for  it  must  de- 
pend on  some  ecclesiastical  power  out  of 
itself  to  ordain  its  pastors.  If  that  power 
should  refuse  to  ordain,  the  church  could 
have  no  ministry.  The  power  to  ordain  its 
pastors  is,  therefore,  one  of  the  inalienable 
rights  of  independent  churches. 

But  inasmuch  as  a  church  of  Christ  stands 
in  relations  to  other  churches  (§  23)  as  parts 
of  one  kingdom  (§  35),  a  due  regard  for  the 
fellowship  of  the  churches  requires,  that, 
in  every  pastoral  ordination,  a  church  should 
call  to  its  assistance  sister  churches.  The 
ordained  are  put  into  the  ministry  (§  73); 
their  character  and    conduct  affect  all  the 


70 

churches  in  connection  (§  80) ;  the  churches 
in  connection  have,  therefore,  a  right  to  be 
protected  from  the  ordination  of  bad  men. 
Hence  the  circumstances  must  be  extraor- 
dinary and  extremely  rare  when  a  church 
is  warranted  in  ordaining  a  man  without 
the  advice  of  sister  churches. 

d.  That  advice  may  be  had  in  two  ways: 
(i.)  By  a  council  of  churches,  or  (2.)  By 
an  Association  of  churches.  The  former 
has  been  the  usual  method,  but  the  latter  is 
equally  legitimate.  The  church  can  call  a 
council  of  churches  or  use  the  Association  of 
churches  for  ordaining  its  pastor.  In  either 
case,  it  is  the  church  that  ordains;  and  in 
either  case,  the  church  by  letter  asks  the 
other  churches  to  assist  or  act  in  its  stead 
in  the  ordination.  If  it  ask  the  Associa- 
tion to  examine  and  advise,  the  church 
itself  should  abstain  from  all  voice  and 
vote  in  giving  the  advice,  since  it  is  an 
interested  party  (§  52),  the  same  as  in  call- 
ing councils  (§  42). 

e.  The  ordination  of  a  missionary  or  of 
an  evangelist  without  pastoral  charge,  rests 
on  a  somewhat  different  basis.  Such  a 
minister  (§  73)   is   not  a  pastor  or   church 


71 

•officer  (§§  76,  91).  The  integrity  or  inde- 
pendence of  no  church  is  impaired,  if  an 
Association  of  churches,  without  request 
from  a  particular  church,  proceed  to  ordain 
him.  No  church  is  constrained  to  call  him 
to  be  its  pastor.  No  church  is  thereby  pre- 
vented from  ordaining  its  own  pastor.  No 
•church,  even  should  it  call  a  council  for  the 
•ordination  of  such  a  minister,  would  hold 
itself  responsible  for  him.  There  is  no 
reason  then,  why  an  Association  of  churches 
should  not  ordain  him,  without  the  inter- 
vention of  a  local  church. 

78.  Installation  of  Pastors.  When  a 
minister  has  been  called  to  the  pastorate  of 
a  church,  a  council  is  sometimes  convoked 
to  install  him  as  pastor.  This  council  in- 
quires into  his  call  and  acceptance,  his 
credentials  and  membership,  examines  him 
in  respect  to  beliefs  and  experiences,  and, 
if  advising  his  installation,  installs  him  on 
behalf  of  the  church.  Under  the  Cambridge 
Platform  this  was  a  re-ordination,  having  a 
legal  as  well  as  an  ecclesiastical  element. 
Frdtn  some  cause  or  causes,  installations 
•are  falling  into  disuse,  so  that  only  about 


72 

one-third  of  the  ministers  in  pastoral  work 
are  installed. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  one  State  (Michi- 
gan) is  trying  a  modified  form  of  installa- 
tion which  leaves  the  legal  element  out, 
and  retains  only  the  ecclesiastical  element,, 
somewhat  after  the  English  and  Canadian 
custom.  The  inspection  of  the  contract  be- 
tween pastor  and  people  by  a  council,  and 
all  that  is  involved  in  it  respecting  the  dis- 
solution of  the  pastoral  relation,  arose,  it  is 
claimed,  from  the  union  of  church  and  state 
in  New  England,  which  inspection  should 
be  left  behind,  since  the  ecclesiastical  ele- 
ment contains  all  that  is  now  needed. 

79.  Recognition  of  Pastors.  We  quote 
from  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Association, 
of  Michigan  for  1882: 

"<3;.  Whenever  a  minister  accepts  a  call 
to  the  pastoral  charge  of  any  church, 
whether  for  a  definite  or  indefinite  term,  a 
council  of  neighboring  churches  of  our 
order  should  be  called  by  such  church  and 
pastor,  at  their  earliest  convenience,  for  his 
reeognition  as  pastor  of  said  church — it  be- 
ing understood  that  the  action  of  said, 
council    shall    have    no    bearing   whatever 


73 

upon  the  legal  or  ecclesiastical  tenure,  as 
to  the  fact,  na.me,  salary,  or  thne  of  the 
pastorate  thus  recognized. 

"/).  The  duties  of  this  Council  shall  be: 

(i.)  The  examination  of  the  pastor's  quali- 
fications for  his  position,  especially  in  min- 
isterial standing,  in  doctrinal  views,  and  in 
,  religious  experience. 

/        (2.)   The  approval  or  disapproval  of  these 
by  formal  vote. 

(3.)  The  recognition,  if  the  vote  is  one  of 
approval,  in  public  services,  as  sermon, 
prayer,  and  right-hand  of  fellowship. 

"  c.  When  such  pastorate  is  about  to  ter- 
minate, for  any  cause  except  death,  the 
pastor  and  church,  or  either  of  them  in 
case  the  other  refuses,  may  call  a  council  of 
neighboring  churches  to  inquire  into  and 
advise  upon  all  ecclesiastical  matters  speci- 
fied in  the  letters  missive  concerning  it; 
but  it  shall  be  regarded  as  entirely  orderly 
for  the  church  and  pastor  to  dissolve  the 
pastoral  relation  between  them  without  the 
calling  of  a  council  (p  45). 

80.  Ministerial  Standing.  A  man  or- 
dained to  the  ministry  holds  such  a  relation 
to   the    churches   (§  73),    that    his    conduct 


74 

•^affects  them  for  good  or  for  evil,  but  especi- 
ally those  with  which  he  is  most  intimately 
connected.  He  stands  among  them  as  a 
minister,  recognized  as  such,  with  the  rights, 
privileges,  honors  and  duties  of  a  minister. 
This  relationship  is  one  of  accountability, 
•of  obligation  (§§  23,  64,  65).  Hence  arises 
ministerial  standing,  some  responsible  con- 
nection with  a  body  which  can  hold  him  to 
account  for  his  conduct  as  a  minister.  His 
ordination  does  not  open  to  him  the  whole 
range  of  our  churches,  through  which  he 
can  roam  at  will  with  no  one  to  molest  or 
make  afraid.  He  must  now,  as  formerly, 
be  held  accountable.  Hence  he  must  hold 
membership  in  some  body,  as  at  the  first, 
which  can  bring  him  to  account,  and  which 
shall  itself  be  held  accountable  for  him. 
Such  membership  gives  him  ministerial 
••Standing. 

81.  Ministerial  Standing  once  held  in 
Local  Churches.  Under  the  Cambridge 
Platform,  since  no  ordained  man  was  a 
minister  except  while  he  was  a  pastor  (§  73), 
a  man's  ministerial  standing  was  in  the 
local  church  which  called  and  settled  him 
■as  pastor.     The  church  by  vote  could  take 


75 


ministerial  standing  away  from  him,  and 
remand  him  to  the  unofficial  membership 
again,  as  a  mere  layman  (§  73).  It  is  true 
that  a  council  was  provided  for  when  con- 
venient, but  its  action  when  called  was  only 
advisory.  The  power  of  deposition  was  in 
the  local  church.  If  the  pastor  felt  ag- 
grieved with  the  action,  he  could  ask  the 
church  to  join  in  calling  a  mutual  council 
(§  50),  and,  that  failing,  he  could  call  an  ex 
parte  council  (§  51);  but  neither  of  these 
could  do  more  than  advise  his  restoration 
to  the  ministry  by  a  call  from  his  old  or 
from  some  other  church.  His  ministerial 
standing  was  wholly  in  the  hands  of  lay- 
men. 

82.  This  Standing-  fell  with  the  Pas- 
toral Theory,  It  gave  way  as  inadequate 
and  false  before  the  facts;  it  fell  when  the 
true  theory  came  in.  The  change  in  theory 
involved  a  corresponding  transfer  of  min- 
isterial standing  to  some  other  body  than 
the  local  church.  This  fact  was  not  clearly 
apprehended  at  first,  and  even  now  confu- 
sion is  found  to  exist  respecting  it  (see  the 
article  in  New  Englandcr,  1883,  477  seq). 

83.  Ministerial  Standing  in  Associa- 


7G 


tions  of  Ministers.  This  is  a  dangerous 
place  for  ministerial  standing,  since  to  hold 
it  there  puts  a  gulf  between  the  ministry 
and  the  laity.  The  standing  of  ministers 
is  thereby  put  wholly  into  their  own  hands, 
and  wholly  beyond  the  control  of  the 
churches.  This  arrangement  would  give 
clerical  rule,  or  compel  the  churches  to  go 
outside  the  Associations  for  their  ministers. 
The  past  has  seen  the  evils  of  such  a  sepa- 
ration between  the  people  and  their  spiritual 
teachers,  and  men  have  wisely  opposed  the 
holding  of  ministerial  standing  in  Ministe- 
rial Associations.  It  is  neither  safe  to  put 
such  accountable  standing  in  the  hands  of 
the  clergy,  nor  possible  to  let  it  lie  around 
loose.  It  will  have  an  abiding  place,  and 
it  should  be  provided  with  a  normal  and 
safe  home  in  our  polity,  which  cannot  be  in 
Ministerial  Associations. 

84.  Ministerial  Standing"  cannot  be 
held  in  Councils.  This  arises  from  the 
nature  of  councils.  They  are  temporary 
meetings  of  the  churches,  selected  for  a 
specified  purpose,  and  ceasing  to  exist  on 
adjournment  (§  44).  A  council  may  ordain 
or  depose  from  the  ministry,  but  ministerial 


77 


standing  cannot  be  held  in  it;  for  when  it 
gives  its  result,  it  ceases  to  exist.  A  coun- 
cil may  be  called  to  inquire  into  the  stand- 
ing of  a  minister,  or  to  withdraw  fellowship 
from  him;  but  in  either  case,  the  council 
inquires  into  facts  and  advises  accordingly. 
Such  inquiry  is  radically  different  from  the 
permanent  standing  in  the  ministry  needed. 
85.  Ministerial  Standing  is  properly 
held  in  Associations  of  Churches.  In 
such  bodies,  outside  of  New  England,  min- 
isterial standing  is  now  generally  held. 
That  standing  was  transferred,  in  10S2, 
from  the  Newark  Association  to  the  Newark 
Conference,  New  Jersey,  on  the  ground 
that  it  more  properly  belonged  to  the  cus- 
tody of  the  churches  than  to  the  clergy. 
Instead  of  being  in  the  hands  of  laymen,  as 
in  early  times  in  New  England,  or  in  the 
hands  of  the  ministry,  as  in  ministerial 
Associations,  ministerial  standing  should  be 
held  in  bodies  where  both  the  churches  and 
the  ministers  are  represented,  as  in  church 
Associations.  .Here  all  interests  will  be  best 
conserved,  and  the  evils  of  either  extreme 
be  avoided.  Those  who  fear  the  holding 
of  this  standing  in  ministerial  bodies  can 


78 

hardly  object  to  holding  it  in  church  Asso- 
ciations. {§  174). 

A  minister  jotns  an  Association  of  churches^ 
as  a  church  does,  on  credentials  (§§  89,  90)^ 
by  the  formal  vote  of  the  body.  This  con- 
stitutes him  a  member  of  the  said  Associa-^ 
tion,  responsible  to  it  for  his  ministerial 
conduct  and  faith,  and  it  makes  the  Asso- 
ciation also  accountable  for  him:  that  is, 
the  Association  may  dismiss  him  to  a  co-or- 
dinate body  (§  66),  with  credentials,  or,  in 
case  of  unministerial  conduct,  can  arraign, 
try,  and  expel  him  (§§  62,  63).  Any  mem- 
ber thus  expelled  loses  his  standing  (§  80) 
in  the  Congregational  ministry.  He  is  a 
minister  still,  but  our  denomination  is  not 
responsible  for  him  (§§  23,  64,  65),  and  his 
deeds  cannot  be  charged  to  our  fellowship.. 
In  case  he  has  been  unjustly  dealt  with,, 
redress   may  be  had   as   already  indicated 

(§§50,51). 

86.  Ministerial  Discipline.  The  apos- 
tles were  not  all  true  men,  and  the  ministry^ 
now  by  its  social  position  attracts  a  few 
unworthy  men  into  its  ranks.  It  is  a  sad 
but  nevertheless  imperative  duty,  as  occa- 
sion requires,  to  bring  such  men  to  discip- 


79 

line.     This  may  be  done  in  one  of  two  ways, 
namely  : 

Sy.  a.  By  Associations.     If  a  minister 
hold  his  standing  (§  80)  in  an  Association, 
either  of  ministers  or  of  churches  and  min- 
isters, and  if  he  do  things  worthy  of  dis- 
cipline, it  is  the  duty  of  the  Association  to. 
deal  with  him  according  to  his  deserts.     la 
the  strong  language  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Vermont :    "  If  it  be  suspected  that  a  wolf 
in  sheep's  clothing  has  invaded  their  ranks, 
it  is  not  only  for  the  interest  of  all  the  mem- 
bers  of  the  Association  to  know  the  fact, 
but  it  is  their  imperative  duty  to  make  inquiry 
and  ascertain  the   fact;"  "and,    on   convic- 
tion, to  administer  proper  punishment"  (51 
Vt.  501;  31  Am.  Repts.  704).     That    punish- 
ment maybe  either  suspension  or  expulsion 
from  membership,  according  to  his  deserts. 
Lest  the  Association  do  him  injustice,  and 
that  without  redress,  the  aggrieved  should 
have  the  right   of   appeal  to    a  council  as 
before  stated   (§§  50,  51).     This   covers  the 
cases   of  all   in   connection;   but    some   are 
not  in  connection.  (§  175). 

88.  b.  By  Councils.    The  following  reso- 
lution, passed   by  the  National  Council  of 


80 


i88o,  covers  all  cases,  whether  in  connection 
or  not,  namely: 

'•'■Resolved,  That  the  body  of  churcnes  in 
any  locality  have  the  inalienable  right  of 
extending  ministerial  fellowship  to,  or  with- 
holding fellowship  from,  any  person  within 
their  bounds,  no  matter  what  his  relations 
may  be  in  church  membership  or  ecclesias- 
tical affiliations,  the  proceedings  to  be  com- 
menced by  any  church,  and  to  be  con- 
ducted with  due  regard  to  equity." 
'^Minutes,  17). 

This  resolution  asserts  for  "  the  body  of 
■churches  in  any  locality"  "the  inalienable 
right  of  extending  ministerial  fellowship 
to,  or  withholding  fellowship  from,  any 
person  within  their  bounds."  They  may 
elect  to  do  this  through  an  Association 
{§§  57?  ^7)7  ^^^  when  they  choose  so  to 
assert  their  right,  no  council  called  from 
beyond  their  locality,  of  whomsoever  com- 
posed, can  be  introduced  to  inquire  into 
the  matter,  unless  that  Association  be  a 
party  to  its  calling  (§§  50,  51).  To  ignore 
this  action  of  the  churches  of  the  vicinity, 
or  to  assume  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  it  in 
any  way,  is  a  subversion  of  their  "  inalien- 
able right." 


81 


If  the  resolution  be  confined  to  councils 
alone,  it  lies  open  to  two  practical  objec- 
tions: (i.)  that  what  is  everybody's  busi- 
ness is  nobody's;  and  (2.)  that  no  one 
church  will  be  likely  to  call  a  sister  church's 
pastor  to  account.  While  a  church  might 
possibly  be  found  which  would  begin  a 
process  of  discipline  against  a  minister  hav- 
ing no  connection  with  us,  but  troubling 
our  heritage,  it  is  not  probable  that  one 
could  be  found  which  would  call  a  minister 
to  account  whose  ministerial  standing  is 
held  in  an  Association,  since  the  Associa- 
tion could  do  it  to  better  advantage. 

But  what  if  the  Association  will  not  do 
it?  Then  the  law  of  fellowship  requires  that 
the  Association  itself  be  called  to  account 
by  other  Associations,  as  tolerating  heresy 
or  immorality  (§  6^);  besides,  any  church 
may  carry  out  its  constitutive  principle 
(§  27),  and  withdraw  its  fellowship  from 
any  church,  or  from  the  Association  with 
which  it  stands  connected;  or  it  may  call  a 
council  in  the  matter,  according  to  the 
above  rule.  It  is  not  in  subjection,  but  is 
free  to  act  as  the  sense  of  fealty  to  Christ 
Jesus  may  indicate. 


82 


89.  Ministerial  and  Church  Creden- 
tials, ci.  Ministerial  credentials  are  papers 
which  define  a  minister's  standing  in  some 
ecclesiastical  body  or  connection,  and  are 
therefore  of  the  greatest  value  to  all  seek- 
ing fellowship  among  us.  They  consist  of 
ordination  papers;  the  action  of  dismissing 
councils,  or  of  councils  of  discipline,  or  of 
inquiry;  and  papers  of  dismissal  and  com- 
mendation from  co-ordinate  bodies  (§  66) 
in  which  ministerial  standing  is  held.  So 
important  is  such  standing  that  the  Na- 
tional Council,  in  1877,  passed  the  follow- 
ing: 

*''- Re  solve  dy  That  *  *  *  we  earnestly 
recommend  to  the  churches,  before  employ- 
ing any  minister,  the  careful  ascertainment 
of  the  fact  of  his  regular  standing  in 
some  recognized  ecclesiastical  connection" 
{Mmutes^  24). 

This  has  been  reaffirmed  by  subsequent 
action  of  the  Council. 

b.  A  church  wishing  to  join  an  Associa- 
tion presents  its  Creed  and  Standing  Rules 
to  that  Association  (§§  23,  64)  on  which  it 
may  be  admitted  to  membership.  If,  after- 
wards, it  desires  to  transfer  its  connection 


83 

to  some  other  co-ordinate  body  (§  66),  it 
should  ask  and  receive  a  certificate  of  mem- 
bership and  recommendation  to  that  body, 
on  which  it  may  be  received  into  member- 
ship therein.  Such  papers  may  be  called 
credentials  of  church  standing. 

90.  Contents  of  Ministerial  Creden- 
tials. When  a  minister  brings  credentials 
to  us  from  communions  in  which  the  church 
membership  of  ministers,  as  well  as  their 
ministerial  standing,  is  held  in  a  Presby- 
tery, Conference,  Synod,  or  similar  body, 
his  credentials  contain  both  his  church 
membership  and  his  ministerial  standing, 
and  are  not  discharged  of  their  full  con- 
tents until  he  has  been  received  on  them 
into  a  local  church,  and  into  an  Association. 
They  cover  both  relations,  and  should  be 
so  regarded  by  our  bodies.  Hence  a  min- 
ister transferring  his  connection  from  such 
body  to  our  fellowship,  should  present  his 
ministerial  credentials  first  (§  89)  to  the 
Association  he  desires  to  join,  as  covering 
his  standing  as  a  minister,  and  then  to  the 
local  church  he  serves,  as  a  certificate  of 
church  membership  (§  119),  on  which  each 
body  may  receive  him. 


84 

VI. — Church  Officers. 

The  chief  officers  of  a  Christian  church 
are  the  Pastor,  and  the  Deacons. 

i. — The  Pastorate. 

91.  The  Pastor.  We  have  already 
treated  of  the  ministry  (§§  73-90),  includ- 
ing missionaries,  evangelists,  pastors.  When 
a  church  by  formal  vote  calls  a  man 
either  for  a  definite  or  for  an  indefinite 
time,  to  be  its  teacher  in  spiritual  things, 
he  by  entering  upon  the  duties  of  the  office, 
becomes  the  pastor  of  that  church  (§  76). 

In  each  apostolic  church  there  was  a 
presbytery  or  board  of  elders  (Acts  xiv.  23; 
XX.  17;  I  Tim.  iv.  14),  which  divided  the 
duties  of  the  pastorate,  and  conducted  in 
large  measure  the  discipline  of  the  church 
(i  Tim.  V.  17),  Still  the  ultimate  power  of 
control  lay  in  the  whole  church  assembly 
(i  Cor.  V.  13;  2  Cor.  ii.  6).  The  Boston  Plat- 
form says:  "In  the  primitive  churches,  a 
plural  eldership"  was  "the  rule,  and  not 
the  exception.  In  our  American  churches, 
at  the  beginning,  it  was  thought  needful 
that  every  church  should  have  at  least  three 


85 

elders,  of  whom  two  were  to  labor  in  word 
and  doctrine,  and  the  other  was  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  them  in  all  their  work  as 
bishops  or  overseers  of  the  flock.  While 
no  church  is  rightly  subjected  to  any  pres- 
bytery exterior  to  itself,  each  church  should 
have  its  own  presbytery"  (pp.  24,  25). 

The  Church  Board  (§99,  ^)  can  with  great 
advantage  be  made  such  a  presbytery,  and 
there  may  be  added  in  cases  of  discipline 
the  jury  system  (§  108),  by  which  changes 
the  good  order  and  purity  of  our  churches 
will  be  conserved.  The  laying  of  the  bur- 
dens of  the  whole  primitive  church  presby- 
tery, and  of  the  whole  plural  eldership  of 
early  New  England,  on  the  shoulders  of  one 
man  as  pastor,  has  well  nigh  incurred  the 
guilt  of  the  Pharisees  (Matt,  xxiii.  4).  It  is 
more,  in  this  stirring  age,  than  one  frail 
man  can  bear  without  damage  to  the 
churches.  The  Apostolic  way  is  better,  to 
which  we  should  return  as  soon  as  possible. 

92.  Induction  into  Office.  In  former 
days,  under  the  Cambridge  Platform,  some 
form  of  service  seemed  needful  to  inau- 
gurate the  chosen  candidate  in  office,  either 
ordination,  or  installation  which  was  reor- 


80 


dination;  since  to  be  out  of  the  pastorate 
was  to  be  out  of  the  ministry  altogether 
(§  73).  Hence  came  the  custom  of  treating 
none  but  installed  ministers  as  pastors,  and 
others  in  active  service  as  "  acting  pastors," 
*^  stated  supplies/'  sometimes  as  "  hirelings." 
This  distinction  places  the  essence  of  the 
pastorate  in  the  induction  into  office  and 
not  in  the  calling  unto  office,  whereas  the 
Cambridge  Platform  itself  puts  it  in  the 
election  to  and  acceptance  of  office  and  not 
in  the  induction  or  ordination  (ch.  ix.  2). 

It  was  natural,  when  the  pastoral  theory 
of  the  ministry  gave  way  (§  73),  that  instal- 
lation, which  was  re-ordination,  should  be 
neglected  as  no  longer  needful  to  the  rela- 
tion of  pastor  and  people,  especially  in 
cases  of  inconvenience  or  dislike  of  the 
legal  element  involved  in  it  (§  78).  This 
neglect  of  the  installing  council  and  ser- 
vice has  gone  on  until  only  about  one-third 
of  those  in  the  pastoral  work  are  installed, 
and  there  is  need  of  adjusting  terms  to  the 
facts.  As  the  essence  of  the  pastorate  lies 
in  the  election  to  the  office  and  the  conse- 
quent entrance  upon  its  duties,  and  not  in 
any  formal   induction   into    office,    all  who 


87 

have  complied  with  the  essential  part  should 
be  held  to  be  pastors,  and  should  be  so 
named. 

Yet,  while  not  essential,  the  induction  of 
a  pastor  into  his  office  by  installation,  or, 
better,  by  recognition  (§  79),  is  both  a 
seemly  and  a  useful  service,  and  ought 
therefore  to  be  had  in  all  cases. 

93.  Duties  of  a  Pastor.  He,  as  pastor, 
preaches  the  Word;  administers  the  sacra- 
ments (§  102);  presides  at  church  meetings, 
when  not  relating  to  himself;  cares  like  a 
shepherd  for  his  flock;  but  he  has  not  the 
power  of  veto  or  control  in  church  action 
(§  28). 

ii. — The  Diaconate. 

94.  The  Diaconate  a  Lay  Office  and 
Honorable.  Though  the  diaconate  is  a 
lay  office,  it  is  shown  to  be  an  honorable 
one  by  the  qualifications  prescribed  for 
those  filling  it  (i  Tim.  iii.  8-10);  by  the 
laying  on  of  hands  (Acts  vi.  6),  and  by  the 
words  of  Paul:  ''  For  they  that  have  served 
wqU  as  deacons  gain  to  themselves  a  good 
standing,  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  (i  Tim.  iii.  13). 


88 


95«  Deaconesses.  The  election  of  faith- 
ful women  to  the  office  of  deacon  is  com- 
mended by  the  implied  injunction  of  Paul 
(i  Tim.  iii,  ii),  by  the  example  of  the 
primitive  churches  (Rom.  xvi.  i),  and  also 
of  the  early  churches  of  New  England 
{Cambridge  Platfo7'm^  chap.  vii.  7). 

96.  Duties  of  the  Diaconate.  To  have 
special  care  for  the  poor  and  sick  of  the 
church;  to  distribute  the  bread  and  wine 
at  the  Lord's  Supper;  to  counsel  and  assist 
the  pastor;  and  to  exercise  a  subordinate 
oversight  over  the  spiritual  interests  of  the 
church,  are  the  chief    duties  of  this  office^ 

97.  Election  of  Deacons.  Deacons; 
were  formerly  elected  for  life;  but  lately 
som.e  churches  elect  them  for  a  term  of 
years,  making  the  office  rotary;  while  a  few 
provide  against  the  re-election  of  a  deacon 
until  one  year  has  elapsed  from  the  time 
he  ceased  to  hold  the  office.  The  church 
can  vacate  the  office  of  a  deacon,  as  it  does 
that  of  a  pastor,  whenever  its  welfare  de- 
mands it,  yet  this  power  should  be  used 
with  great  forbearance  and  discretion. 

98.  Installation  of  Deacons.  Deacons 
were  originally  installed  by  the  laying  on 


89 


of  hands  (Acts  vi.  6).  Such  an  induction 
tends  to  give  dignity  to  the  office;  and  the 
qualifications  and  responsibilities  of  the 
diaconate  demand  at  least  a  formal  and 
public  assent  to  the  full  creed  of  the  church 
(§  139)  by  deacons  and  deaconesses  before 
entering  upon  the  office   (§  178). 

iii. — Other  Church  Officers. 

99.  A  church  may  choose  other  offi- 
cers. Such  officers  are  a  scribe  or  clerk, 
treasurer,  Church  Board,  superintendent, 
and  teachers  in  its  Sunday  school,  commit- 
tees of  inquiry,  etc.  "In  such  appoint- 
ments, the  church  institutes  no  new  order 
of  officers,  but  only  distributes  among  its 
members  certain  duties  belonging  to  the 
brotherhood  "  (^Boston  Platform,  26). 

a.  Church  Clerk.  It  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance that  the  proceedings  of  all  business 
meetings  of  the  church  be  accurately  kept 
and  recorded  in  a  church  record  book.  This 
book  should  be  of  large  size  and  strongly 
bound.  The  records  should  be  neatly  en- 
grossed in  it,  and  approved  by  the  church, 
that  they  may  have  legal  value.     The  most 


00 

competent  person  in  the  church,  except  the 
pastor,  should  be  chosen  to  this  office,  and 
should  be  continued  in  it  year  after  year. 
No  church  can  take  too  great  care  of  its 
records,  or  be  too  scrupulous  in  approving 
them,  as  a  legal  controversy  would  show. 

b.  Church  Treasurer.  The  treasurer 
of  the  church  should  be  honest,  and  so 
affable  that  he  can  collect  a  church  debt 
without  giving  offence.  As  church  support 
is  voluntary,  the  treasurer  should  have  the 
confidence  of  everybody.  Hence  the  best 
pecuniary  interests  of  the  church  demand 
the  election  of  a  good  treasurer. 

c.  The  Church  Board.  Most  of  our 
churches  have  a  body,  composed  of  the 
pastor  and  deacons  and  elected  members, 
which  is  called  the  "Standing  Committee," 
or  "Examining  Committee,"  but  which 
would  be  better  designated  the  "  Church 
Board"  or  the  "Board."  This  Church 
Board  (§  143,  viii.,7)has  taken  the  place  In 
part  of  the  primitive  board  of  elders  found 
in  each  church  planted  by  the  apostles 
(§  91),  and  is  of  the  greatest  importance  in 
the  discipline  (§  108)  and  management  of 
the   church.     It   may   stand   for   the   local 


91 

church  presbytery  referred  to  by  Paul  (i 
Tim.  iv.  14),  somewhat  modified  in  form  as 
in  name.  The  wisest  men  should  be  chosen 
upon  this  Church  Board,  since  the  manage- 
ment of  the  church  affairs  falls  so  largely 
into  their  hands. 

d.  Committees.  The  church  can  choose 
committees  for  any  purpose  it  sees  fit,  as 
for  the  trial  of  certain  cases  (§  108),  and 
these  committees  act  for  the  church  and 
report  to  the  church  their  doings.  They 
cease  to  exist  when  their  report  has  been 
received  by  the  church  (§  153). 

e.  Superintendent  and  Teachers  of  the 
Sunday  School.  The  Sunday  school  is 
the  church  school,  and  the  right  to  choose 
its  Superintendent  and  teachers  lies  in  the 
church  and  not  in  the  school.  The  highest 
interests  of  church  and  school  demand  that 
a  supervision  be  exercised  by  the  church 
over  the  school,  in  the  election  of  its  officers, 
and  the  selection  of  its  lessons. 

VII. — The  Christian  Sacraments. 

100.  Baptism.  The  Congregational 
churches  hold  that  the  application  of  water 


92 

to  a  person  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  is  valid  baptism;  that  this 
application  may  be  made  by  sprinkling, 
pouring,  or  immersion;  and  that  every  un- 
baptized  believer  ought  to  confess  Chri?t 
in  this  sacrament.  They  hold,  also,  that 
the  children  of  believing  parents  may  re- 
ceive this  rite. 

101.  The  Lord's  Supper.  The  Con- 
gregational churches  hold  that  only  those 
in  full  membership  in  some  Evangelical 
church  should  be  invited  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper;  and  that  all  such  should  be 
most  cordially  welcomed.  {^Boston  F I afforni^ 
Pt.  II,  vii.  4).  (See  also  §§  143,  xii.,  177). 

102.  Sacraments — by  whom  Adminis- 
tered. Good  order  requires  that  these 
sacraments  be  generally  administered  by 
duly  authorized  ministers  of  the  Gospel; 
but  the  efficacy  of  them  depends  wholly  on 
the  spirit  in  which  they  are  received.  Undet 
pressing  exigencies  they  may  be  adminis- 
tered by  laymen;  but  these  exigencies  mus^ 
be  other  and  graver  than  inconvenience  of 
exchange  by  a  licentiate  (§  77),  or  delay  of 
the  ordinance  for  a  few  weeks.  They  must 
be  extraordinary  and  pressing. 


V3 


VIII. — Church  Discipline. 

103.  Offenses  DiscipHnable.  It  must 
be  that  offenses  come,  but  woe  to  that  man 
by  whom  the  offense  cometh  (Matt,  xviii.  7). 
All  offenses  are  not  disciplinable  by  the 
church;  but  all  scandalous  offenses,  all 
iiagrant  violations  of  covenant  vows,  funda- 
mental doctrinal  errors,  and  many  minor 
■offenses,  call  for  discipline.  The  church 
must  guard  its  purity  of  faith  and  practice 
by  strict  discipline.  Yet  trivial  offenses 
should  not  be  noticed;  nor  should  a  man 
be  arraigned  on  charges  which  can  not 
probably  be  proved.  A  church  should  en- 
ter upon  all  discipline  with  calmness,  prayer- 
fulness,  and  charity,  seeking  purity  through 
penitence. 

104.  The  Law  of  Discipline.  Christ 
-gave  the  law  of  discipline  (Matt,  xviii,  15- 
18),  which,  in  all  private  offenses,  should  be 
literally  followed.  In  cases  of  notorious 
•scandal,  a  more  summary  process  is  war- 
ranted (§  106).  But  inasmuch  as  one  end 
of  church  discipline  is  the  repentance  and 
confession  of  the  offender,  the  church  (§  32) 
should  exhaust   all  wise  measures  to  bring 


94 


him  to  penitence  before  proceeding  to  pub- 
lic trial.  If  these  measures  are  unavailing, 
the  case  should  be  brought  before  the 
church  and  conducted  with  prayer  and  the 
greatest  impartiality. 

105.  Private  Offenses.  The  proper 
steps  are  definitely  marked  out  in  Matt, 
xviii,  15-18. 

First  Step.  The  injured  man  is  required 
to  go  privately  to  the  offender  and  tell  him 
his  fault,  earnestly  seeking  to  reclaim  him. 
Time  for  passion  to  subside  should  here  be 
allowed. 

Second  Step.  The  first  effort  proving  un« 
availing,  the  injured  party  takes  one  or  two 
discreet  persons  with  him,  and,  in  their 
presence,  tells  his  brother  his  fault,  and  in 
a  Christian  way  tries  to  bring  him  to  a 
penitent  frame  of  mind.  If  he  succeed,  the 
matter  is  dropped;  for  he  has  gained  his 
brother.  But  if  the  offender  continue  ob- 
durate, then  follows  the 

Third  Step.  A  formal  complaint,  usually 
in  writing,  should  be  made  to  the  church 
(§  146).  The  church,  hearing  the  com- 
plaint, votes  to  entertain  the  same,  fixes  a 
day  for  trial,  notifies  the  defendant  of  the 


95 

charges,  of  time  of  trial,  and  of  the  wit- 
nesses; and,  at  the  set  time,  hears  patiently 
and  prayerfully  the  case,  and  renders  its 
judgment  (§§  32,  112).  (§  170.) 

106.  Public  Scandals.  The  first  and  sec- 
ond steps  may  be  omitted  in  cases  of  public 
scandal,  though  here  also  the  end  of  dis- 
cipline should  be  the  penitent  reformation 
of  the  guilty.  In  such  cases  any  member 
may  prefer  the  proper  charges;  but  if  no 
one  assumes  this  responsibility,  then  the 
deacons  or  Church  Board  of  the  church 
should  prefer  them  (§  99,  c).  (§  169.) 

107.  Procedure  in  Trial.  The  church 
having  been  duly  called  and  organized, 
with  moderator  and  clerk  (§§  93,  99,  a). 
should  designate  some  one  or  more  to  con- 
duct the  case  and  examine  witnesses,  and 
should  give  the  accused  a  full  opportunity 
for  defense  (§  53).  It  is  often  desirable  to 
appoint  a  committee  of  investigation,  to 
hear  the  case,  record  the  testimony,  and 
report  the  result  of  the  examination  for  the 
final  action  of  the  church.     Hence — 

108.  Trial  by  Committee  or  Jury  of 
the  Church.  The  discipline  of  some  offen- 
ders is  difficult  either  through  the  nature 


96 

of  the  offense  or  the  length  of  the  trial,  in 
which  cases  the  church  should  empower  its 
Church  Board,  or  appoint  another  commit- 
tee, as  a  jury,  to  hear  the  case,  record  the 
evidence,  and  report  to  the  church  its  find- 
ings and  recommendations  of  censure,  if 
any.  The  church  acts  in  and  through  such 
a  committee,  and  when  it  accepts  the  report 
(§  154),  the  case  is  issued.  The  records  of 
the  case  should  be  preserved  on  file,  and 
the  action  of  the  church  with  the  censure 
(§  112),  if  any,  should  be  spread  upon  the 
church  books.  This  process  is  right  and 
desirable. 

109.  Rules  of  Evidence.  Legal  rules 
of  evidence  cannot  be  used  in  ecclesiastical 
trials,  as  no  church.  Association,  or  council 
has  power  to  compel  the  production  of 
testimony,  or  to  punish  for  contempt.  This 
necessitates  broader  rules.  Hence  "  parties 
in  interest  are  not  excluded  on  account  of 
bias,  from  giving  their  testimony;  husband 
and  wife  are  not  prevented  from  testifying 
for  or  against  each  other.  Hearsay  evi- 
dence is  not  excluded.  But  everything 
is  admissible  that  the  council  choose  to 
admit,  that  will  help  them  come  to  an  un- 


97 

derstanding  of  the  case.  The  Supreme 
Court  has  never  qualified  this  license  of 
proof,  or  been  called  to  qualify  it"  (Buck's 
Ecd.  Law  of  Mass.,  227). 

This  liberty  of  evidence  applies  to  all 
ecclesiastical  trials,  whether  before  the 
church,  an  Association,  or  a  council,  since 
the  reason  is  the  same  for  all;  though  great 
care  should  be  Had  lest  injustice  be  done  in 
censures  based  on  insufficient  evidence. 

1 10.  Irregularities  in  Procedure.  Ir- 
regularities do  not  invalidate  procedure, 
unless  they  are  of  a  material  nature.  To 
set  aside  a  trial  or  procedure  of  any  kind, 
the  irregularity  or  irregularities  must  be 
the  determining  ground  of  the  transaction; 
i.  e.,  if  there  had  been  no  mistake  or  irregu- 
larity the  result  Would  probably  have  been 
otherwise.  A  merely  technical  error  ought 
not  to  invalidate  proceedings.  A  neglect  of 
Christ's  rule  (Matt,  xviii.  15-17),  in  cases  of 
private  offenses,  would  invalidate  proceed- 
ings, since  it  might  be  the  determining 
ground  of  the  issue  or  result  of  the  trial. 

111.  Confession.  The  penitent  confes- 
sion of  the  wrong-doer  may  stop  all  further 
proceedings;  and  no  censure,  or  suspension, 


98 


or  excommunication  can  afterward  be  in- 
flicted on  the  offender  for  the  sin  so  con- 
fessed. The  confession  should  be  made  as 
public  as  the  offense,  and,  if  made  to  the 
church,  the  fact  should  be  entered  on  the 
records  of  the  church. 

112.  Censures.  These  may  be  reproof, 
suspension,  or  excommunication,  according 
to  the  gravity  of  the  offense. 

If  the  excluded  member  shall  become 
penitent  for  his  sin,  and  shall  desire  re-ad- 
mission into  church  privileges  again,  it  is. 
his  duty  to  make  the  facts  known  unto  the 
church  from  which  he  has  been  expelled, 
and  to  give  the  requisite  proof  of  his  peni- 
tence and  amendment.  If  the  church  be 
satisfied  of  his  repentance,  it  should  restore 
him  to  full  membership  again.  This  it  may 
do  by  passing  a  vote  reciting  the  facts,  and 
lifting  the  censure  inflicted.  Such  a  vote 
restores  the  excommunicated  to  full  mem- 
bership. 

113.  Censure  of  Ministers.  The  rela- 
tion of  an  ordained  man  to  the  general  fel- 
lowship of  the  churches  is  such  (§  73),  that 
he  should  not  be  treated  in  discipline  by  a 
church  as  merely  a  private  member.     Before 


99 


the  case  is  issued,  a  council  of  churches 
-should  be  called  to  advise  in  the  matter, 
selected  by  the  church  itself,  since  the 
church  deals  with  him  as  a  ministerial  mem- 
ber, and  neither  as  a  minister,  nor  as  a  lay 
member.  Such  a  council  is  neither  a  Mu- 
tual (§  50),  nor  an  Ex  pat^te  (§  51),  but  a 
Singular   Council  (§  48), 

Since,  however,  offenses  demanding 
church  discipline  would  necessarily  unfit 
one  for  the  ministry,  while  offenses  de- 
manding ministerial  discipline  (§§  87,  88) 
might  not  demand  church  action  and  cen- 
sure, it  would  be  better  for  a  church  wish- 
ing to  deal  by  way  of  discipline  with  a 
ministerial  member,  after  the  preliminary 
steps  (§  105),  to  ask  the  offending  ministe- 
rial member  to  join  in  calling  a  Mutual 
Council  (§  50)  to  consider  the  case  and 
advise  in  the  matter.  Such  a  course  would 
rest  on  the  fact  that  the  church  is  dealing 
with  a  minister  who  stands  related  to  all 
the  churches  (§  73).  No  lay  member  could 
have  such  a  privilege  or  right.  Hence  a 
council  called  by  a  church  to  advise  in  lay 
discipline  is  neither  Mutual  (§  50)  nor  Ex 
parte  (§  51),  but    Singular  (§  48)). 


100 


114.  Witnesses.  Any  one,  whether 
church  member  or  not,  who  is  competent 
to  give  testimony  (§  109),  may  testify  before 
a  church,  an  Association,  or  a  council.  Wit- 
nesses cannot  be  held  by  the  legal  rules  of 
evidence  (§  109).  Hence  for  this  as  well  as 
other  reasons  they  should  be  put  under 
oath  by  the  moderator  of  the  body. 

The  oath  or  affirmation  may  be  in  the 
following  or  similar  words: — 

"You  solemnly  promise,  in  the  presence 
of  the  omniscient  and  heart-searching  God^ 
that  you  will  declare  the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  according 
to  the  best  of  your  knowledge,  in  the  mat- 
ter in  which  you  are  called  to  witness,  as 
you  shall  answer  it  to  the  great  Judge  of 
quick  and  dead.     So  help  you  God." 

115.  Legal  Protection  of  Parties  in 
Discipline.  Every  one  who  takes  part  in 
good  faith  in  any  case  of  discipline  or  trial, 
whether  he  makes  complaint,  gives  testi- 
mony, acts,  votes,  pronounces  the  result 
orally  or  in  writing,  before  a  church  or  any 
other  body,  is  protected  from  civil  suit  for 
the  same.  This  protection  is  involved  in 
the  decision  of  the  United  States  Supreme 


101 

Court:  Jones  v.  Watson,  13  Wallace,  pp. 
722-734.  This  protection  is  expressly  given 
by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Massachusetts: 
Farfiswoi'th  v.  Storrs,  5  Cushing,  412.  An 
Association,  even  in  suspending  a  ministe- 
rial member,  and  in  publishing  him  in  the 
papers,  while  citing  him  to  trial,  has  been 
sustained  by  the  court  {Skurtleff  v.  Stevens, 
51  Vt.  501;  31  A7n.  Repts.  704).  The  princi- 
ples underlying  these  cases  have  general 
application. 

116.  Membership,  a  Covenant.  "The 
idea  of  membership  in  a  Congregational 
church  is  the  idea  of  a  covenant  between 
the  individual  member  and  the  church;  by 
virtue  of  that  covenant  the  member  is 
responsible  to  the  church  for  his  conformity 
to  the  law  of  Christ,  and  the  church  is 
responsible  for  him;  and  this  responsibility 
does  not  cease  till  the  church,  by  some 
formal  and  corporate  act,  has  declared  the 
dissolution  of  the  covenant"  {^Result  of 
Brooklyn  Council,  1874,  p.  232). 

There  has  not,  however,  been  perfect  uni° 
formity  of  usage  among  our  churches. 
Some  have  held  the  rigid  rule  that  mem- 
bers can  lose  their  membership  in  a  local 


102 


church  only  in  one  of  the  three  following 
ways,  namely:  (i.)  By  dismission  to  another 
church;  (2.)  by  death;  or  (3.)  by  excom- 
munication. But  milder  views  are  now 
prevailing,  though  membership  be  still  held 
to  be  a  covenant. 

117.  Dropping  Members.  "  If  any 
member  be  convinced  that  he  is  not  truly 
regenerated,  but  that  he  professed  religion 
under  self-deception,  and  shall  request  a 
dissolution  of  his  connection  with  the 
church,  if  there  be  no  scandal  in  his  life 
requiring  discipline,  his  request — he  hav- 
ing first  been  duly  labored  with — shall  be 
granted  by  a  simple  vote  declarative  of  the 
facts"  (Roy's  Manual,  21). 

In  like  manner  members  who  are  absent 
for  a  long  period  should  be  hunted  up, 
asked  to  take  letters  to  another  church, 
such  as  may  be  given  under  the  circum- 
stances (§  1 20) ;  but  if  they  persist  in  -neglect- 
ing their  covenant  obligations,  fellowship 
should  be  withdrawn  from  them,  and  a 
statement  of  the  facts  put  on  record. 

In  case  a  member  joins  another  church 
without  having  taken  a  letter — a  thing 
which  every  member  should  be  careful  to 


103 


avoid,  even  when  a  church  will  not  receive 
him  on  his  letter  (§  121) — his  name  should 
be  dropped  from  the  roll,  without  censure, 
by  vote  of  the  church  reciting  the  facts. 

118.  Certificate  of  Membership.  When 
members  expect  to  be  absent  for  a  short 
time,  it  is  of  great  importance  that  they 
take  a  certificate  of  church  membership — 
not  of  dismissal — which  they  can  present 
as  an  introduction  into  the  confidence,  fel- 
lowship,  and  communion   of   the    churches 

(§  145). 

119.  Letters  of  Dismission.  If  mem- 
bers remove  from  one  place  to  another  they 
should  take  with  them  letters  of  dismissal 
and  recommendation  to  some  sister  or 
Evangelical  church.  Good  order  and  their 
own  spiritual  welfare  require  this.  It  is  of 
the  greatest  importance  (§  144). 

120.  Letters  from  Churches.  The 
forms  of  letters  from  churches  are  different. 
Ours  (§§  119,  144)  dismiss  and  recommend; 
unless,  in  peculiar  cases,  they  certify  that 
the  person  was  a  member  in  good  standing 
at  the  time  he  left,  and  dismiss  him  with- 
out recommendation.  The  church  receiv- 
ing such  a  letter  should  examine  the  bearer 


104 

of  it  as  to  the  reasons  for  such  neglect  of 
duty,  and  receive  or  reject  him  on  result  of 
such  examination.  Some  communions  sim- 
ply certify  to  the  membership  of  the  bearer, 
while  others,  not  giving  letters  to  other 
denominations  certify  to  membership  or 
give  letters  to  one  of  their  own  churches. 
When  such  letters  are  presented  the  church 
may  make  such  examination  as  it  pleases, 
and  act  on  the  letters  favorably  or  unfavor- 
ably. If  favorably,  the  bearers  should  be 
received  on  their  letters. 

121.  Letters  to  Churches  not  Receiv- 
ing" them.  If  a  member  desire  a  letter  to 
a  church  which  does  not  receive  letters, 
from  our  churches,  the  letter  should  be 
granted,  provided  the  church  be  Evangeli- 
cal (§  122);  since  the  letter  is  due  the 
bearer  as  a  worthy  member,  and  will  be  a 
certificate    of    good    character,    if    nothing 

more,  to  the  church  to  which  it  is  addressed. 

122.  When  Letters  Cannot  be  Given. 
A  letter  cannot  be  given  to  a  member  under 
charges  or  on  trial.  Nor  is  it  consistent 
with  fealty  to  the  Head  of  the  Church  to 
issue  letters  to  members  desiring  to  join 
churches  which  we  cannot  fellowship.    Such 


105 


members  should  be  labored  with,  reclaimed^ 
and  given  letters  to  churches  held  to  be 
sound  in  faith  and  practice;  but  if  such 
labors  prove  unavailing,  they  must  be  dealt 
with  according  to  their  deserts. 

123.  Force  of  Church  Letters.  The 
bearer  of  a  letter  is  a  member  of  the 
church  granting  it,  until  he  has  been  re- 
ceived into  another  church,  during  which 
period  his  letter  may  be  recalled,  and  he 
brought  to  discipline.  Nor  does  the  accept- 
ance of  a  letter  by  another  church  shield 
the  bearer  from  discipline  for  offenses  com- 
mitted before  the  granting  of  the  letter, 
and  discovered  after  his  reception  on  it.  If 
the  offense  be  heinous  enough  the  church 
granting  the  letter  can  call  the  attention  of 
the  church  receiving  the  letter  to  the 
offense,  when  the  latter  church  can  appoint 
a  committee,  or  request  the  former  church, 
to  try  the  case  and  report  its  findings  and 
recommendations,  on  which  report  the 
offender  can  be  dealt  with  in  proper  cen- 
sures (§  108). 

124.  Sunday  Subscriptions.  Subscrip- 
tions for  church  building  or  debts  or  re- 
pairs, etc.,  are  often  taken  on  Sunday.    They 


106 

;are  declared  to  be  acts  of  charity  and, 
therefore,  legal  by  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Michigan  [Allen  v.  Duffie,  43  Mich,  i ;  where 
authorities  are  cited  from  England  and  sev- 
eral States).  Per  cont^-a,  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Indiana  hold  that  ''a  church  subscription 
made  on  Sunday  is  void,  and  is  not  made 
valid  by  a  subsequent  oral  acknov^ledge- 
ment  and  promise  to  pay  it,  without  con- 
sideration" {Catlett  V.  T7'ustees  M.  E.  Church 
of  Sweetser  Station.,  62  Ind.  365 ;  2)^  Am.  Repts. 
197.  All  authorities  cited  are  Indiana  cases). 
125.  Voting  Members.  Children,  on 
giving  credible  evidence  of  conversion,  are 
wisely  admitted  into  full  communion  and 
membership  (§  13);  but  it  does  not  follow 
that  they,  while  children  subject  to  the  will 
of  their  parents,  are  entitled  to  all  church 
privileges.  They  should  not  have  the  right 
to  vote  in  church  meetings  until  of  age, 
for  until  then  they  cannot  cast,  legally,  a 
free  vote.  The  most  important  interests  of 
a  church,  as  the  choice  or  dismission  of  a 
pastor,  the  discipline  of  members,  its  pecu- 
niary matters,  should  not  be  left  to  the  pos- 
sible decision  of  those  who  are  called  in 
law  "  infants,"  and  whose  vote  may  be  com- 


107 

pelled  by  parental  authority.  It  is  the 
dictate  of  common  sense  to  provide  against 
such  evils  by  rules  adopted  and  enforced 
when  no  exciting  issue  is  pending.  It  is 
manifest  to  all  that  money  will  not  be  freely 
contributed  for  church  purposes,  if  the  dis- 
posal of  it  and  the  higher  welfare  of  the 
church  be  subject  to  the  determining  vote 
of  minors.  The  bearing  of  this  question 
on  the  prosperity  of  the  churches  is  great. 
Formerly  only  adult  males  could  vote;  now 
adult  women  also  generally  enjoy  the  privi- 
lege; but  children  are  excluded  by  usage 
and  should  be  by  rule. 

IX.— Church  Worship. 

126.  Each  Church  Regulates  its  own 
Worship.  The  worship  of  each  congrega- 
tion of  believers  is  subject  to  its  own  con- 
trol (§  27)  enlightened  by  the  New  Testa- 
ment. No  one  has  the  right  to  lay  upon  a 
church  any  other  rule.  In  this  liberty  our 
churches  stand;  for  it  was  purchased  at  a 
great  cost  of  blood.  Yet  there  is  a  general 
agreement  in  the  forms  of  service  adopted 
by   the   Congregational   churches.      A  few 


108 

use  a  liturgy;  many  use  responsive  read- 
ings; each  church  chooses  a  form  of  worship 
best  suited  to  its  own  edification.  It  is  the 
right  of  the  church,  not  of  the  pastor,  to 
regulate  its  worship. 

X. — Denominational  Differences. 

127.  Fundamental  Differences.  These 
all,  as  respects  ecclesiastical  matters,  are 
involved  in  the  constitutive  principles  al- 
ready mentioned  (§  15).  As  these  princi- 
ples are  radical  and  antagonistic  an,d 
irreconcilable,  they  can  never  be  harmon- 
ized or  united  into  one.  All  attempts  to 
yoke  any  two  of  them  in  permanent  co- 
operative efforts  have  failed,  and  must  fail 
from  the  nature  of  the  case.  The  Presby- 
terian, the  Episcopal,  and  the  Roman 
Catholic  polities  are  mutually  repugnant, 
as  respects  their  constitutive  principles;  yet 
they  agree  in  using  authority  in  securing 
unity  among  their  adherents.  Unity  is 
sought  in  the  denial  of  liberty  to  the  local 
congregation  of  believers.  They  severally 
deny  the  independence  of  the  particular 
church,  and  the  free,   voluntary   union   of 


109 

churches  in  larger  bodies.  Hence  they  are 
more  radically  opposed  to  Congregational- 
ism than  to  each  other.  They  use  force  in 
manifesting  unity,  each  in  its  own  way; 
Congregationalism  uses  liberty  in  unity, 
since  each  local  church  is  autonomous,  in- 
dependent. Other  constitutive  principles 
destroy  the  liberty  of  local  churches,  made 
by  Christ  independent  of  external  control 
(§  34);  our  constitutive  principle  establishes 
that  liberty.  Hence  questions  of  church 
polity  have  the  widest  possible  influence 
upon,  and  the  closest  possible  relation  to, 
religious  and  civil  liberty.  It  concerns  all 
men,  whether  church  institutions  be  built 
about  an  Infallible  Primacy,  or  about  Apos- 
tolic Succession,  or  about  Authoritative 
Representation,  or  about  the  Independence 
of  the  local  church,  as  Christ  and  His 
apostles  built  them  (§§  30-34). 

128.  Incidental  Differences.  These 
differences,  except  as  modified  by  circum- 
stances, are  normal  outgrowths  of  the  dif- 
fering constitutive  principles  referred  to 
(§  127);  and  hence  they  would  disappear 
largely  if  those  principles  were  changed. 
The  following  are  some -of  the  differences: 


110 


129.  The  Baptists.  The  Baptists  are 
Congregationalists  in  polity;  but,  as  Roy 
says: 

"  Congregationalists  differ  from  [Regular] 
Baptists  with  regard  to  baptism  and  church 
communion.  Baptists  hold  that  immersion 
alone  is  baptism;  that  none  but  adult  be- 
lievers should  be  baptized;  and  [they  gen- 
erally hold]  that  none  but  immersed  pro- 
fessors should  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's 
Table;  while  Congregationalists  admit  the 
validity  of  any  baptism  in  which  water  is 
applied  to  the  person  in  the  name  of  the 
Trinity;  they  hold  that  baptism  [may]  also 
be  given  to  the  infant  children  of  believers; 
and  they  welcome  to  the  Lord's  Table  all 
Evangelical  Christians." 

130.  The  Presbyterians.  Congrega- 
tionalism differs  from  Presbyterianism  in 
this:  A  Congregational  church  manages 
its  own  affairs,  in  subordination  only  to 
Christ  the  Head;  a  Presbyterian  church 
elects  ruling  elders,  generally  for  life;  these 
elders,  with  the  pastor  or  pastors,  consti- 
tute the  session  of  that  church;  this  session 
receives,  dismisses,  and  disciplines  all  mem- 
bers, chooses  from  among  its  own  number 


Ill 

commissioners  to  the  Presbytery  and  Synod; 
the  Presbytery  chooses  from  itself  commis- 
sioners to  the  General  Assembly,  each  lower 
judicatory  being  subject  to  the  next  higher. 
Thus  the  General  Assembly  rules  the  Synod^ 
the  Synod  rules  the  Presbytery,  the  Presby- 
tery rules  the  Session,  and  the  Session  rules 
the  church.  The  people  have  no  voice  in 
the  government,-  except  in  the  choice  of 
ruling  elders,  who  are  usually  elected  for 
life  (§  15). 

131.  The  Episcopal  Methodists.    The 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church    is    Presbyte- 
rian in  polity,  though  its  bodies  are  differ- 
ently named.     The  bishops  do  not  consti- 
tute a  separate  order  in  the  ministry;  yet 
they  have    the   power    to   fix    the    appoint- 
ments of  the  preachers;  in  the  intervals  of 
the   Conferences,    to    change,    receive,  and 
suspend    preachers,    as    necessity    may    re- 
quire, and  as  the  discipline  directs;  to  con- 
secrate Bishops,  and  ordain  Elders  and  Dea- 
cons,   etc.       With    Congregationalists,    the 
church  property  is  held  by  trustees,  chosen 
by  each  local  church,  or  church  society,  and 
is   the  property  of  that  church,  or  church 
society;  but,  with  the  Methodists,  all  church 


112 


property  is  held  by  the  Conference  under 
the  following  rule  and  condition,  namely: 
"In  future  we  will  admit  no  charter,  deed, 
or  conveyance  for  any  house  of  worship  to 
be  used  by  us,  unless  it  be  provided  in 
such  charter,  deed,  or  conveyance  that  the 
trustees  of  said  house  shall  at  all  times 
permit  such  ministers  and  preachers  be- 
longing to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
as  shall  from  time  to  time  be  duly  author- 
ized by  the  General  Conference  of  the 
ministers  of  our  Church,  or  by  the  Annual 
Conferences,  to  preach  and  expound  God's 
holy  Word  therein,"  etc.  {^Discipline).  This 
places  both  the  church  property  and  the 
pulpit  beyond  the  control  of  local  congre- 
gations, by  whose  self-denials  their  church 
edifices  have  been  built.  A  Congregational 
•church  controls  its  own  pulpit  and  property 

(§§.15,  27-34). 

132.  Episcopalians.  The  Episcopalians 
'generally  hold  Apostolic  Succession  as  essen- 
tial to  constitute  a  congregation  of  believers 
a  true  church  or  an  ordained  man  a  true 
minister.  Church  property  duly  conse- 
crated cannot  be  alienated  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  ;  and  the 


113 

Bishops  have    jurisdiction  over  the  clergy 
(§  15)- 

"  Congregationalists  differ  from   Episco- 
palians  in  ceremonies    of  worship,  and  in 
church  government.     The  Episcopalians  use 
a  liturgy  in  worship;  hold  to  three  orders 
in  the  ministry,  and  confide  the  admission 
and   exclusion   of   members   to   the  pastor, 
and  the  diocesan   Bishop,  who  is  set  over 
the  churches  and  ministers  of  a  particular 
district,   and  alone  has   power    to    confirm 
members  and  ordain  ministers.     Amongst 
Congregationalists,  every  pastor  is  a  bishop, 
as  among  New  Testament  churches,  and  all 
ministers  are  equal  in  office  "  {Rofs  Afamml, 
PP-  13,  14). 

133.  Congregationalists  differ  from  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  and  the  Greek 
Church,  in  many  points  above  enumerated, 
and  others  besides,  especially  the  infalli- 
bility of  the  church.  It  is  hardly  necessary 
to  specify  particulars,  as  our  system  and 
these  are  at  antipodes  (§  15). 


lY. 

ACTIVITIES   OF   THE    PRIMITIVE, 

AND  THE  CONGREGATIONAL 

CHURCHES. 


"  Always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labor 
is  not  vain  in  the  Lord." — Paul. 


ACTIVITIES  OF  THE  PRIMITIVE, 

AND  THE  CONGREGATIONAL 

CHURCHES. 

134.  The    Great    Commission.      Our 

ascending  Lord  gave  the  final  command: 
"Go  ye,  and  make  disciples  of  all  the  na- 
tions" (T'tlatt.  xxviii.  19).  That  this  laid  a 
solemn  duty  upon  local  churches  as  well  as 
upon  individual  believers  to  evangelize  the 
world,  is  put  beyond  dispute  by  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  first  foreign  missionaries 
were  sent  out.  The  teachers  and  prophets 
were  ministering  to  the  Lord  in  the  church 
.at  Antioch,  Vv'lien  "the  Holy  Ghost  said,. 
Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the 
work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.  Then, 
when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed  and  laid 
their  hands  on  them,  they  sent  them  away  " 
(Acts  xiii.  2,  3).  This  first  call  of  the  first 
forcio^n  missionaries  came  through  a  church, 
and  it  was  by  church  action  that  thc}^  were 
sent  forth;  and,  on  returning,  they  reported 
to    tlie   church.     No  church  can  throw  off 

117 


118 


responsibility  respecting  home  and  foreign 
evangelization  upon  the  consciences  of  its 
individual  members.  It  is  bound  to  pro- 
vide for  such  work  by  church  action,  in 
•ordering  stated  collections  to  be  taken  for 
its  several  departments,  by  prayer,  and  by 
training  laborers  for  the  field. 

The  churches,  by  combining  their  wis- 
dom, contributions,  and  labors,  can  carry 
■on  all  missionary  work  at  the  greatest  ad- 
vantage; and  it  should  seem  but  the  state- 
ment of  a  first  principle,  to  say,  that 
■churches  which  are  entrusted  with  the 
great  duty  of  evangelizing  the  world,  are 
therein  authorized  to  manage  for  them- 
selves the  instrumentalities  necessary  for 
discharging  the  trust.  They  in  their  inde- 
pendence are  not  compelled  to  leave  the 
management  of  the  trust  to  individual  be- 
lievers. The  churches  should  manage  all 
their  affairs;  and  hence  all  the  agencies 
used  should  be  by  their  own  appointment, 
under  their  own  management,  that  the 
churches  may  constantly  feel  the  duty  of 
saving  sinners  and  evangelizing  the  world. 

135.  Activity  of  the  Primitive  Churches. 
The  primitive  Christian  churches  confess- 


119 

-edly  were  congregationally  governed  (§  34), 
and  they  were  full  of  missionary  zeal  and 
labor.  In  a  few  years  they  planted  churches 
in  every  part  of  the  known  world;  and,  in  a 
few  centuries,  in  spite  of  terrible  persecu- 
tions, paganism  was  overthrown  wherever 
these  churches  had  been  established.  Their 
form  of  government  stimulated  to  every 
form  of  evangelistic  labors  by  imposing,  in 
a  peculiar  manner,  upon  each  congregation 
the  responsibility  of  the  Master's  final  com- 
mission to  His  disciples,  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature. 

136.  Activities  of  Congregational 
Churches.  The  early  churches  of  New 
England  entered  immediately  and  success- 
fully into  the  work  of  evangelizing  the 
Indians,  of  whom  they  gathered  many 
churches.  Later,  they  formed  the  oldest 
missionary  society  in  America,  the  Ameri- 
can Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions,  and  they  have  ever  been  foremost 
in  the  formation  and  support  of  all  sorts 
of  benevolent  and  missionary  enterprises. 
They  have  been  the  chief  contributors  to 
union  societies,  until,  by  the  withdrawal  of 
others,    they  have    been    left  to  act  alone. 


120 

While  limiting  the  exercise  of  authority  to 
the  local  churches,  the  Congregationalists 
have  embraced  in  their  love  and  labors 
every  philanthropic  object. 

137.    Co-operative    Societies    Recom- 
mended by  the  National  Council. 

I.  A}nei-ican  Board  of  Conunissio?iers  for 
Foreign  Missioiis. — (Org.  1810.) — Office  at 
Congregational  House,  Boston,  Mass. 

II.  American  Congregational  Union,  or 
Church  Building  Society.  —  (Org.  1853.)  — 
Offices  at  Bible  House,  New  York  City, 
and  at  Congregational  House,  Boston,  Mass. 

HI.  AmejHcan  Home  Missiojiary  Society. — 
(Org.  1826.) — Office  at  Bible  House,  New 
York  City. 

IV.  American  Missio7ia7y  Association.  — 
(Org.  1846.) — Office  56  Reade  Street,  New 
York  City. 

V.  Congregational  Sunday  School  and  Pub- 
lishing Society.  —  (Org.  1 83  2.)  —  Congrega- 
tional House,  Boston,  Mass. 

VI.  American  College  and  Education  Society. 
— (Org.  1816,  1843 — united  1874.) — Congre- 
gational House,  Boston,  Mass. 


121 

VII.  The  New  West  Education  Commission. 
— (Org.  1879.) — Office  Chicago,  111. 

VIII.  (i.)  The  Wo7?ia7is  Board  of  Missions. 
■ — Org.  1868.) — [Embracing  territory  east  of 
Ohio].  Office,  Congregational  House,  Bos- 
ton, Mass. 

(2.).  Woman's  Board  of  Missio7is  of  the  In- 
terior.— [Embracing  territory  between  the 
eastern  boundary  of  Ohio  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains.] — Office,  Chicago,  111. 

(3.)  Womans  Board  of  Missions  of  the 
Pacific. — [Embracing  territory  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.] — Office,  San  Francisco, 
Cal. 

IX.  The  Womans  Home  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation.—{Ox%.  1880.)  — Office,  Congrega- 
tional House,  Boston,  Mass. 

138.  Theological  Seminaries. 

I.  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  Andover, 
Mass. — (Opened  1808). 

II.  Theological  Seminary,  Bangor,  Maine. 
— (Opened  1816). 

III.  Theological  Department  of  Yale  College, 
New  Haven,  Conn. — (Opened  1822). 

IV.  Theological  Jjistitute  of  Co?mecticut^ 
Hartford,  Conn. — (Opened  1834). 


122 

V.  Theological  Department  of  Oberlin  Col- 
lege, Oberlin,  Ohio.— (Opened  1835). 

VI.  Theological  Seminary,  Chicago,   111. — 
(Opened  1858). 

VII.  Pacific  Theological Sefjiinary,  Oakland, 
California. — (Opened  1869). 


Y. 


CONGREGATIONAL  FORMS  AND 
RULES. 


"  Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in 
order." — Paul 


CONGREGATIONAL    FORMS    AND 
RULES. 


I. — Admission  of  Members. 

139.  Articles  of  Faith.  Every  church 
should  have  articles  of  faith  as  the  standard 
of  its  teaching  in  the  pulpit  and  Sunday 
school,  and  as  the  basis  of  its  fellowship  ; 
but  care  is  needed  in  making  them  tests  of 
admission  to  the  church.  The  New  Testa- 
ment (Rom.  xiv.  1-4)  and  our  Platforms 
{Cambridge  Plat.,  1648,  ch.  xii.  3  ;  Boston 
Plat.,  1865,  Pt,  II.,  ch.  vii.  2)  warrant  the 
admission  of  weak  Christians,  if  sincere,  to 
church  privileges  (^13).  A  temporary  ex- 
igency, however,  carried  our  churches  away 
into  severer  credal  tests  for  admission  than 
were  enforced  probably  by  any  other  com- 
munion. A  return  to  our  early  and  scrip- 
tural position  has  begun.  While  enjoining 
church  creeds  somewhat  elaborate,  and  in- 
sisting on  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit  as 
essential  to  church  membership,  the  Ohio 
Manual  (1874),  the  Pocket  Manual  (1883),  the 

125 


126 

Report  of  the  Commission  of  the  National 
Council  (Dec.  19,  1883),  and  the  Church- 
Kingdom  (1887)  separate  between  the  articles 
of  faith  and  the  confession  required  for  ad- 
mission, thus  retaining  a  full  creed  as  the 
standard  of  teaching  and  basis  of  fellowship, 
while  admitting  children  and  others  on  a 
simpler  confession.  To  aid  in  this  return  to 
the  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  we  subjoin  the 
Statement  of  Doctrine  and  the  Confession 
of  Faith  reported  to  the  churches  by  the 
National  Council's  Commission,  and  rec- 
ommend their  use,  as  indicated  in  the 
subjoined  Constitution  (§143.     Art.  iii). 

140.    Statement  of  Doctrine. 

I.  We  believe  in  one  God,  the  Father 
Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of 
all  things  visible  and  invisible; 

And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  our 
Lord,  who  is  of  one  substance  with  the 
Father  ;  by  whom  all  things  were  made  ; 

And  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Lord  and  Giver 
of  life,  who  is  sent  from  the  Father  and  Son, 
and  who  together  with  the  Father  and  Son, 
is  worshiped  and  glorified. 

H.      We   believe    that  the  Providence   of 


127 

God,  by  which  He  executes  His  eternal  pur- 
poses in  the  government  of  the  world,  is  in 
and  over  all  events  ;  yet  so  that  the  freedom 
and  responsibility  of  man  are  not  impaired, 
and  sin  is  the  act  of  the  creature  alone. 

in.  We  believe  that  man  was  made  in  the 
image  of  God,  that  he  might  know,  love,  and 
obey  God,  and  enjoy  Him  forever ;  that  our 
first  parents  by  disobedience  fell  under  the 
righteous  condemnation  of  God  ;  and  that  all 
men  are  so  alienated  from  God  that  there  is  no 
salvation  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin 
except  through  God's  redeeming  grace. 

IV.  We  believe  that  God  would  have  all 
men  return  to  Him  ;  that  to  this  end  He  has 
made  Himself  known,  not  only  through  the 
works  of  nature,  the  course  of  His  provi- 
dence, and  the  consciences  of  men,  but  also 
through,  supernatural  revelations  made  espe- 
cially to  a  chosen  people,  and  above  all,, 
when  the  fullness  of  time  was  come,  through 
Jesus  Christ  His  Son. 

V.  We  believe  that  the  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments  are  the  record 
of  God's  revelation  of  Himself  in  the  work 
of  redemption;  that  they  were  written  by 
men  under  the  special  guidance  of  the  Holy 


128 

Spirit  ;  that  they  are  able  to  make  wise  unto 
salvation  ;  and  that  they  constitute  the  au- 
thoritative standard  by  which  religious  teach- 
ing and  human  conduct  are  to  be  regulated 
and  judged. 

VI.  We  believe  that  the  love  of  God  to 
sinful  men  has  found  its  highest  expression 
in  the  redemptive  work  of  His  Son  ;  who, 
rbecame  man,  uniting  His  divine  nature  with 
fOur  human  nature  in  one  person  ;  who  was 
tempted  like  other  men,  yet  without  sin  ;  who, 
by  His  humiliation.  His  holy  obedience,  His 
sufferings,  His  death  on  the  cross,  and  His 
resurrection,  became  a  perfect  Redeemer; 
whose  sacrifice  of  Himself  for  the  sins  of  the 
world  declares  the  righteousness  of  God,  and 
is  the  sole  and  sufficient  ground  of  forgive- 
■  ness  and  of  reconciliation  with  Him. 

VH.     We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ,  after 

He  had  risen  from  the  dead,   ascended  into 

'heaven,  where,  as  the  one  Mediator  between 

God  and  man.  He  carries  forward  His  work 

of  saving   men;    that    He   sends    the    Holy 

Spirit  to  convict  them  of   sin,   and   to  lead 

them  to  repentance  and  faith  ;  and  that  those 

'who  through    renewing  grace  turn   to  right- 

<eousness,  and  trust  in  Jesus  Christ   as    their 


129 

Redeemer,  receive  for  His  sake  the  forgive- 
ness of  their  sins,  and  are  made  the  children 
of  God. 

VIII.  We  believe  that  those  who  are  thus 
regenerated  and  justified,  grow  in  sanctified 
character  through  fellowship  with  Christ, 
the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  obe- 
dience to  the  truth  ;  that  a  holy  life  is  the 
fruit  and  evidence  of  saving  faith  ;  and  that 
the  believer's  hope  of  continuance  in  such  a 
life  is  in  the  preserving  grace  of  God. 

IX.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  came  to 
establish  among  men  the  kingdom  of  God, 
the  reign  of  truth  and  love,  righteousness  and 
peace ;  that  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  Head  of 
this  kingdom.  Christians  are  directly  respon- 
sible in  faith  and  conduct ;  and  that  to  Him 
all  have  immediate  access  without  media- 
torial or  priestly  intervention. 

X.  We  believe  that  the  Church  of  Christ, 
invisible  and  spiritual,  comprises  all  true 
believers,  whose  duty  it  is  to  associate  them- 
selves in  churches,  for  the  maintenance  of 
worship,  for  the  promotion  of  spiritual  growth 
and  fellowship,  and  for  the  conversion  of 
men ;  that  these  churches,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  in  fellowship 


130 

with  one  another,  may  determine — each  for 
itself — their  organization,  sta^^ements  of  be- 
lief, and  forms  of  worship  ;  may  appoint  and 
set  apart  their  own  ministers,  and  should 
cooperate  in  the  work  which  Christ  has  com- 
mitted to  them  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
gospel  throughout  the  world. 

XL  We  believe  in  the  observance  of  the 
Lord's  day,  as  a  day  of  holy  rest  and  wor- 
ship ;  in  the  ministry  of  the  Word  ;  and  in 
the  two  sacraments,  which  Christ  has  ap- 
pointed for  His  church  :  Baptism,  to  be 
administered  to  believers  and  their  children, 
as  the  sign  of  cleansing  from  sin,  of  union 
to  Christ,  and  of  the  impartation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  ;  and  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  symbol 
of  His  atoning  death,  a  seal  of  its  efficacy, 
and  a  means  whereby  He  confirms  and 
strengthens  the  spiritual  union  and  commun- 
ion of  believers  with  Himself. 

Xn.  We  believe  in  the  ultimate  prevalence 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  over  all  the  earth  ; 
in  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God 
and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  in  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  ;  and  in  a  final  judg- 
ment, the  issues  of  which  are  everlasting 
punishment  and  everlasting  life. 


131 
141.     Confession  of  Faith. 

[Candidates  for  admission  to  church  on  the  profes- 
sion of  their  faith  should  be  requested  by  the  min- 
ister to  come  forward  as  their  names  are  called,  and 
stand  before  the  pulpit.  Then  should  the  minister 
say  :] 

What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all 
His  benefits  toward  me  ?  I  will  take  the 
cup  of  salvation,  and  call  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  I  will  pay  my  vows  unto  the  Lord 
now  in  the  presence  of  all  his  people.  [Ps. 
cxvi.  12-14.] 

Whosoever  therefore  shall  confess  Me  be- 
fore men,  him  will  I  confess  also  before  My 
Father,  which  is  in  heaven.  But  whosoever 
shall  deny  Me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
deny  before  My  Father,  which  is  in  heaven. 
[Matt.  X.  32,  S3-1 

For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto 
righteousness  ;  and  with  the  mouth  confes- 
sion is  made  unto  salvation.     [Rom.  x.  10.] 

Dearly  beloved,  called  of  God  to  be  His 
children  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  you 
are  here  that,  in  the  presence  of  God  and 
His  people,  you  may  enter  into  the  fellow- 
ship and  communion  of  His  Church.  You 
do    truly  repent   of  your  sins  ;  you  heartily 


132 

receive  Jesus  Christ  as  your  crucified  Saviour 
and  risen  Lord  ;  you  consecrate  yourselves 
unto  God  and  your  life  to  His  service  ;  you 
accept  His  Word  as  your  law,  and  His  Spirit 
as  your  Comforter  and  Guide ;  and,  trusting 
in  His  grace  to  confirm  and  strengthen  you 
in  all  goodness,  you  promise  to  do  God's 
holy  will,  and  to  walk  with  this  church  in 
the  truth  and  peace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 

Accepting,  according  to  the  measure  of 
your  understanding  of  it,  the  system  of 
Christian  truth  held  by  the  churches  of  our 
faith  and  order,  and  by  this  church  into 
whose  fellowship  you  now  enter  ;  you  join 
with  ancient  saints,  with  the  Church  through- 
out the  world,  and  with  us,  your  fellow-be- 
lievers, in  humbly  and  heartily  confessing 
your  faith  in  the  gospel,  saying  : 

I  BELIEVE  in  God  the  Father  Almighty, 
Maker  of  heaven  and  earth. 

And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  our 
Lord  ;  who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  suffered 
under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucified,  dead  and 
buried  ;  the  third  day  He  rose  from  the 
dead;  He  ascended  into  heaven  ;  and  sitteth 
at   the  right    hand   of    God    the   Father  Al- 


133 

mighty ;  from  thence  He  shall  come  to  judge 
the  quick  and  the  dead. 

I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  the  holy 
catholic  Church  ;  the  communion  of  saints  ; 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  the  resurrection  of 
the  body  ;  and  the  life  everlasting.     Amen. 

[Then  should  baptism  be  administered  to  those 
candidates  who  have  not  been  baptized.  In  admin- 
istering this  sacrament  the  minister  should  stand  be- 
fore the  one  to  be  baptized,  should  announce  his  or 
her  name,  and,  while  sprinkling  water  upon  the 
head  of  the  person,  should  say  :] 

I  baptize  you  into  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen. 

[Then  should  the  minister,  returning  to  the  pulpit,  an- 
nounce the  names  of  those  who  are  to  unite  by  letter, 
and  invite  them  to  come  forward  also  before  the 
pulpit.  After  they  have  taken  their  places,  he  should 
say  to  them  :] 

Confessing  the  Lord  whom  we  unitedly 
worship,  you  do  now  renew  your  self-conse- 
cration, and  join  with  us  cordially  in  this, 
our  Christian  faith  and  covenant. 

[The  members  of  the  Church  present  should  rise.] 

We  welcome  you  into  our  fellowship.     We 

promise  to  watch  over    you   with  Christian 


134 

love.  God  grant  that,  loving  and  being 
loved,  serving  and  being  served,  blessing  and 
being  blessed,  we  may  be  prepared,  while  we 
dwell  together  on  earth,  for  the  perfect  com- 
munion of  the  saints  in  heaven. 

"  Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought 
again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that 
great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you 
perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  His  will, 
working  in  you  that  which  is  well-pleasing 
in  His  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ  ;  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen."  [Heb. 
xiii.  20,  2  I.] 

[Then  the  minister  should,  on  behalf  of  the  church, 
give  to  each  one  admitted  the  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship, and  also,  at  his  discretion,  a  scriptural  motto.] 

II. — Constitution  of  a  Church. 

143.  The  following  Constitution  embodies 
the  Principles  of  this  Manual,  and  is  sug- 
gested to  the  churches  for  adoption  : 

CONSTITUTION 

OF 

THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

OF 

Adopted 


135 

ARTICLE  I.       NAME. 

The  name  of  this  church  shall  be  The 
Congregational  Church  of 

ARTICLE    II.       GOVERNMENT. 

Sec.  I. — This  church  acknowledges  the 
l.ord  Jesus  Christ  as  its  Supreme  Head,  and 
accepts  the  Scriptures  as  its  only  infallible 
guide  in  matters  of  religious  faith,  order,  and 
discipline. 

Sec.  2. — The  government  of  this  church 
is  therefore  vested  in  the  body  of  its  mem- 
bers, of  legal  age,  whose  vote  is  final.  (See 
Art.  v.,  Sec.  2  and  3  ;  Art.  IX.,  Sec.  5  (8)  ; 
Art.  XIV.) 

ARTICLE  III.       CREED  AND  SUBSCRIPTION. 

Sec.  I. — The  Statement  of  Doctrine  and 
Confession  of  Faith  adopted  by  the  church 
constitute  a  part  of  this  Constitution,  and 
they  are  therefore  subject  to  its  provisions. 

Sec.  2.— The  assent  to  the  Statement  of 
Doctrine  required  of  members  on  admission 
is  subject  to  the  following  principle,  adopted 
by  our  churches  in  General  Council,  in  1648 
and  again    in   1865,  namely  :    "  Those  who 


136 

desire  to  profess  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  to 
follow  him,  may  be  admitted  into  the  church, 
though  weak  in  the  faith,  because  weak 
Christians,  if  sincere,  have  the  substance 
of  that  penitent  faith  and  holiness  which  is 
required  in  church  members,  and  such  have 
most  need  of  the  ordinances  for  their  con- 
firmation and  growth  in  grace.  Such  charity 
and  tenderness  are  to  be  used,  that  the  weak- 
est Christian,  if  sincere,  may  not  be  excluded 
or  discouraged." 

Sec.  3. — The  pastor  and  deacons  of  this 
church,  and  all  other  members  of  the  Church 
Board,  shall  assent  to  and  subscribe  the  State- 
ment of  Doctrine  before  entering  upon  their 
respective  duties. 

Sec.  4. — The  Statement  of  Doctrine  shall 
govern  the  teaching  of  the  pulpit  and  the 
Sunday  school,  and  shall  be  read  at  the  com- 
munion seasons  of  January  and  July. 

ARTICLE  IV.       FELLOWSHIP. 

Sec.  t. — As  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
chiefly  manifested  in  particular  local  churches, 
these  churches  are  required  by  the  law  of 
Christ  to  exhibit   the   unity  of  the  kingdom 


137 

in  free  and  equal  fellowship  one  with  another 
in  the  bonds  of  peace. 

Sec.  2. — While  seeking  this  fellowship  in 
suitable  organic  relations,  this  church  holds 
itself  amenable  to  no  authority  save  that  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  revealed  in  the  New 
Testament. 

Sec.  3. — On  these  principles  this  church 
will  cultivate-  as  a  duty  and  privilege  the 
communion  and  cooperation  of  sister  churches. 

Sec.  4. — But  since  it  is  held  to  be  the  in- 
alienable right  of  the  churches  in  any  lo- 
cality to  give  and  withhold  fellowship,  this 
church  shall,  in  calling  a  council  on  matters 
of  fellowship,  ask  the  local  association  to 
which  it  belongs  to  act  as  such  council,  with 
the  right  of  appeal  from  its  action,  if  ag- 
grieved, to  a  mutual  or  ex  parte  council,  for 
review  of  the  case  and  advice. 

ARTICLE    V.       MEMBERSHIP. — VOTERS. 

Sec.  I. — All  persons  who  give  credible 
evidence  of  regeneration  may  become  mem- 
bers of  this  church  on  publicly  assenting  to  the 
Confession  of  Faith  and  entering  into  cov- 
enant with  it. 

Sec.    2. — Only  the  members  of  the  church. 


38 


of  legal  age,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote 
in  the  admission,  dismission,  discipline  and 
censure  of  members,  the  election  of  deacons, 
delegates,  church  board  and  such  other  mat- 
ters as  pertain  exclusively  to  the  spiritual 
affairs  of  the  church. 

Sec.  3. — In  the  election  of  trustees,  the  call 
of  a  pastor,  and  such  other  business  as  falls 
within  the  purview  of  the  General  Statutes  of 
the  State  on  Religious  Corporations,  the 
members  of  the  church,  if  otherwise  qualified 
under  the  said  General  Statutes,  and  no 
others,  shall  be  entitled  to  a  vote. 

ARTICLE  VI.       MEETINGS. 

Sec.  I . — The  annual  meeting  of  the  church 
for  the  election  of  officers  and  such  other 
business  as  may  come  before  it  shall  be  held 
on  the. . .  .after  the  second  Monday  of  each 
year.  No  business  shall  be  transacted  by  the 
-church  at  the  annual  meeting  or  at  a  special 
meeting  called,  pursuant  to  Sec.  2  of  this  arti- 
cle, unless  fifteen  members  are  present  who 
are  entitled  to  vote. 

Sec.  2. — A  special  meeting  of  the  church 
may  be  called  on  due  notice,  when,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  pastor  or  deacons  or  trustees. 


139 

it  shall  be  deemed  expedient  :  and  shall  be 

called,    due   notice    being  given,    upon    the 

written   application  of  five  members  of  the 

church  of  legal  age. 

[Note. — A  due  notice  varies  with  the  object  of  the 
meeting ;  but,  ordinarily,  it  is  a  two  weeks'  notice. — 
See  statue  on  Religious  Corporations.] 

Sec.  3. — There  shall  be  a  meeting  of  the 

church  and  congregation  on evening  of 

each  week,  for  devotional  and  religious  con- 
ference, and  for  the  transaction  of  business 
that  may  regularly  come  before  the  church  ; 
and  at  a  specified  time  during  the  week,  im- 
mediately preceding  the  Sabbath  of  Commun- 
ion^  a  meeting  shall  be  especially  devoted  to 
preparation  for  the  proper  reception  of  that 
ordinance,  at  which  meeting  the  records  of 
the  church  shall  be  read  and  approved. 

Sec.  4. — Meetings  for  worship  shall  be  held 
Sundays,and  at  such  other  times  as  the  church 
may  authorize. 

ARTICLE  VII.       OFFICERS. 

Sec.  I. — The  permanent  officers  of  this 
church  shall  be  a  pastor,  deacons,  trustees, 
clerk,  treasurer,  auditors  and  church  board. 
They  shall  be  elected  by  ballot  (See  §§  171, 
172). 


140 

Sec.  2. — Special  committees  shall  be  chosen 
at  any  meeting  when  deemed  expedient. 

Sec.  3. — The  trustees  and  clerk  shall  be 
elected  for  three  years, except  to  fill  vacancies; 
the  treasurer  and  members  of  the  church 
board,  except  the  pastor,  clerk  and  deacons, 
shall  be  chosen  for  one  year.  These  officers, 
except  the  pastor  and  deacons,  shall  hold 
office  until  their  successors  are  elected  and 
enter  upon  their  duties. 

ARTICLE  VIII.       DUTIES   OF  OFFICERS. 
THE    PASTOR. 

Sec.  I. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  pastor 
to  preach  the  gospel,  administer  the  sacra- 
ments, watch  over  the  spiritual  interests  of 
the  congregation,  and  ordinarily  preside  over 
church  meetings,  when  not  relating  to  him- 
self; but  over  all  meetings  for  corporate 
business  the  president  of  the  board  of  trust- 
ees shall  preside. 

He  shall  have  control,  subject  to  the  vote 
of  the  trustees,  of  the  pulpit  and  all  the  pub- 
lic services  of  worship  connected  with  the 
church,  and  shall  execute  the  discipline  of 
the  church,  when  so  ordered. 


141 


DEACONS. 


Sec.  2. — The  deacons  shall  assist  the  pastor 
generally  in  the  spiritual  care  of  the  church 
and  congregation  ;  shall  aid  him  in  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Lord's  Supper  ;  and  shall  have 
oversight  of  the  poor  of  the  church  and  con- 
gregation, visiting  them  and  relieving  their 
necessities.  They,  with  the  trustees,  shall 
constitute  a  joint  committee  of  pulpit  supply. 
They  shall  also  act  as  peace-makers  when  dif- 
ferences and  troubles  arise  in  the  church. 
The  charitable  and  benevolent  contributions 
shall  be  under  their  especial  supervision,  sub- 
ject to  the  action  of  the  church.  They  shall 
be  ordained  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  and 
prayer  (See  §  177)- 

In  accordance  with  tne  custom  of  the  prim- 
itive churches,  deaconesses  may  be  chosen, 
whenever  deemed  needful  for  the  work  of  the 
church,  to  care  for  the  sick  and  needy,  and 
to  assist  in  the  spiritual  oversight  of  the  mem- 
bers. 

TRUSTEES. 

Sec.  3. — The  trustees — who  are  a  legal  cor- 
poration, and  a  majority  of  whom  must,  by 
statute,    be    members    of   the   church — shall 


142 

hold  and  care  for  the  property  of  the  churchy 
control  the  use  of  the  church  edifice  under 
the  direction  of  the  church;  shall  superintend 
the  raising  and  distribution  of  all  funds  of  the 
church  except  those  for  charity  or  benevo- 
lence. 

The  trustees  shall,  within  ten  days  after  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  church,  meet  and  or- 
ganize by  the  choice  of  a  president  and  clerk, 
and  may  appoint  various  committees,  among 
which  the  duties  of  the  trustees  shall  be 
divided. 

CLERK. 

Sec.  4. — The  clerk  shall  keep  a  faithful 
record  of  all  the  proceedings  of  the  church 
and  a  correct  schedule  of  all  its  statistics. 
He  shall,  with  a  committee  of  the  trustees, 
audit  the  annual  report  of  the  treasurer.  He 
shall  issue  letters  of  dismission,  or  any  other 
letters,  directed  by  the  church,  and  shall 
make  a  statistical  report  at  each  annual  meet- 
ing. 

TREASURER. 

Sec.  5. — The  treasurer  shall  receive,  collect 
and  disburse  all  the  funds  of  the  church;  dis- 
bursing the  charitable  and  benevolent  funds  un- 


143 

der  the  direction  of  the  deacons  or  the  church 
itself;  forwarding  benevolent  funds  to  their 
several  destinations,  and  disbursing  the  secu- 
lar funds  under  the  direction  of  the  board  of 
trustees.  Of  all  receipts  and  expenditures 
he  shall  render  an  itemized  and  audited  re- 
port at  each  annual  meeting. 

•      AUDITORS. 

Sec.  6. — There  shall  be  a  board  of  three 
auditors,  which  shall  audit,  before  their  pres- 
entation to  the  church,  the. accounts  of  the 
benevolent,  missionary,  and  other  societies  in 
connection,  as  well  as  the  accounts  of  com- 
mittees and  officers,  not  otherwise  provided 
for,  and  affix  its  report  to  said  accounts. 

CHURCH    BOARD. 

Sec.  7.— The  church  board,  which  shall 
consist  of  the  pastor,  deacons,  clerk,  and  two 
others,  shall  meet  at  times  appointed  by  the 
pastor  or  by  itself,  shall  examine  all  appli- 
cants for  admission  to  the  church,  and  shall 
report  the  names  of  such  as  the  board  ap- 
proves to  the  church  for  action  thereon. 

This  board  shall  also  act  as  a  committee- 
of  inquiry    and    discipline,    and    bring   such. 


144 

cases  before  the  church  as  in  its  judgment 
may  require  action. 

It  may  also  mature  and  recommend  such 
measures  as  in  its  judgment  may  conserve 
the  purity  and  peace  of  the  church  and  ad- 
vance the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

It  shall  also  report  its  doings,  and  a  list  of 
the  absent  members,  at  the  annual  meeting. 

ARTICLE  IX.       ADMISSIONS,  ABSENTEES, 
DISMISSIONS,   DISCIPLINE. 

ADMISSIONS. 

Sec.  I. — Candidates  for  admission  to  the 
-church,  whether  by  letter  or  on  profession  of 
faith,  shall  make  application  to  the  church 
board  at  least  one  week  before  the  day  of 
Preparatory  Lecture.  To  each  candidate,  at 
such  time,  there  shall  be  given  a  copy  of  this 
Constitution,  also  the  form  of  admission  to 
"the  church.  If  recommended  by  them,  the 
name  of  each  candidate  shall  be  read  at  the 
regular  service  on  the  Sabbath  previous  to 
communion  season,  and  the  church  shall  vote 
upon  their  application  at  Preparatory  Lecture. 
If  received  by  such  vote,  candidates  shall 
present  themselves  for    public   admission  in 


145 

connection  with  the  communion  service  fol- 
lowing. 

ABSENTEES. 

Sec.  2. — Any  member  of  this  church  re- 
moving from  stated  attendance  on  its  worship, 
must  within  two  years  after  such  removal  ask 
for  transfer  of  membership  to  some  other 
church,  or  give  satisfactory  reasons  for  not 
doing  so.  Any  absentee  whose  residence 
remains  for  one  year  untraced,  after  proper 
effort,  shall  be  entered  on  a  list  of  absent 
members,  which  list  shall  be  read  by  the 
clerk  at  each  annual  meeting,  and  on  the 
fourth  reading,  being  three  years  from  the 
first  time  when  the  name  is  read,  if  the  church 
has  not  received  satisfactory  explanations,  the 
watch  and  fellowship  of  the  church  shall  be 
withdrawn,  and  the  clerk  shall  so  record  it. 
Whenever  such  members  shall  appear  before 
the  church,  or  report  to  it  satisfactory  reasons 
for  absence  and  delinquency,  they  may,  by 
vote  of  the  church,  be  reinstated. 

When  members  who  have  been  long  re- 
moved from  our  watch-care  shall  ask  for 
letters  of  dismission,  the  said  letters  shall 
only  vouch  for  their  standing  at  the  time 
when  the  members  left  our  fellowship. 


146 

DISMISSIONS. 

Sec.  3. — Letters  of  dismission  to  sister 
churches  shall  be  given  by  vote  of  the  church 
to  all  members  in  good  and  unimpeached 
standing,  who  desire  them,  and  when  duly- 
accredited  by  such  churches  their  member- 
ship with  us  ceases.  If  said  letter  shall  not 
be  presented  within  one  year  from  its  date,  it 
shall  be  treated  as  forfeited,  and  another 
must  be  asked  for.  A  week's  notice  shall  be 
given  before  the  church  shall  be  called  upon 
to  vote  on  the  request  of  any  member  for  dis- 
mission by  letter  or  otherwise. 

GIVING    PUBLIC  NOTICE. 

Sec.  4. — The  public  reading  of  names, 
either  for  admission  or  for  dismission,  shall  be 
deemed  to  lay  upon  each  member  of  the 
church  and  congregation  the  duty  of  inform- 
ing the  church  board,  if  in  his  or  her  judg- 
ment any  reason  exists  why  the  person  named 
should  not  be  admitted  to  church  privileges 
or  dismissed  to  another  church.  Upon  the 
receipt  of  such  information  further  action  on 
the  application  of  said  person  shall  be  sus- 
pended,  until   the   cause   of  complaint    shall 


147 

have  been  investigated  by  the  church  board, 
and  its  report  thereon  laid  before  the  church 
for  final  action. 

ADMINISTRATION     OF    DISCIPLINE. 

« 

Sec.  5. — The  church  shall  be  governed  in 
cases  of  discipline  by  the  following  rules  : 

(i.) — Habitual  neglect  of  public  and  social 
worship,  and  all  common  offences  against  the 
church,  shall  be  presented  for  action  to  the 
church  by  the  church  board  ;  and  the  church 
may  act  immediately  on  such  cases,  or  ap- 
point a  time  and  place  for  hearing  them,  as 
under  sub-section  (5)  of  this  section. 

(2.) — -Any  member  injured  or  aggrieved  by 
another  member,  shall  seek  the  removal  of 
the  offence  in  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  by  fra- 
ternal conference  with  the  offender  alone. 

(3.) — If  the  difficulty  be  not  thus  removed, 
the  offended  shall  take  with  him  one  or  two 
judicious  members,  and  with  their  mediation 
strive  for  Christian  satisfaction. 

(4.) — This  failing,  he  shall  bring  the  matter 
to  the  notice  of  the  church  board,  who  shall 
endeavor  to  bring  about  a  reconciliation,  and 
who  (if  this  cannot  be  effected  and  harmony 
be  not   restored)   shall   prefer  a  formal  com- 


148 

plaint  before  the  church  i  gainst  the  offend- 
ing member. 

(5.) — If  the  church  entertain  the  complaint, 
they  shall  appoint  a  time  for  a  hearing  of 
the  case,  and  summon  the  offender  to  be 
present  at  that  hearing,  furnishing  him,  at 
least  one  week  before  the  time  of  the  hear- 
ing, with  a  copy  of  the  charges  against  him, 
together  with  the  names  of  the  witnesses  who 
will  be  relied  on  for  proof. 

(6.) — If  on  such  hearing,  the  church  are 
satisfied  of  the  guilt  of  the  party  accused, 
they  may  vote,  (1)  to  admonish  him  publicly, 
(2)  to  suspend  him  for  some  definite  period 
from  the  privileges  of  the  church,  or  (3)  to 
excommunicate  him  from  its  membership, 
according  to  the  aggravation  of  the  offence. 

(7.) — If  the  church,  in  difficult  cases  of 
discipline,  shall  deem  it  advisable,  it  may 
appoint  a  special  committee  of  six  discreet 
persons  to  act  as  a  jury,  which  jury  shall 
hear  the  case,  record  the  evidence,  formulate 
its  findings,  and  report  the  same  to  the  church, 
with  such  recommendations  as  it  may  deem 
just  and  expedient,  for  final  action  by  the 
church. 

(8.) — The  vote  of  censure  shall   be   taken 


.49 


by  ballot,  and  shall  require  the  concurrence 
of  two-thirds  of  the  votes  cast. 

(9.) — In  case  of  excommunication,  notice 
of  the  fact  shall  be  given  to  the  church  at 
the  following  communion  season. 

ARTICLE  X.       CHOICE  OF  A  PASTOR. 

Sec.  I. — When  the  pastoral  office  shall  be- 
come vacant,  the  deacons  and  trustees  shall 
constitute  a  joint  committee  of  supply. 

Sec.  2. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  com- 
mittee (i)  to  secure  a  regular  supply  of  the 
pulpit  during  the  pastoral  vacancy,  and  (2) 
to  present  for  the  consideration  and  action  of 
the  church  candidates  for  the  pastorate,  whom 
the  committee  recommends.  The  candidate 
receiving  a  majority  vote  of  the  members  of 
the  church  voting,  entitled  to  vote  under  the 
Statutes  of  the  State  and  the  provisions  of  this 
Constitution,  shall  be  declared  to  be  elected 
pastor. 

article  XI.     delegates. 

Sec.  I. — This  church  shall  appoint  dele- 
gates and  alternates  to  the  Associations  with 
which  it  is  connected,  and  to  such  councils 
as  it  may  vote  to  attend.     In  case  a  delegate 


150 

-or  alternate  shall  be  unable  to  represent  the 
church,  he  shall  have  power  to  secure  a  sub- 
;stitute,\vho  shall  be  the  delegate  of  the  church, 
■the. same  as  if  so  elected. 

Sec.  2. — The  necessary  expenses  of  all  del- 
'Cgates  to  ecclesiastical  bodies  shall  be  paid 
by  the  treasurer  from  the  funds  of  the  church, 
on  the  order  of  the  church  board. 

Sec.  3. — Delegates  to  ecclesiastical  bodies 
:shall  make  a  report  of  their  doings  at  the 
weekly  meeting  next  succeeding  their  return 
■home,  or  thereafter  at  their  earliest  conveni- 
^ence. 

ARTICLE  XII.      ORDINANCES. 

Sec.  I. — The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per shall  ordinarily  be  celebrated  on  the  first 
Sunday  of  January,  March,  May,  July,  Sep- 
tember, and  November. 

The  following  invitation  shall  be  given  at 
<each  celebration,  namely  :  All  who  believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  members  in 
good  standing  of  some  evangelical  church, 
.are  cordially  invited  to  remain  and  commune 
with  us  in  the  Supper   of  our  common  Lord. 

Sec.  2. — The  sacrament  of  Baptism  shall 
ibe  administered   to  unbaptized   believers   on 


151 

admission  to  the  church,  and  to  children  of 
Christian  parents,  if  presented,  either  on  the 
Sunday  morning  following  the  Lord's  Supper, 
or  on  special  occasions  after  application  to 
the  pastor  or  deacons  of  the  church. 

ARTICLE  XIII.       SUNDAY    SCHOOL,  AND    CHURCH 
SOCIETIES. 

The  Sunday  school  and  the  missionary, 
ibenevolent,  and  other  societies,  connected 
with  the  church,  shall  be  regarded  as  depart- 
ments of  work  and  activities  of  the  church, 
under  its  general  supervision,  and  shall  make 
an  annual  report  of  their  doings  to  the  church. 

They  shall  have  the  free  use  of  the  church 
edifice  for  meetings,  and  shall  receive  such 
other  encouragement  and  aid  as  they  may,  in 
the  judgment  of  the  church,  need. 

ARTICLE    XIV.       AMENDMENTS. 

No  alteration  shall  be  made  in  this  Consti- 
tution, except  at  a  regular  meeting  of  the 
•church,  the  said  alterations  having  been  pro 


132 

posed  in  writing  at  a  regular  meeting  and 
announced  on  two  Sundays  previous  to  action 
thereon;  and  then  only  by  a  two-thirds  vote 
of  the  members  present  and  voting. 


III. — Church  Letters. 

144.  I.  Of  Dismission. 

This  certifies  that is  a  member 

in  good  and  regular  standing  of 

Church    of  .     As    such is    at 

own    request,    hereby   dismissed,    and 

affectionately  recommended  to  the  fellow- 
ship   and    care    of   the Church  of 

,  and,    when  received   by   it,   

membership  with  this  church  will  cease. 
By  vote  of  the  church, 

,  Clerk. 


A.  D.  18- 


(Please  inform  this  church  as  soon  as  the 
bearer  of  this  letter  has  been  received  to 
membership.) 

145.  2.  Letter  of  Introduction. 

To  whom  it  may  co?icern  : 
This  may  certify  that  the  bearer, 


is  a  member  in  good  and  regular  standing 

of    the    Conp-rer^ational   Church  in  . 

Expecting  to  be  absent  from  us  for  some 


153 

time,  and  desiring  Christian  intercourse 
during absence, is  hereby  affec- 
tionately commended  to  the  occasional 
communion  and  fellowship  of  any  Church 
of  Christ  with  which  ,  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  may  desire  to  worship. 

,  Pastor  (or  Clerk) 


(Date.) 


146.  3.  Complaint  Against  an  Offender. 

To  the  Congregational  Church  i:i 

Dear  Brethren:  It  becomes  our  Chris- 
tian duty  to  bring  to  your  notice  the  offense 
of  a  member,  and  to  ask  you  to  deal  with 
it  according  to  the  law  of  Christ. 

We  charge with  being  guilty  of  the 

sin   of   ■ — ;  and   particularly    on    the 

• day  of   ,   18 —  (and  at   other 

specified  times,  if  any),  and  of  denying  the 
same  (or  remaining  obdurate  in  regard  to 
the  same);  in  violation  of  his  duty  as  a 
Christian,  and  of  his  covenant  vows. 

The  witnesses  thereof  are  — 

We  respectfully  ask  you  to  entertain  this 
charge,  and  to  try  the  party  accused,  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  Christ. 

Yours  in  Christ  Jesus, 
(Date.) 


154 

IV. — Letters  Missive  Calling-  a  Council. 

147.  I.  To  Organize  a  Church. 

To  the  Congregational  Church  in 


Dear  Brethren:  The  Great  Head  of 
the  Church  having  inclined  a  number  of 
believers  here  to  think  that  it  is  our  duty 
to  become  associated  as  a  Congregational 
Church,  and  having  taken  the  preliminary- 
steps  toward  it,  we  respectfully  request  you, 
by  your  pastor  and  a  delegate,  to  meet  in 

council ,  in  this  place  on  the 

of ,  at ■  o'clock  , 

to  consider  the  expediency  of  our  action, 
and  advise  us  in  reference  thereto,  and,  if 
thought  best,  recognize  such  organization 
by  public  and  appropriate  exercises. 

Wishing  you  grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  we 
subscribe  ourselves 

Your  brethren  in  Christ, 

{Here  insert  names  of  committee  of  those  pro- 
posing to  U7iite^  also  the  names  of  the 
ch urches  invited ) . 

148.  2.  To  Ordain  or  Recognize  or  In- 
stall a  Minister. 

The  Congregational  Church  in to  the 

Congregational  CJiurch  in ,  sendeth 

greeting : 

Beloved  Brethren:  The  Great  Head 
of   the  Church  has    kindly  united  us,  and 


155 

the  congregation  statedly  worshipping  wir.h 
us,  in  the  choice  of  Mr.  (Rev.)  A  B  as  our 
Dastor  and  teacher,  and  he  has  accepted  our 
invitation  to  that  office.  We  therefore  affec- 
tionately request  your  attendance,  by  pastor 

and  delegate,  at ,  on  the 

day   of   next,    at o'clock 

,    to   examine   the   candidate,    and 

advise  us  in  reference  to  the  same;  and,  if 
judged  expedient,   to  assist  in  the  ordina- 
tion (recognition  or  installation)   exercises. 
Wishing  you  grace,  mercy,  and  peace. 
We  are  fraternally  yours, 

yUere  insert  names  of  co7nmittee  of  the  church, 
also  the  names  of  the  c /lurches  mvited.) 

[This  form  may  be  altered  and  used  for 
the  ordination  of  one  to  the  ministry,  bi:t 
not  as  a  pastor. 


149,  3.  To  Dismiss  a  Pastor. 

The    Congregational    CJmrcIi  in  to  the 

Congregational  Church  in  ,  sendeih 

greeting  : 

Dear  Brethren:  Whereas  our  pastor 
has  resigned,  and  the  church  has  accepted 
(or  declined  to  accept)  his  resignation  (or, 
whereas,  unhappily,  a  state  of  things  exists 
among  us,  which,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
pastor  or  a  majority  of  this  church,  renders 
it  expedient  that  a  council  should  be  called 


156 

to  advise  in  the  matter),  we  affectionately 
invite  your  attendance,  by  pastor  and  dele- 
gate, at, on  the day  of 

,  at o'clock  in  the , 

to  examine  the  facts  and  advise  us  in  the 
premises. 

Wishing  you  grace,   nercy,  and  peace, 

We  are  yours  'n  the  Gospel, 


[■  Committee. 


(Date.) 


{Here  insert  the  mimes  of  cJiurches  and  persons 
invited.) 


150.  4.  To  Discipline  a  Minister. 

The  Congregational  Church  in to  the 

Congregational  Church  in ,  sendeth 

greeting : 

Dear  Brethren:     Whereas,  Rev. , 

having  committed  things  worthy  of  discip- 
line (or  having  lapsed  from  the  faith),  re- 
mains obdurate  under  our  attempts  to  re- 
claim him,  we  most  urgently  invite  you,  by 
pastor  and  delegate,  to  sit  in  council  on  the 

day  of  ,  at o'clock  in 

the ,  in  the ,  to  hear  the  charge*! 

against  him,  and  to  take  such  action  on  the 


157 

■case  as    the  facts    and  the    usages    of    our 
churches  warrant. 

"'Vishing  you  grace,  mercy,  and  peace. 
We  are  fraternally  yours, 

I  Committee. 

(Date.) 

,  [Minister. 

{Here  insert  the  names  of  churches  and  persons 
invited)) 


V. 

151.  Order  of  Procedure  in  Council. 

Good  order  requires  proper  organization 
and  procedure,  that  the  best  interests  of  all 
parties  concerned  may  be  secured.  The 
following  order  of  procedure  may  be  ob- 
served:— 

(i.)  Reading  of  letter  missive,  usually  by 
the  oldest  pastor  present. 

(2.)  Election  of  temporary  moderator  and 
scribe. 

(3.)  Making  Roll  of  council. 

(4.)  Election    by    ballot    of     permanent 

moderator  and  scribe,  provided  a  quorum 

be   present;  if  a  quorum   be    not    present, 

adjournment  to  a  fixed  time  and  place  (§44). 
11 


158 

(5.)  Devotional  exercises. 

(6.)  Reading  records  of  action  of  parties 
touching  the  calling  of  the  council. 

(7.)  The  business  specified  in  the  letter 
missive. 

If  it  be  the  ordination,  installation,  or 
recognition  of  a  minister,  then: — - 

(8.)  The  candidate's  certificate  of  church 
membership,  his  licensure  or  credentials  of 
ministerial  standing,  and,  in  case  of  recog- 
nition or  installation,  his  call  and  accept- 
ance to  the  pastorate.  If  these  are  found 
satisfactory,  then: —  . 

(9.)  The  examination  of  the  candidate  in 
beliefs.  Christian  experience,  and  fitness. 

(10.)  The  council  vote  to  be  by  them- 
selves for  action  upon  the  examination,  and 
the  advice  to  be  given.  If  the  council 
advise  the  church  to  proceed,  a  committee 
is  appointed  to  arrange  with  the  church 
and  candidate  the  parts  in  the  public  ser- 
vices. 

(11.)  Announcement  to  the  church  of  the 
action  of  the  council. 

(12.)  Reading  and  approval  of  the  min- 
utes. 

(13.)   Order  of  public  services. 


159 

a.  Reading  of  Minutes. 

b.  Introductory  Prayer. 

c.  Scriptural  Lesson. 

d.  Sermon. 

e.  Prayer  of  Ordination,  Recognition,  cr 
Installation. 

/.  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship. 
g.  Charge  to  the  Minister. 
h.  Address  to  the  People  (omitted,  except 
in  cases  of  pastors,  and  sometimes  then). 
/.   Benediction. 
[Hymns  interspersed  as  desired.] 


VI. — Parliamentary  Rules. 

152.  Rules  of  Order  a  Common  Law. 

In  the  transaction  of  business  in  any  society 
it  has  been  found  expedient  to  observe  cer- 
tain rules  of  procedure,  whether  those  rules 
have  been  adopted  by  the  body  or  not. 
The  most  important  of  these  rules  have 
become  the  common  law  which  every  body 
recognizes  as  binding.  Besides  these  gen- 
eral rules  special  ones  are  olten  adopted. 
The  general  rules  are  sufficient  for  ordinary^ 
ecclesiastical  meetings. 


160 

153-  To  Bring-  Business  before  the 
Body.  When  one  wishes  to  introduce  any 
business  before  a  church,  council,  Associa- 
tion, or  other  body,  he  rises  in  his  place  and 
addresses  the  presiding  officer  by  his  proper 
title,  and  then  waits  until  he  is  recognized 
by  the  presiding  officer.  When  thus  recog- 
nized, he  has  the  floor,  and  can  introduce 
the  business  by  making  a  motion  covering 
it,  or  by  a  communication.  No  one  can 
interrupt  him,  or  take  the  floor  from  him, 
until  he  yields  it  or  forfeits  his  right  to  it. 

The  motion  must  be  seconded  or  it  can- 
not be  entertained.  The  mover  of  the  mo- 
tion cannot  himself  second  it,  nor  can  his 
announcement  that  another  w^ill  second  it, 
be  sufficient.  Another  must  give  his  sup- 
port to  the  motion  with  his  own  voice. 

The  communication,  when  a  paper  or  a 
report,  may  at  once  be  read  unless  objec- 
tion be  made,  in  which  case  the  chairman 
■puts  the  question:  "  Will  the  assembly  hear 
the  communication?"  or  "  Will  the  assem- 
bly receive  the  report  ?"  If  the  vote  be  in 
the  affirmative,  the  report  or  paper,  whether 
read  or  not,  is  before  the  house  and  must 
be  disposed  of  in  some  way  by  the  assembly. 


161 

A  committee,  unless  a  standing  com- 
mittee, ceases  to  exist,  the  moment  the  as- 
sembly receives  its  report,  if  not  a  report 
of  progress,  whether  the  report  be  read  or 
not;  and  the  committee  cannot  act  again 
unless  revived  by  the  recommittal  of  its 
report,  or  by  special  vote  (Robert's  Rules, 
§§  28,  30;  Cushing's  Manual^  §  293). 

154.  To  Dispose  of  Business  before 
the  Body.  A  communication  may  be  re- 
ferred to  a  committee,  laid  on  the  table, 
postponed  to  a  fixed  time  for  consideration, 
postponed  indefinitely,  or  adopted  as  ex- 
pressing the  sense  of  the  body. 

A  report  may  be  recommitted,  referred 
to  another  committee,  laid  on  the  table, 
postponed  to  a  fixed  time,  postponed  in- 
definitely, or  adopted,  accepted,  or  agreed 
to.  The  adoption,  or  acceptance  of,  or 
agreeing  to,  a  report  has  the  same  effect 
precisely,  namely,  to  make  the  doings  of 
the  committee  the  acts  of  the  assembly,  the 
same  as  if  done  by  the  assembly.  The  word 
"  accept "  is  often  used  in  ecclesiastical 
bodies  in  the  sense  of  "  receive,"  to  bring 
a  report  already  read  before  the  body  for 
action,  and  not  to  dispose  of  it.     But  a  re- 


IG: 


port  whether  read  or  not,  if  laid  before  the 
body  by  the  committee  without  objection  is 
received  (§  153),  and  is  as  much  before  the 
assembly  and  its  property,  as  it  can  be 
without  adoption.  Hence  this  ecclesiasti- 
cal use  of  the  word  "accept"  is  of  no  use, 
and  should  be  avoided.* 

When  a  motion  has  been  made  and  sec- 
onded, certain  things  may  be  done  to  it, 
and  certain  things  may  not  be  done  to  it; 
and  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  good 
order  and  prompt  dispatch  of  business, 
that  each  member  of  a  body  know  what 
can  and  what  cannot  be  done  to  a  motion 

*  Whenever  a  report  or  paper  has  been 
read  or  formally  placed  before  the  body,  it 
has  been  received.  It  is  before  the  body, 
and  must  be  disposed  of  in  some  way. 
The  body  can  at  once  adopt  it,  or  do  what 
it  pleases  with  it.  To  accept  is  to  adopt: — 
"When  the  assembly  is  to  consider  a  re- 
port, a  motion  should  be  made  to  'adopt,' 
*  accept,'  or  'agree  to'  the  report,  all  of 
which,  when  carried,  have  the  same  effect, 
namely,  to  make  the  doings  of  the  commit- 
tee to  become  the  acts  of  the  assembly " 
(Robert's  Rules,  §  31).  "When  accepted, 
the  whole  report  is  adopted  by  the  assem- 
bly" (Cushing's  ManuaL  §  295). 


163 

before  the  assembly.  Hence  we  add  tables 
taken  from  Robert's  Rules  of  Order,  to 
which  work  we  must  refer  for  a  fuller  treat- 
ment of  the  points  raised. 

155.  Motions  Amendable.  The  main 
question  or  motion  may  be  amended: 

(i.)   By  adding  or  inserting  ce7'tain  words  or 
paragraphs  ; 

(2.)  By  striking  out  certain  words  or  para- 
graphs; 

(3.)  By  striJzing  out  certain  words  and  insert- 
ing others; 

(4.)  By  substituting  aiiotJier  motion  on  tJie 
same  subject  for  tJie  one  pending; 

(5.)  By  dii'iding  the  question  into  two  or  more 
questions,  as  the  mover  specifies. 

An  amendment  may  be  inconsistent  with 
one  already  adopted,  or  may  directly  con- 
flict with  the  spirit  of  the  original  motion, 
but  it  must  have  a  direct  bearing  upon  the 
subject  of  that  motion. 

156.  Motions  Unamendable.  The  fol- 
lowing motions  cannot  be  amended: 

(i.)    To  adjourn  (when  unqualified). 
(2.)  For  the  orders  of  the  day, 
(3.)  All  incidental  questions. 


16-1 

(4.)    To  lie  on  the  tabic. 

(5.)   For  the  previous  question. 

(5.)  An  amendment  of  an  amendment. 

(7.)    To  postpone  indefinitely^ 

(8.)    To  reconsider  a  vote. 

157.  Undebatable  Questions.  The  foI~ 
lowing  questions  must  be  decided  without 
debate,  all  others  being  debatable: 

(i.)  To  fix  the  time  to  ivhich  the  assembly 
shall  adjourn^  if  made  when  another  ques- 
tion is  before  the  body.  As  the  main  ques- 
tion, it  is  amendable  and  debatable. 

(2.)    To  adjourn. 

(3.)   Call  for  the  orders  of  the  day. 

(4.)  An  appeal,  when  made  while  the  pre- 
vious question  is  pending,  or  when  simply 
relating  to  decorum  or  transgressions  of  the 
rules  of  speaking,  or  to  the  priority  of 
business. 

(5.)  Objection  to  the  consideration  of  a  ques- 
tion. 

(5.)   Questions  relating  to 

a.  Reading  of  papers; 

h.    Withdrawing  a  motion; 

c.  Suspending  the  rules; 

d.  Txtending  limits  of  debate; 


165 

e.  Li??iiting  o?'  closing  debate j 

f.  Granting  leave  to  continue  his  speech  to 
<;)ne  who  has  been  guilty  of  indecorum  in 
d2bate. 

(7.)    To  lie  on  the  table. 
(3.)    To  take  front  the  table, 
(9.)    The  previous  question. 
(10.)    To  reconsider  2lO^^'s>\aow  which  is  itself 
undcbatable;  otherwise  it  is  debatable. 

158.  Subsidiary  Motions.  A  motion 
made  to  bring  any  particular  subject  before 
the  assembly  for  its  consideration  is  the 
principal  or  main  question.  The  assembly 
may  not  wish  to  act  immediately  on  that 
motion  but  dispose  of  it  in  some  other  way, 
or  it  may  wish  to  terminate  debate.  Ta 
accomplish  its  wish,  the  assembly  may 
pass  any  one  of  the  following  motions, 
which  yield  to  Privileged  and  Incidental 
Questions  (g§  159,  160),  and  which  are  ar- 
ranged in  their  order  of  precedence  among 
themselves: 

(i.)  Lie  on  the  table. 

(2.)    The  previous  question. 

(3.)  Postpone  to  a  certain  day. 

(4.)   Commit. 


166 

(5.)  A7ne?id. 

(6.)  Postpone  indefinitely. 

"  Any  one  of  these  motions  (except 
amend)  can  be  made  when  one  of  a  lower 
order  is  pending,  but  none  can  supersede 
one  of  a  higher  order.  They  cannot  be 
applied  to  one  another  except  in  the  follow- 
ing cases:  (^z.)  The  Previous  Question  ap- 
plies to  the  motion  to  Postpone,  without 
affecting  the  principal  motion,  and  can,  if 
specified,  be  applied  to  a  pending  amend- 
ment; (/^)  the  motions  to  Postpone  to  a 
certain  day,  and  to  Commit,  can  be  amended ; 
and  (r.)  a  motion  to  Amend  the  minutes  can 
be  laid  on  the  tabic." 

The  cficct  of  a  motion  to  "lie  on  the 
table,"  if  curried,  places  on  the  table  every- 
thing that  adheres  to  the  subject;  so  that  if 
an  amendment  be  ordered  to  lie  on  the 
table,  tlie  subject  which  it  is  proposed  to 
amend,  goes  there  with  it.  Tlie  following 
cases  are  exceptions:  {<r?.)  An  appeal;  (/.) 
A  motion  to  reconsider;  (r.)  An  amend- 
ment to  the  minutes  of  the  body.  These 
can  be  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table  without 
carrying  the  original  subjects  with  them. 


16? 

159-  Incidental  Cuestions.  These  are 
•such  as  arise  out  of  other  questions,  and, 
-consequently,  take  precedence  of,  and  are 
to  be  decided  before,  the  questions  which 
give  rise  to  them.  They  yield  to  Privileged 
Questions,  and  cannot  be  amended. 

(i.)  Appeal  {c)r  questions  of  order), 

(2,)  Objection  to  the  consideration  of  a  ques- 
tion. 

(3.)    The  reading  of  papers. 

(4,)  Leave  to  7vithdra7if  a  motion. 

(5.)  Suspension  of  the  rules. 

160.  Privileged  Questions.  These,  on 
•account  of  their  importance,  take  preced- 
ence over  all  other  questions  v^hatever. 
Tlicy  are  as  follows: 

(i.)  To  fix  the  time  to  wJiich  tJie  assembly 
~shc:ll  adjourn. 

(2.)  Adjourn. 

(3.)  Questions  relating  to  the  rig  Jits  and  privi- 
Jeges  of  the  assembly  or  any  of  its  members. 

(4.)   Call  for  the  orders  of  the  day. 

161.  Motions  Requiring  more  than  a 
Majority  Vote.  The  following  motions 
require  a  two-thirds  vote  for  their  adop- 
tion,   as    the    right   of    discussion,   and  the 


168 

-ight  to  have  the  rules  enforced,  should  not 
be  abridged  by  a  majority: 

(i.)  An  objection  to  the  consideration  of  a 
question. 

(2.)  To  take  up  a  question  out  of  its  proper 
order. 

(3.)    To  suspend  the  rules. 

(4.)    The  previous  question. 

(5.)    To  close  or  limit  del)ate. 

(6.)  To  amend  the  7'ules  {requii'ing  previouf^ 
fiotice  also). 

(7.)    To  make  a  special  order. 


YI. 

NATIONAL  CONGREGATIONAL 
BODIES. 


"  That  they  may  all  be  one  ^-  *  *  * 
that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  didst 
send  me." — Prayer  of  Jesus  Christ. 


NATIONAL  CONGREGATIONAL 
BODIES. 

162.  National  Synods.  Until  187 1  there 
were  no  stated  but  only  occasional  national 
gatherings  of  the  Congregational  churches 
in  this  country.  Their  first  "  Synod  "  was 
held  in  1637,  at  Newtown,  now  Cambridge, 
Mass.  The  second  "Synod,"  of  a  general 
nature,  was  convened  at  Cambridge,  1646- 
1648.  It  gave  us  the  Cambridge  Platform 
of  Church  Discipline. 

The  next  was  a  "  Convention "  held  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1852.  The  fourth  was 
the  "  Council "  held  in  Boston,  Mass.,  ..n 
1865,  which  gave  us  the  Boston  Platform  of 
Church  Discipline.  These  gatherings  were 
not  frequent  enough,  either  to  express  our 
unity  or  to  secure  organic  efficiency. 

163.  The  National  Council.  The  Con- 
gregational churches  met  at  Oberlin,  in 
1871,  and  organized  themselves  into  a  Na- 
tional Council,  meeting  every  third  year 
thereafter.  The  following  are  the  Constitu 
tion,  By-Laws,  and  Rules  of  Order  of  this 
Council. 


172 
164.  Constitution 

OF  HIE 

HATIONAL  COUNCIL,  ADOPTED  IN  OBERLIN,  0., 
NOVEMBER,  17,  1871. 

The  Congregational  churches  of  the 
United  States,  by  elders  and  messengers 
assembled,  do  now  associate  themselves  in 
National  Council: 

To  express  and  foster  their  substantial 
unity  in  doctrine,  polity,  and  work;  and 

To  consult  upon  the  common  interests  of 
,all  the  churches,  their  duties  in  the  work  of 
evangelization,  the  united  development  of 
their  resources,  and  their  relations  to  all 
parts *of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

They  agree  in  belief  that  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures are  the  sufficient  and  only  infallible 
rule  of  religious  faith  and  practice;  their 
interpretation  thereof  being  in  substantial 
accordance  with  the  great  doctrines  of  the 
Christian  faith,  commonly  called  Evangeli- 
cal, held  in  our  churches  from  the  early 
times,  and  sufficiently  set  forth  by  former 
General  Councils. 

They  agree  in  belief  that  the  right  of 
•government  resides  in  local  churches,  or 
-congregations  of  believers,  who  are  respon- 


173 

sible  directly  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
One  Head  of  the  church  universal  and  of 
all  particular  churches;  but  that  all  churches, 
being  in  communion  one  with  another  as 
parts  of  Christ's  catholic  church,  have 
mutual  duties  subsisting  in  the  obligations 
of  fellowship. 

The  churches,  therefore,  while  establish- 
ing this  National  Council  for  the  further- 
ance of  the  common  interests  and  work  of 
all  the  churches,  do  maintain  the  Scriptural 
and  inalienable  right  of  each  church  to  self- 
government  and  administration;  and  this 
National  Council  shall  never  exercise  legis- 
lative or  judicial  authority,  nor  consent  to 
act  as  a  council  of  reference. 

And  for  the  convenience  of  orderly  con- 
sultation, they  establish  the  following  Rules: 

I.  Sessions. — The  churches  will  meet  in 
National  Council  every  third  year.  They 
shall  also  be  convened  in  special  session 
whenever  any  five  of  the  general  State  or- 
ganizations shall  so  request. 

II.  Representation. — The  churches  shall  be 
represented  at  each  session,  by  delegates, 
either  ministers  or  laymen,  appointed  in 
number  and  manner  as  follows: 

12 


174 

1.  The  churches,  assembled  in  their  locat 
organizations,  appoint  one  delegate  for 
every  ten  churches  in  their  respective  or- 
ganizations, and  one  for  a  fraction  of  ten 
greater  than  one  half,  it  being  understood 
that  wherever  the  churches  of  any  State  are- 
directly  united  in  a  general  organization, 
they  may,  at  their  option,  appoint  the  dele- 
gates in  such  a  body,  instead  of  in  local 
organizations,  but  in  the  above  ratio  of 
churches  so  united. 

2.  In  addition  to  the  above,  the  churches 
united  in  State  organization  appoint  by^ 
such  body  one  delegate,  and  one  for  each 
ten  thousand  communicants  in  their  fellow- 
ship, and  one  for  a  major  fraction  thereof: — 

3.  It  being  recommended  that  the  num- 
ber of  delegates  be,  in  all  cases,  divided  be- 
tween ministers  and  laymen,  as  nearly 
equally  as  is  practicable. 

4.  Such  Congregational  general  societies, 
for  Christian  work,  and  the  faculties  of 
such  theological  seminaries,  as  may  be 
recognized  by  this  Council,  may  be  repre- 
sented by  one  delegate  each,  such  repre- 
sentatives having  the  right  of  discussiom 
only. 


175 

III.  Officers. — I.  At  the  beginning  of  every 
stated  or  special  session,  there  shall  be 
chosen  by  ballot,  from  those  present  as 
members,  a  moderator,  and  one  or  more 
assistant  moderators,  to  preside  over  its 
deliberations. 

2.  At  each  triennial  session,  there  shall 
be  chosen  by  ballot  a  secretary,  a  registrar, 
and  a  treasurer,'  to  serve  from  the  close  of 
such  session  to  the  close  of  the  next  trien- 
nial session. 

3.  The  secretary  shall  receive  communi- 
cations for  the  Council,  conduct  correspond- 
ence, and  collect  such  facts,  and  superin- 
tend such  publications,  as  may  from  time 
to  time  be  ordered. 

4.  The  registrar  shall  make  and  preserve 
the  records  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Coun- 
cil; and  for  his  aid,  one  or  more  assistants 
shall  be  chosen  at  each  session,  to  serve 
during  such  session. 

5.  The  treasurer  shall  do  the  work  or- 
dinarily belonging  to  such  office. 

6.  At  each  triennial  session,  there  shall 
be  chosen  a  provisional  committee,  who 
shall    make    needful  arrangements  for  the 


176 

next  triennial  session,  and  for  any  session 
called  during  the  interval. 

7.  Committees  shall  be  appointed,  and  in 
such  manner,  as  may  from  time  to  time  be 
ordered. 

8.  Any  member  of  a  church  in  fellowship 
may  be  chosen  to  the  office  of  secretary, 
registrar,  or  treasurer;  and  such  officers  as 
are  not  delegates  shall  have  all  the  privileges 
of  members,  except  that  of  voting. 

IV.  By-Laws. — The  Council  may  make 
and  alter  By-laws  at  any  triennial  session. 

V.  Aviendnieiits. — This  constitution  shall 
not  be  altered  or  amended  except  at  a  trien- 
nial session,  and  by  a  two-thirds  vote,  notice 
thereof  having  been  given  at  a  previous 
triennial  session,  or  the  proposed  alteration 
having  been  requested  by  some  general 
State  organization  of  churches,  and  pub- 
lished with  the  notification  of  the  session. 


165.  By-Laws. 

I.  In  all  its  official  acts  and  records,  this 
body  shall  be  designated  as  The  National 
Council  of  the  Congregational  Churches 
OF  THE  United  States. 


177 

II.  It  shall  be  understood  that  the  term 
for  which  delegates  to  the  Council  are  ap- 
pointed expires  with  each  session,  triennial 
or  special,  to  which  they  are  chosen. 

III.  Statistical  secretaries  of  state  and 
territorial  bodies,  ministers  serving  the 
churches  entertaining  the  Council,  and  per- 
sons selected  as  preachers,  or  to  prepare 
papers,  or  to  serve  upon  committees  chosen 
by  this  body,  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  priv- 
ileges of  members  in  the  session  in  which  they 
are  to  serve,  except  that  of  voting. 

IV.  The  term  "■  Congregational,"  as  ap- 
plied to  the  general  benevolent  societies,  in 
connection  with  representation  in  this  body, 
is  understood  in  the  broad  sense  of  societies 
whose  constituency  and  control  are  substan- 
tially Congregational. 

V.  The  provisional  committee  shall  con- 
sist of  seven  persons,  chosen  by  the  Council, 
two  of  whom  shall  have  been  members  of  the 
last  previous  committee,  with  the  addition  of 
the  secretary,  registrar,  and  treasurer  ex 
officio,  of  whom  four  shall  be  a  quorum.  This 
committee  shall  specify  the  place  and  the  pre- 
cise time  at  which  sessions  shall  commence  ; 
shall  choose  a  preacher  of  the  opening  ser- 


178 

mon  ;  may  select  topics  regarding  the  Chris- 
tian work  of  the  churches,  and  persons  to 
prepare  and  present  papers  thereon  ;  shall  do 
any  work  which  shall  have  been  referred  to 
them  by  the  Council ;  shall  name  a  place  and 
time  for  the  next  triennial  Council  ;  and  shall 
make  a  full  report  of  all  their  doings,  the  con- 
sideration of  which  shall  be  the  first  in  order 
of  business  after  organization. 

VL  The  session  shall  ordinarily  be  held 
in  the  latter  part  of  October,  or  the  early 
part  of  November. 

VII.  The  call  for  any  session  shall  be 
signed  by  the  chairman  of  the  provisional 
committee  and  the  secretary  of  the  Council, 
and  it  shall  contain  a  list  of  topics  proposed 
by  the  committee  ;  and  the  secretary  shall 
seasonably  furnish  blank  credentials,  and 
other  needful  papers,  to  the  scribes  of  the 
several  local  organizations  of  churches. 

VIII.  Soon  after  the  opening  of  a  stated 
or  special  session,  the  following  committees 
shall  be  appointed  : — 

I — A  committee  on  credentials,  who  shall 
prepare  a  roll  of  members. 

2 — A  committee  of  nominations,  to  make 
all  nominations  not  otherwise  provided  for. 


179 

3 — A  business  committee,  to  propose  a 
docket  for  the  use  ot  the  members.  Except 
by  special  vote  of  the  Council,  no  business 
shall  be  introduced  which  has  not  thus  passed 
through  the  hands  of  this  committee. 

4 — A  publishing  committee  of  five,  includ- 
ing the  secretary,  registrar,  and  treasurer, 
who  shall  contract  for  and  distribute  all  pub- 
lications ordered  by  the  Council. 

5 — A  finance  committee. 

6 — A  committee  on  each  of  the  national 
Congregational  charitable  societies,  to  which, 
severally,  may  be  referred  any  statements 
from,  and  any  communications  relating  to, 
said  societies. 

7 — A  committee  on  the  Congregational 
theological  seminaries,  to  which  may  be  re- 
ferred any  statements  from,  and  any  commu- 
nications relating  to,  said  seminaries. 

Committees  shall  be  composed  of  three 
persons  each,  except  otherwise  ordered. 

IX.  In  the  sessions  of  the  National  Coun- 
cil, half  an  hour  shall  every  morning  be  given 
to  devotional  services,  and  the  daily  sessions 
shall  be  opened  with  prayer,  and  closed  with 
prayer  or  singing.  Every  evening  shall  ordi- 
narily be  given  to  meetings  of  a  specifically 


180 

religious  rather  than  business  character,  and 
the  Council  will  join  in  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  at  some  convenient  season. 

X.  No  person  shall  occupy  more  than 
three-quarters  of  an  hour  in  reading  any 
paper  or  report,  and  no  speaker  upon  any 
motion,  or  resolution,  or  any  paper  read,  shall 
occupy  more  than  ten  minutes,  without  the 
unanimous  consent  of  the  Council. 

XI.  An  auditor  of  accounts  shall  be  ap- 
pointed at  every  session. 

XII.  The  provisional  committee  may  fill 
any  vacancies  occurring  in  any  committee  or 
office  in  the  intervals  of  sessions,  the  person 
so  appointed  to  serve  until  the  next  session. 

XIII.  The  Council  approves  of  an  annual 
compilation  of  the  statistics  of  the  churches, 
and  of  a  list  of  such  ministers  as  are  reported 
by  the  several  State  organizations  And  the 
secretary  is  directed  to  present  at  each  trien- 
nial session  comprehensive  and  comparative 
summaries  for  the  three  years  preceding. 

XIV.  The  Council,  as  occasion  may  arise, 
will  hold  communication  with  the  general 
Congregational  bodies  of  other  lands,  and 
with  the  general  ecclesiastical  organizations 
of  other  churches  of  evangelical  faith  in  our 


181 

own   land,    by   delegates    appointed    by   the 
Council  or  by  the  provisional  committee. 

XV.  The  presiding  officers  shall  retain 
their  offices  until  their  successors  are  chosen; 
and  the  presiding  moderator,  at  the  opening 
of  the  session  subsequent  to  the  one  at  which 
he  was  elected,  shall  name  the  nominating 
committee,  the  business  committee,  and  the 
committee  on  credentials  ;  and  he  shall  be 
an  honorary  member  of  the  Council. 

1 66.    Rules  of  Order. 

The  rules  of  order  shall  be  those  found  in 
common  parliamentary  use,  not  modified  by 
local  legislative  practice,  with  the  following 
explicit  modifications  : — 

I — -When  a  question  is  under  debate,  no  mo- 
tion shall  be  received,  except  the  following, 
namely  :  to  amend,  to  commit,  to  postpone  to 
a  time  certain,  to  postpone  indefinitely,  to  lay 
on  the  table,  and  to  adjourn, — which  shall  have 
precedence  in  the  reverse  order  of  this  list, 
the  motions  to  lay  on  the  table  and  to  adjourn 
alone  being  not  debatable.  But  the  Council 
at  any  time,  on  the  motion  of  one  member, 
seconded  by   five   other   members   and  by  a 


182 

two-thirds  vote  of  those  present  and  voting, 
may  order  a  vote  to  be  taken  upon  the  pend- 
ing question  ;  after  this  is  so  ordered,  the 
debate  shall  not  be  cut  off  for  one-half  hour, 
provided  any  member  desires  to  speak  ;  but 
during  that  time  no  speaker  shall  speak  more 
than  five  minutes. 

2 — No  member  shall  speak  more  than  twice 
to  the  merits  of  any  question  in  debate,  ex- 
cept by  special  permission  of  the  body  ;  nor 
more  than  once,  until  every  member  desiring 
to  speak  shall  have  spoken. 

3 — 'Ordinarily,  voting  shall  be  viva  voce,  or 
by  show  of  hands  ;  but  any  member  may  call 
for  a  division,  in  which  case  the  number  vot- 
ing on  each  side  shall  be  counted,  announced 
by  the  chair,  entered  in  the  minutes,  and 
published  in  the  printed  reports  of  the  pro- 
ceedings. 

4 — If  the  report  of  committee  contains 
nothing  more  than  matters  of  fact  for  informa- 
tion, or  matters  of  argument  for  the  consider- 
ation of  the  Council,  the  question  is  :  Shall 
the  report  be  accepted?  and  that  question, 
unless  superseded  by  a  motion  to  reject,  to 
recommit,  to  postpone,  or  to  lay  upon  the  table, 
shall  be  taken  without  debate.      Such  a  report, 


183 

'if  accepted,  is  placed  upon  the  files  of  the 
•Council,  but,  not  being  an  act  of  the  Coun- 
^cil,  is  not  entered  on  the  minutes. 

(^)— If  the  report  is  in  the  form  of  a  vote 
-or  resolution,  or  of  a  declaration  expressing 
the  judgment  or  testimony  of  the  Council,  the 
additional  question  arises:  Shall  the  report 
■be  adjpted  ?  d.Vi.Av<\o\\on<s>  for  amendment  are 
in  order.  Such  a  report,  if  adopted,  with  or 
without  amendment,  is  the  act  of  the  Coun- 
'Cil,  and  is  entered  on  the  minutes, 

(^)— If  a  report  gives  the  views  of  the 
committee  on  the  matter  referred  to  them, 
and  terminates  with  the  form  of  a  resolution 
or  declaration  in  the  name  of  the  Council,  the 
questions  are  :  Shall  the  report  be  accepted? 
and  Shall  the  resolution  or  declaration  be 
^udopted?  And  while  the  report  at  large,  if 
•accepted,  is  placed  on  file,  that  part  of  it 
which  has  become  the  act  of  the  Council  is 
^entered  on  the  minutes. 


SUPPLEMENTAL 


SUPPLEMENTAL. 

{_The  following  Section  should  have  been  placed  between 
Sections  58  and  59'\ . 

167.  How  to  Form  Church  Associa- 
tions. Associations  of  churches  may  be 
formed  in  the  following  way: 

a.  When  it  is  desired  to  organize  a  Dis- 
trict Association  (§  58  a.),  let  some  church 
appoint  a  committee  to  correspond  with  the 
other  churches  in  reference  thereto;  and, 
in  case  they  are  favorably  disposed,  to  in- 
vite them  to  meet  by  pastors  and  delegates 
in  convention  for  the  purpose  of  constitu- 
ting themselves  into  an  Association.  When 
they  in  convention  shall  have  adopted  a 
Constitution,  Doctrinal  Basis,  and  By-laws, 
the   said   churches   become  an  Association. 

b.  When  it  is  desired  to  organize  a  State 
or  Territorial  Association  (§  58,  b.),  some 
District  Association,  or,  in  case  there  be 
none,  some  church,  may  appoint  a  commit- 
tee of  correspondence  and  invitation,  as 
above,  to  call  a  convention  of  the  churches 

187 


188 

by  pastors  and  delegates,  for  constituting 
the  Association. 

c.  In  either  case,  great  care  should  be 
had  in  adopting  the  Constitution,  Doctrinal. 
Basis,  and  By-laws,  as  they  form  the  or- 
ganic law  of  the  body.  A  committee  ap- 
pointed for  the  purpose  should  derive 
needed  help  from  the  action  of  other  co-or- 
dinate bodies  in  this  respect,  whose  Consti- 
tutions, Doctrinal  Bases,  and  By-laws  have 
been  published. 


189 

i68. 

[We  append  a  service  for  administering 
Infant  Baptism,  though  not  so  related  to 
Polity  as  to  require  it,  but  yet  so  needed  as 
to  justify  its  insertion.  For  the  limitations 
of  this  rite,  see  Section  loo]. 

Service  for  the  Baptism  of  Infants. 

Dear  Friends:  In  presenting  your  in- 
fant offspring  to  the  Lord  in  Christian  bap- 
tism, you  do  show  the  same  religious  care- 
fulness and  parental  solicitude  that  led  the 
Virgin  Mary  to  circumcise  her  Holy  Child, 
and  to  present  Him  in  the  Temple.  The 
impulse  lies  deep  in  parents'  hearts,  beauti- 
ful in  itself,  and  nurtured  by  our  holy 
religion,  to  consecrate  by  some  outward 
rite  their  children  unto  God.  And  Abra- 
ham, four  hundred  years  before  the  giving 
of  the  Law,  was  commanded  to  apply  the 
seal  of  His  covenant  with  God  to  himself 
and  to  his  male  offspring.  And  perhaps 
nothing  in  the  life  of  our  Savior  was  more 
touchingly  beautiful  than  His  laying  His 
hands  on  the  heads  of  little  children  while 
He  blessed  them.     And  what  words  of  His 


190 

are  dearer  to  parents'  hearts  than  these:, 
*' Suffer  the  little  children,  and  forbid  them: 
not,  to  come  unto  me:  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  The  parental  feel- 
ings which  respond  so  warmly  to  these 
words,  have  since  Abraham's  day  found  a. 
fit  expression  in  the  sacrament  either  of" 
blood  or  of  water,  in  infant  circumcision  or 
in  infant  baptism. 

Prompted  by  these  feelings,  trusting  in  a 
risen  Savior,  believing  that  the  promise 
made  to  Abraham  is  also  made  to  you  and. 
your  seed,  you  stand  here  in  this  presence  tO;^ 
discharge  a  joyous  but  solemn  duty.  Glad 
that  the  Lord  has  blessed  you,  you  now- 
present  the  child  of  your  love,  and  solemnly 
dedicate  //  unto  God 

In  doing  so,  you  promise,  in  dependence 
upon  the  Divine  grace,  to  train  //  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord;  to 
teach  //  the  great  Doctrines  of  our  holy 
religion;  to  instruct//  in  all  His  precepts; 
and  to  use  your  best  endeavor  to  bring  // 
early  in  life  into  the  saving  knowledge  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Bear  ever  in  mind,  the  obligations  of  this 
significant  rite.     During  the  long  period  of. 


191 

childhood,  God  has  laid  upon  you  the  duty 
of  its  moral  and  religious  culture,  which  no 
one  else  can  so  well  perform.  Be  faithful 
and  patient,  with  all  prayer  and  tenderness, 
assured  that  God  "will  guide  and  reward 
you.  So  train  your  child  by  precept  and 
example  that  when  its  soul  like  an  opening 
bud  shall  reach  out  after  light  and  life,  it 
shall  find  them  in  Him  who  is  the  Light 
and  the  Life  of  the  world.  Then  shall 
your  dear  little  onCy  in  the  Lord's  appointed 
time,  go  to  be  forever  with  Him  who  took 
little  children  in  His  arms,  put  His  hands 
upon  them,  and  blessed  them. 

^Baptism,  and  closing  Prayer\. 


192 

169.  Procedure  in  Cases  of  Common 
Fame.  In  cases  of  notorious  scandal,  ac- 
tion may  be  taken  without  the  preliminary- 
steps  (§105),  in  summarily  excluding  the 
offender  from  church  privileges  (§106)  ;  but 
cases  of  common  fame  are  somewhat  differ- 
ent and  need  consideration.  Such  offences 
have  peculiar  characteristics  that  separate 
them  both  from  private  offences  and  from 
notorious  scandals.  They  have  been  thus 
described  :  "  The  rumor  must  specify  some 
particular  sin  or  sins  ;  it  must  be  general, 
or  widely  spread  ;  it  must  not  be  transient, 
but  permanent,  and  rather  gaining  strength 
than  declining  ;  and  it  must  be  accompanied 
with  strong  presumption  of  truth"  {^Presby- 
terian  Discipline^  chap,  iii.,  Sec.  v).  In  such 
cases  no  person  needs  to  be  named  as  the 
accuser.  ''  Common  fame  is  the  accuser." 
Yet  all  needful  attempts  to  reclaim  such 
■offenders  should  be  patiently  made  before 
^linal  action  is  taken. 

170.  Citation  of  the  Accused.  When- 
'cver  a  church  would  take  final  action  on  a 
case  of  private  offence  (§105),  or  of  public 
scandal  (§106),  or  of  common  fame  (§169), 
it  should  cite  the  accused  to  appear  for  trial 


193 

•of  the  charges  on  a  specified  day  and  hour 
and  at  a  designated  place.  This  citation 
should  be  given  at  least  ten  days  before  the 
trial,  and  the  church  should  ascertain  that 
its  citation  has  been  seasonably  served.  If 
the  accused  do  not  appear  for  trial  at  the 
time  specified,  the  church  may  issue  another 
citation  or  proceed  with  the  trial,  as  it  may 
judge  expedient.  ■ 

The  citation  of  the  accused  may  be  made 
in  the  following  or  similar 

FORM   OF    CITATION. 

Mr.,  Mrs.,  or  Miss 

Beloved  : — A  complaint  has  been  made 
against  you  to  the  church,  a  copy  of  which 
is  herewith  placed  in  your  hands,  and  the 
church  has  voted  to  entertain  the  same,  and 

to  summon  you  to  trial  in  the room   of 

the  Congregational  church  on.  .  .day  of. .  . ., 

i8..,    at o'clock You    are    hereby 

cited  to  appear  at  the  said  time  and  place, 
to  answer  to  the  charges  made  against  you 
in  the  said  complaint.  And  may  God  over- 
rule the  inquiry  to  the  spiritual  good  of  all 
concerned,  and  to  the  glory  of  his  name. 
By  the  order  of  the  church. 

,  Clerk. 

Dated 


194 

As  the  witnesses  mentioned  in  the  com- 
plaint (§146)  must  also  be  cited,  the  above 
can  easily  be  modified  to  suit  their  case. 

171.  Can  a  Corporation  Authorize  sl 
Member  to  Cast  its  Ballot  for  Trustee  ? 
This  question  is  of  the  greatest  legal  impor- 
tance, wherever  ballots  are  required  by  law. 
Such  a  ballot,  being  single,  is  of  necessity 
unanimous.  If  the  body  should  be  absolutely 
unanimous  in  authorizing  it,  the  single  ballot 
when  cast  would  be  legal,  as  then  it  would 
express  the  full  will  of  the  corporation.  But 
if  there  be  opposition  to  authorizing  such  a 
ballot,  expressed  by  vote  or  by  refusal  to  vote, 
the  said  single  ballot  does  not  express  the 
will  of  the  body,  and  is  therefore  oppressive 
and  illegal,  as  every  voter  has  a  legal  right  to 
cast  a  ballot,  and  to  have  his  ballot  counted. 
It  is  wise,  therefore,  to  rule  a  motion  author- 
izing such  a  single  ballot  out  of  order,  as  sub- 
versive of  the  purpose  of  a  ballot.  This 
principle  applies  to  all  cases  where  the  law 
of  the  State  or  the  constitution  of  the  cor- 
porate body  requires  a  vote  by  ballot. 

172.  Can  an  informal  ballot  be  made 
formal  and  legal  by  a  hand  or  voice  vote  ? 
No ;    such    a    hand    or   voice   vote,   where    a 


195 

ballot  is  required,  is  as  illegal  and  void  as 
the  informal  ballot  itself.  Surely  a  non- 
legal  vote  cannot  make  a  non-legal  ballot 
legal.  The  thing  is  absurd.  An  informal 
ballot  is  merely  a  quick  way  of  ascertaining 
the  sense  of  the  body.  It  has  no  organic  or 
legal  force  whatever  ;  and,  when  a  ballot  is 
-required,  no  other  way  of  voting  than  by 
ballot  is  legal.  Two  illegal  or  non-legal  votes 
'do  not  make  a  legal  ballot.  Such  attempts 
■should  be  banished  as  illegal  and  void. 

173.  Consolidation  of  an  Ecclesias- 
tical Society  with  its  Church.  The  prim- 
itive churches  had  no  ecclesiastical  society, 
but  managed,  each  for  itself,  all  their  affairs 
{§§  30-34)  '■>  but  when  the  church  and  State 
Avere  united  under  Constantine  the  Great,  a 
foreign  and  evil  element  was  introduced,  from 
which  no  churches,  not  even  the  Puritan 
churches,  had  freed  themselves  at  the  time 
the  American  Colonies  were  planted.  The 
leading  Colonies  of  New  England  at  first  gave 
the  suffrage  only  to  members  of  Congrega- 
tional churches.  When  the  right  to  vote  was 
extended  beyond  such  members,  the  parish 
•or  ecclesiastical  society  emerged  from  this 
iinion    of  church    and    Sta  e.     (The  Church- 


196 

Kingdom,  328-330).  Our  churches,  even  in 
New  England,  are  now  seeking  to  be  rid  of 
the  parish  system,  as  foreign  in  principle  to 
our  polity.  In  most  of  the  States  (§  24,  note),, 
churches  may  organize  as  corporate  bodies, 
without  a  parish  or  ecclesiastical  society  in 
connection.  These  churches  should  elect  their 
own  trustees  to  hold  and  manage  theirproperty^ 
and  so  discard  the  vanishing  relic  of  the  union 
of  church  and  State,  the  ecclesiastical  society 
or  the  parish.  So  also  many  of  our  churches, 
connected  with  such  societies,  desire  to  return 
to  their  primitive  model,  and  a  question  of 
the  greatest  importance  arises  :  How  may 
an  ecclesiastical  society  or  parish  become 
consolidated  with  the  church  in  connection, 
without  the  risk  of  the  legal  loss  of  its  prop- 
erty and  funds  held  in  trust?  Of  course  each 
church  must  act  under  the  special  or  general 
laws  of  the  State  in  which  it  is  located  ;  but 
where  no  law  details  the  process  of  consolida- 
tion, but  allows  church  and  society  to  become 
one,  the  following  plan  may  be  followed, 
namely  : 

I — Let  a  legal  notice  be  given  of  a  meet- 
ing of , the  ecclesiastical  society  at  a  specified 
time  and  place. 


197 

2 — Let  the  said  notice  state  the  purpose  of 
the  said  meeting  in  these  or  similar  words,, 
namely, — 

(a) — To  limit  the  membership  of  the  soci- 
ety hereafter  to  members  of  the  church  of 
legal  age. 

(d) — To  change  the  name  of  the  society  to 
the  name  and  style  of  the  church  in  connec- 
tion. 

(<:)— To  change  the  time  and  place  of  meet- 
insfs  to  those  of  the  church  in  connection. 

If,  at  the  said  meeting,  these  changes  are 
effected  by  the  requisite  vote,  the  church  and 
society  become  one  body,  managing  all  its 
spiritual  and  secular  affairs.  If  bequests 
have  been  made  to  the  trustees  of  the  society, 
the  funds  are  not  forfeited,  for  the  trustees 
are  the  same  legal  body  under  a  new  name 
legally  adopted.  But  no  one  holding  mem- 
bership in  the  society  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
soHdation  can  be  deprived  of  the  right  to 
vote  until  the  time  of  said  membership  ex- 
pires. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  keep  the  business 
of  the  church  as  a  corporation  separate  from 
the  business  of  the  church  as  a  spiritual  body, 
in  notices,  rules,  procedure,  and  records,  so 


198 

far  as  may  be  needful  to  escape  confusion  and 
to  ensure  legal  action. 

174.  National  Council  on  Ministerial 
Standing.  The  first  two  of  the  following 
resolutions  on  the  pastorate  and  ministerial 
^standing  were  reported  by  a  committee  to  the 
National  Council  of  1886,  and  were  adopted 
■without  a  dissenting  vote.  The  other  resolu- 
tions here  given  were  otherwise  introduced, 
but  were  adopted  by  the  same  Council,  a  small 
minority  voting  against  them  : 

"  J^eso/7>^d,{i)  Tha.t  standing  in  theCongre- 
gational  ministry  is  acquired  by  the  fulfilment 
of  these  three  conditions,  namely  :  (i)  Mem- 
bership in  a  Congregational  church  ;  (2)  Or- 
dination to  the  Christian  ministry  ;  and  (3) 
Heception  as  an  ordained  minister  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  Congregational  churches,  in 
accordance  with  the  usage  of  the  State  or 
Territorial  organization  of  churches  in  which 
the  applicant  may  reside  ;  and  such  standing 
is  to  be  continued  in  accordance  with  these 
usages,  it  being  understood  that  sl  pro  re  nata 
council  is  the  ultimate  resort  in  all  cases  in 
question. 

^''Resolved,  (2)  That  all  Congregational  min- 
isters in   good  standing   in    their    respective 


199 

States,  who  have  been  installed  by  Council, 
or  who  have  been  regularly  called  to  the  pas- 
torate by  the  specific  vote  of  some  church, 
have  formally  accepted  such  position,  and 
have  been  recognized  as  such  by  some  defi- 
nite act  of  the  church,  should  be  enrolled 
as  pastors  ;  and  we  advise  that  all  our  denom- 
inational statistics,  and  direct  that,  so  far  as 
possible,  our  Year  Book  conform  to  this  prin- 
ciple. 

"  Resolved,  (3)  That  this  National  Council 
commends  to  the  churches,  in  accordance 
with  our  ancient  usage,  the  importance  of 
properly  called  ecclesiasticalcouncils,  ordina- 
rily selected  from  the  vicinage,  and  especially 
the  great  importance  of  the  installation  of 
ministers  to  the  pastorate  by  councils,  when 
it  is  practicable,  as  conducive  to  the  purity 
of  the  ministry  and  the  prosperity  of  the 
churches. 

"  Resolved,  (4)  That  the  State  organiza- 
tions and  local  organizations  of  churches  be 
recommended  to  consider  such  modification 
of  their  constitution  as  will  enable  them  to 
become  responsible  for  the  ministerial  stand- 
ing of  ministers  within   their  bounds,  in  har- 


200 

mony  with  the  principle  that  the  churches  of 
any  locality  decide  upon  their  own  fellowship. 
''  Resolved,  (5)  That  the  Year  Book  desig- 
nate pastors  who  have  been  installed  or 
recognized  by  councils  called  to  examine  the 
pastor  elect  and  assist  in  inducting  him  into 
office,  by  the  letters  p.  c,  and  pastors  other- 
wise inducted  by  the  letter  p.;  it  being  under- 
stood that  these  changes  shall  be  first  made 
in  the    Year  Book  for    1888  "   (^Minutes,  43,. 

44)- 

175.  Ministerial  and  Church  Standing; 
Guarded.  The  inalienable  right  of  the- 
churches  in  any  locality  to  protect  their  fel- 
lowship (§§  88;  143,  Art.  iv.  4)  may  be  better- 
secured  and  exercised  in  and  through  their 
stated  district  Associations  than  in  any  other 
way.  For  the  membership  of  these  bodies  is 
easily  known,  and  each  holds  regular  meet- 
ings and  keeps  permanent  records.  When,, 
therefore,  an  Association  ordains  (§  77,  d.  e.), 
receives  to  membership  (§  85),  disciplines 
(§  87),  or  dismisses  (§  89),  it  acts  as  a  known 
and  accountable  body  ;  but  when  a  council 
does  any  of  these  things,  it  acts  as  a  selected, 
temporary,  and  irresponsible  body,  having  no 
power  to  meet  again,  to  preserve  its  minutes, 


201 

to  correct  a  mistake,  or  redress  a  wrong.  It- 
ceases  to  exist  forever,  whenever  it  adjourns. 
We  see  herein  sufficient  reasons  why  churches^ 
in  their  Associations  should  both  give  and 
withhold  fellowship,  provided  their  liberties. 
as  independent  churches  areproperly  guarded. 
We  give,  therefore,  w^hat  we  hold  to  be  a 
complete  safeguard  of  their  liberties.  By  it 
their  inalienable  right  as  independent  churches, 
and  their  equally  inalienable  right,  in  their 
associated  capacity,  to  protect  themselves 
from  unsound  or  unworthy  churches  and  min- 
isters, are  preserved  inviolate.  Let  each- 
church  put  into  its  Constitution  the  provision, 
given  above  (v^  143,  Art.  iv.  4);  and  then  let 
the  ^Association  adopt  in  its  Constitution  pro- 
visions similar  to  the  following,  and  both 
rights  are  sufficiently  guarded  : — 

"  ARTICLE    II. — INALIENABLE    RIGHTS. 

*'  Sec.  2. — This  Association  recognizes  the 
right  of  every  church  to  administer  its  affairSy. 
free  from  external  control ;  and  it  shall  not,, 
in  any  case,  assume  legislative  authority,  or 
become  a  court  of  appeal. 

"  Sec.  3. — While  thus  recognizing  the  in- 
alienable right  of  every  church  to  administer 


202 

its  own  affairs,  even  in  the  ordination  and 
installation  of  its  pastors  ;  and  also  the  equally 
inalienable  right  of  the  churches  in  any  lo- 
cality to  extend  and  withhold  fellowship,  and 
to  have  a  voice  in  all  other  matters  of  com- 
mon concern  ;  the  members  of  this  body  will 
seek  to  preserve  both  these  rights  inviolate 
l)y  asking  their  Association  to  act  as  a  council 
of  advice  in  matters  of  common  concern. 

"  ARTICLE  III. MEMBERS. 

"Sec.  I. — Churches,  on  application,  shall 
be  received  to  membership  by  a  tw^o-thirds 
vote  of  any  regular  meeting  of  the  Associa- 
tion, provided  that  their  form  of  government 
and  confession  of  faith  be  in  essential  harmony 
with  the  doctrinal  basis  of  the  general  Asso- 
ciation of  the  Congregational  churches  and 
ministers  of  the  State. 

"  Sec.  2. — Any  Congregational  minister 
Avithin  the  bounds  of  the  Association,  with 
"proper  credentials,  may,  on  application,  be 
admitted  to  membership  by  a  two-thirds  vote 
of  any  regular  meeting,  and  by  subscribing  to 
this  constitution, 

"  Sec.  3. — Ministerial  credentials  shall  be 
ordination,  installation,  or  recognition  papers; 


203 

results  of  councils  ;   and   transfers   from   co- 
ordinate bodies. 

*'  Sec.  4. — Any  church  in  membership  shall 
be  entitled  to  representation  in  all  sessions 
of  the  body  (except  as  in  cases  hereinafter 
specified)  by  its  minister,  either  its  Sunday 
School  Superintendent  or  Assistant  Sunday 
School  Superintendent,  if  a  church  member, 
a  delegate  chosen  by  its  Young  People's 
Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  if  a  church 
member,  and  one  delegate." 

''  ARTICLE   IV. MINISTERIAL  STANDING. 

'^  Sec.  I. — The  sitting  of  a  minister  in  the 
sessions  of  the  Association,  in  virtue  of  his 
being  the  pastor  or  delegate  of  a  church,  does 
not  give  him  ministerial  standing  in  the  body 
and  does  not  entitle  him  to  a  letter  of  trans- 
fer  [§  67]. 

''Sec.  2. — Ministerial  standing  in  the  Asso- 
ciation [§§  80,  85]  entitles  one  to  certification 
for  the  list  of  Congregational  ministers,  pub- 
lished in  the  Year  Book  ;  to  membership  in 
the  General  Association  of  the  State  ;  and,  on 
vote  of  the  Association,  to  a  certificate  of 
transfer  to  a  coordinate  body. 


204 

"  ARTICLE  v.— DISCIPLINE. 

"  Sec.  t. — When  the  standing  of  any  church 
«or  minister  of  the  Association  is  called  into 
question,  a  committee  shall  be  appointed  to 
inquire  into  the  case,  and  report ;  if  then  a 
trial  shall  be  deemed  necessary,  a  special 
Tneeting  of  the  Association  shall  be  called  by 
the  Moderator  and  Registrar,  or  by  either 
'One,  in  case  of  the  absence  or  incapacity  of 
the  other,  for  said  trial,  which  meeting  shall 
'Consist  of  all  the  ministerial  members,  and  one 
male  delegate  of  lawful  age  from  each  church 
■in  the  Association. 

"  Sec.  2. — If  any  church  or  minister  shall 
feel  aggrieved  by  the  action  of  the  Associa- 
tion in  such  trial,  at  any  time  within  three 
months,  appeal  may  be  taken  to  a  mutual 
council. 

''  Sec.  3. — Whenever  the  Association  shall 
■act  as  a  council  of  advice,  the  limitations  in 
membership,  given  in  the  preceding  sections 
of  this  Article,  shall  be  observed  " — {Froin 
the  Constitution  of  the  Eastern  Association  of 
4he  Congregational  Churches  and  Ministers  of 
Michigan}) 

If  a  church  or  minister  present  the  result 


205 

of  any  council,  or  a  transfer,  or  any  other 
'Credentials  (§  89),  for  admission  as  a  member, 
the  association  of  churches  has  the  right  to 
Inquire  into  the  genuineness  of  the  said  cre- 
-dentials,  and  to  make  any  examination  of 
the  candidate  which,  in  its  discretion,  it  may 
■deem  best. 

Thus  the  complete  autonomy  under  Christ 
of  eacn  local  church  is  amply  guarded,  while 
each  church  and  minister,  seeking  the  fellow- 
ship of  unity,  is  put  under  obligations  to  keep 
the  faith  and  to  walk  orderly.  If  they  violate 
these  obligations,  it  is  no  authority  over  them 
to  withdraw  fellowship  from  them. 

176.  The  Origin  and  Value  of  Coun- 
cils. The  system  of  councils  (§§  38-56) 
which  has  grown  up  in  this  country  is  not 
found  elsewhere.  And  it  has  been  lately 
•shown  {^Church- Kingdo77i,  268-271)  that  the 
system  arose  out  of  the  union  of  church 
and  State,  and  had  a  civil  or  political  rather 
than  an  ecclesiastical  origin.  The  General 
Court  of  Massachusetts,  in  1631,  enacted 
that  only  members  of  Congregational  churches 
should  be  allowed  to  vote  ;  and,  in  1636,  that 
no  church  should  be  gathered  without  the 
approbation  of  the  magistrates  and  the  greater 


206 

part  of  the  churches  in  the  jurisdiction ;. 
and,  again,  in  1658,  that  no  person  should 
publicly  and  constantly  preach,  or  be  or- 
dained to  the  office  of  teaching  elder  "  where 
any  two  organic  churches,  council  0/  State, 
or  general  court  shall  declare  their  dissatis- 
faction thereat."  The  shortest  way  of  gaining^ 
the  approbation  of  the  churches,  in  compli- 
ance with  these  laws,  was  to  call  a  council  at 
every  organization  of  a  church  and  at  every 
ordination  or  installation,  which  is  re  ordina- 
tion. Here  in  this  need  was  the  origin  of 
councils  for  such  purposes,  which  have  by 
usage  prolonged  their  existence  far  beyond 
the  duration  of  those  laws,  and  even  the 
union  of  church  and  State. 

But  since  our  churches  have  become  or- 
ganized into  district  associations,  the  need 
and  value  of  such  councils  as  safeguards  of 
purity  have  largely  vanished.  A  church  need 
not  call  a  council  to  examine  its  creed,  and 
rules,  and  to  recognize  it  (§  23,  a)  ;  it  may, 
instead,  present  these  credentials  by  its  dele- 
gates to  the  next  meeting  of  the  nearest  dis- 
trict association  of  churches  (§  23,  b),  and  ask 
to  be  admitted.  That  association  should  re- 
fer them  to  a  committee  for  examination,  on 


207 

whose  report  the  church  may  be  admitted  to 
equal  membership  (§  60),  if  its  credentials 
(§  89)  are  approved  (§  65,  b) ;  or  excluded,  if 
its  credentials  are  not  approved  (§  64).  By  so 
doing  it  secures  the  same  fellowship  without 
the  expense  in  time  and  money  of  a  council 
of  recognition,  and  the  trouble  of  a  double 
inquiry,  once  by  a  council,  and  again  on  ap- 
plication for  membership  in  the  association. 
The  only  exception  to  be  made  here,  is  when, 
those  desiring  to  form  a  church  are  in  doubt 
whether  or  not  it  is  expedient  for  them  to  do 
so.  Such  cases  are  rare,  but  when  they  occur 
a  council  of  advice  as  to  the  expediency  of 
organizing  a  church  may  be  called. 

So  an  association  of  churches  may  ordain 
to  the  ministry  (§  77,  d),  thus  becoming  a 
better  safeguard  of  purity  and  liberty  (§§  73,, 
88,  91,  175)  than  a  council,  and  at  less  expense 
in  time  and  money,  as  it  may  set  men  apart 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry  at  its  regular 
meetings. 

The  decline  of  councils  is  a  sign  that  our 
practice  is  adjusting  itself  to  our  principles, 
by  the  giving  up  of  an  historical  but  abnor- 
mal local  development,  due  to  the  union  of 
church  and  State. 


208 

Councils  are  destined  to  continue,  however, 
as  bodies  of  mutual  reference  in  cases  of 
trouble  and  grievance  (§§  50,  5 1,  66,  87).  Here 
they  are  of  the  greatest  value. 


209 

177-     Service  for  the  Administration  of 
the    Lord's  Supper. 

As  ministers  come  to  us  from  other  com- 
munions, which  have  different  methods  of 
celebrating  the  Eucharist,  and  as  uniformity 
conduces  to  the  acceptable  observance  of 
the  rite,  we  are  glad  to  present  an  order  of 
service  which  has  been  kindly  furnished  by 
Rev.  Philo  R.  Hurd,  D.  D.,  of  Detroit,  who 
says  :  "  It  is  that  which  used  to  be  followed 
in  Yale  College  by  President  Day,  and,  I 
presume,  by  President  Dwight  before  him." 

COMMUNION    SERVICE. 

[It  will  help  to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  communi- 
cants for  the  ordinance,  if  one  or  two  verses  of  some 
appropriate  familiar  hymn  are  sung.  After  which  the 
minister  should  say  :] 

Dearly  Beloved  : — The  same  night  in 
which  our  Lord  was  betrayed,  He  took  bread, 
and  blessed  it.  In  imitation  of  His  example, 
let  us  look  to  God  for  His  blessing  on  the 
bread. 

[After  a  short  prayer  of  consecration,  the  bread 
should  be  broken,  and  the  minister,  holding  the 
bread  in  his  hand,  should  say:] 


210 

When  our  Lord  had  blessed  the  bread,  He 
brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  His  disciples,  saying  : 
*'  This  is  my  body  which  is  for  you  :  this  do 
in  remembrance  of  me."  Take  this  bread, 
therefore,  beloved,  and  eat  ye  all  of  it,  re- 
joicing that  "  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread, 
ye  proclaim  the  Lord's  death  till  He  come." 

[The  minister  then  gives  the  bread  to  the  deacons, 
who,  in  perfect  silence,  bear  it  to  the  communicants 
who  remain  seated.  Then  the  deacons  return  the 
plates  to  the  minister  and  take  their  seats.  The  min- 
ister then  passes  the  bread  to  them.  After  which  he 
should  pour  the  wine,  and,  holding  a  cup  in  his  hand, 
should  say  :] 

When  our  Lord  had  distributed  the  bread. 
He,  in  like  manner  also,  took  the  cup,  and 
gave  thanks.  In  imitation  of  His  example, 
let  us  give  thanks. 

[After  a  short  prayer  of  thanksgiving,  the  mhiister 
should  say  :] 

When  our  Lord  had  returned   thanks.  He 

gave  the  cup  to  His  disciples,  saying:   "  This 

CUI3  is  the  new  covenant  in   my  blood,  which 

is  shed   for    many   unto    remission    of  sins." 

Take  this  cup,  then,  beloved,  and   drink  ye 

all  of  it,  rejoicing  that  "  as  often   as   ye   eat 

this  bread,  and   drink    the   cup,  ye  proclaim 

the  Lord's  death  till  He  come." 


211 

[The  minister  should  then  deliver  the  cups  to  the 
deacons  who  present  them  to  the  communicants  in 
their  seats,  in  perfect  silence  as  before.  When  the 
deacons  return  the  cups  to  the  minister  and  are  seated, 
he  should  serve  the  cup  to  them,  and  return  it  to  its 
place. 

Then  the  usual  communion  collection  should  be 
taken.     After  which  the  minister  should  say:] 

After  the  Supper,  the  disciples  sung  a  hymn, 
and  went  out.     Let  us  also  sing  a  hymn. 

[After  the  singing  of  the  hymn,  the  church  is  dis- 
missed with  an  appropriate  benediction,  as  Hebrews 
xiii.  20,  21,  or  some  other. 

If  the  minister  wishes  to  address  the  communicants, 
he  should  do  so  before  the  celebration  of  the  Supper, 
not  during  its  progress.  But  let  him  avoid,  as  utterly 
unsuited  to  this  feast  of  love,  all  reference  to  their 
faults,  as  he  would  if  they  were  seated  at  his  own 
table.] 

178,  In  conformity  with  the  suggestion 
made  in  §  98,  the  following  Service  for  the 
Ordination  of  Deacons  is  given  : 


212 
Ordination  of  Deacons. 

[Immediately  before  the  celebration  of  the  Supper 
the  pastor  should  read  the  names  of  those  chosen  to 
be  deacons,  and  ask  them  to  rise.  Then  he  should 
say:] 

Beloved  :  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  ordained, 
through  the  mouth  of  inspired  apostles,  that 
there  should  be  a  ministry  of  tables  in  addi- 
tion to  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  that  His 
churches  might  the  better  be  served  in  their 
manifold  relations.  Hence  deacons  were 
appointed,  and  set  apart  by  the  laying  on  of 
hands  and  prayer  (Acts  vi.  i-6).  Having 
been  duly  chosen  to  the  Diaconate,  we  would 
as  a  church  set  you  apart  in  a  similar  way  to 
your  work. 

But  since  it  is  required  of  deacons  that  they 
hold  "  the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure 
conscience,"  you  will  answer,  truly  and  un- 
reservedly, the  following  questions  : 

I. — Do  you  cordially  assent  to  and  sub- 
scribe the  articles  of  faith  adopted  by  this 
church  as  its  creed,  and  will  you  maintain  the 
same  as  long  as  you  hold  the  office  of  deacon 
in  this  church  ? 

2, — x\nd  since  the  good  order,  peace  and 
prosperity  of  the  church  depend  largely  on 


213 

its  officers,  do  you  promise  to  study,  observe, 
and  enforce  the  rules  adopted  for  the  govern- 
ment of  this  church  ? 

3. — And  since  no  church  lives  unto  itself 
alone,  will  you,  while  maintaining  the  inde- 
pendence under  Christ  of  this  church  in  mat- 
ters of  control,  encourage  also  its  fellowship 
and  cooperation  with  other  churches  in  the 
evangelization  of  the  world  ? 

Having  given  satisfactory  answers  to  these 
questions,  you  will  come  forward  and  be 
ordained  to  the  office  and  work  of  the  Diac- 
onate. 

[The  candidates,  having  come  forward  into  the  puL 
pit,  should  kneel ;  when  the  pastor,  on  behalf  of  the 
church,  should  set  them  apart  with  the  laying  on  of 
hands  and  prayer.  The  other  deacons,  if  desired, 
should  also  lay  hands  upon  the  candidates  during  the 
prayer.  After  the  ordaining  prayer,  the  deacons  thus 
set  apart  should  return  to  their  places  and  remain 
standing,  while  the  minister  gives  them  the  following,, 
or  a  similar,  charge  :] 

Beloved  :  Having  been  set  apart  in  this 
solemn  manner  to  one  of  the  two  permanent 
offices  in  the  church  of  God,  "  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth,"  we  charge  you  in  the 
rame  of  Christ,  the  Head,  to  be  faithful  in 
your  new  calling,  to  omit  no  duty,  to  feed  the 


214 

lambs,  to  foster  the  purity,  peace,  and  pros- 
perity of  this  church,  to  hold  fast  and  forth 
the  grand  doctrine^  of  the  blessed  gospel,  and 
to  live  in  all  humility  and  godly  sincerity. 
The  church  is  a  spiritual  body  and  an  organ- 
ized brotherhood,  needing  a  dual  ministry, 
the  ministry  of  the  Word  and  the  ministry  of 
tables.  Hence  our  churches  in  National 
Council  (1865)  have  said  : 

"  Deacons  are  chosen  in  every  church  to 
lielp  the  elders,  chiefly  by  receiving  the  con- 
tributions and  whatever  gifts  are  offered  to 
the  church  ;  by  keeping  the  treasury  of  the 
church  ;  and  by  distributing  from  it  for  the 
relief  of  the  poor,  especially  of  those  in  com- 
munion, for  the  supply  of  the  Lord's  Table  ; 
and,  if  needful,  for  the  support  of  the  minis- 
try. As  almoners  of  the  church,  they  are  to 
care  for  the  poor,  to  know  them  personally, 
to  inquire  into  their  wants,  and  afflictions, 
and  to  be  the  organ  of  communication  be- 
tween them  and  the  brotherhood." 

This  call  to  assist  the  pastor  is  more  urgent 
now  than  when  each  church  had  two  or  more 
■elders  to  minister  unto  the  saints,  as  was  the 
case  with  the  primitive  churches,  and  with 
those  first  planted  in  New  England  (§91).   See 


215 

to  it,  therefore,  that  none  of  your  duties  are 
laid  upon  the  ministry  of  the  Word.  Chosen 
to  be  among  the  standard-bearers  of  the 
church,  fulfil  your  trust  with  all  humility  and 
patience.  On  you  rests  largely  the  welfare 
of  this  church.  Study,  therefore,  to  show  the 
gravity,  the  sincerity,  the  generosity,  the 
temperance,  the  blamelessness,  the  wisdom, 
the  fidelity,  and  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit, 
which  are  required  of  deacons.  "  For  they 
that  have  served  well  as  deacons  gain  to  them- 
selves a  good  standing,  and  great  boldness  in 
the  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Be  full  of  prayer,  gentleness,  and  the  sweet 
love' of  God,  and  you  shall  find  His  grace  suf- 
ficient for  you  in  every  responsibility  of  your 
office,  and  your  new  service  will  be  a  joy 
-here,  and  a  crown  of  glory  hereafter.     Amen. 


216 

179?     Laying  a  Corner-Stone. 

I. — Hymn. 

2. — Prayer. 

3. — Psalm  cxxxii,  read  responsively. 

4.— Scripture  Lesson,  i  Cor.  iii.  9-23,  or 
some  other  passage. 

5. — Sermon  or  address. 

6. — Contributions  or  subscriptions. 

7. — Hymn. 

8. — D,e^Qsiting  box  and  laying  the  stone, 
assisted  by  the  builder,  the  minister  saying, 
as  the  stone  is  put  in  its  place  :  — 

In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  lay  this  corner- 
stone for  the  foundation  of  a  house  to  be 
builded  and  consecrated  to  the  worship  of 
Almighty  God,  according  to  the  faith,  order, 
and  usages  of  Congregational  churches. 
Amen. 

9. — Prayer. 

1  o.— Benediction. 


217 

i8o.     Order  and  Covenant  for  the  Ded- 
ication of  a  Church. 

[The  following  order  may  be  changed,  by  using 
'*  re-dedicate  "  for  "dedicate,"  to  fit  it  for  Re-dedi- 
cation.] 

I. — Doxology. 

2. — Prayer  of  Invocation. 

3  — Anthem,  or  Hymn. 

4. — Responsive  Readings. 

5. — Te  Deum  Laudamus,  or  Anthem. 

6. — Scripture  Lesson. 

7. — Hymn. 

8. — Sermon. 

9. — Solo,  or  Choir. 

10. — Statement  of  the  Trustees. 

II. — Hymn. 

12. — Dedicatory  Covenant.  (Congregation, 
standing.) 

Pastor. — Unto  thee,  infinite  and  eternal 
God,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost, 

People. —  We  dedicate  this  house. 

Pastor. — To  the  honor  of  thy  law,  to  the 
celebration  of  Thy  love,  to  the  proclamation 
of  Thy  truth,  to  the  publication  of  Thy  gos-^ 
pel,  and  to  the  glory  of  Thy  great  name. 

People. —  IVe  dedicate  this  house. 


218 

/  Pastor. — That  in  this  place  Thy  goodness 
and  truth  may  ever  be  manifested  to  Thy 
people,  and  Thy  promises  continually  fulfilled 
among  Thy  servants  ;  that  the  simple  may 
here  find  wisdom  ;  the  feeble,  strength  ;  the 
troubled,  peace ;  the  weary,  rest ;  the  sinful, 
forgiveness ;  and  all,  eternal  life  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 

People. —  We  dedicate  this  house. 

Pastor. — For  the  purposes  of  a  Christian 
church,  open  to  all  for  whom  Christ  died  ; 
where  Thou  shalt  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and 
truth ;  where  Thy  word  shall  be  proclaimed 
in  purity,  faithfulness  and  love  ;  where  Chris- 
tian zeal  and  fellowship  shall  abound  ;  and 
where  every  effort  to  lift  the  degraded,  help 
the  helpless,  save  the  lost,  shall  find  sympathy 
and  aid. 

People. —  We  dedicate  this  house. 

Pastor. — As  a  tribute  of  gratitude,  love  and 
praise,  from  those  who  have  drunk  deeply  of 
the  cup  of  Thy  goodness,  and  have  known  in 
rich  experience  Thy  mercy  and  Thy  grace, 

People. —  We  dedicate  this  house. 

Pastor. — Holiness  becometh  Thine  house, 
O  Lord,  forevermore  ;  and  separating  this 
place  of  worship  from  every  unhallowed  thing, 


219 

making  it  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  the  people^ 
and  so  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God, 

People. —  We  dedicate  this  house  to  Thee,  O 
God^  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

All. — Arise,  O  Lord,  and  fill  Thy  sanctu- 
ary ;  let  the  glory  of  the  Lord  fill  the  house 
of  the  Lord;  then  shall  we  worship  Thee  in 
the  beauty  of  holiness.     Amen,  and  Amen. 

13. — Gloria  Patri.     (All  standing.) 

14. — Dedicatory  Prayer. 

15. — Hymn. 

16. — Benediction. 


220 

i8i.    MARRIAGE  SERVICES. 

First  Form. 

Dear  Friends  :  With  hearts  united  in  love 
you  stand  here  in  this  presence  to  join  hands 
in  holy  wedlock,  to  enter  into  a  relation  of 
Divine  appointment.  May  it  be  to  you  as 
pure  and  sweet  as  the  first  bridal  in  Eden  ! 
and  that  it  may  be  so  let  me  urge  you  to  walk 
to^^ether  in  the  light  of  God's  holy  word 
touching  the  duties  you  will  henceforth  owe 
to  each  other  in  this  blessed  relationship. 

Let  me  now  receive  your  mutually  plighted 
troth,  and  seal  your  marriage  vows. 

In  token  of  your  choice  of  each  other  as 
husband  and  wife,  you  will  please  to  join  your 
right  hands. 

Do  you  promise  before  God  and  these  wit- 
nesses to  receive  each  other  as  companions 
in  wedlock  for  life  ?  And  do  you  promise 
to  live  together  as  such,  in  the  exercise  of 
the  duties  and  graces  which  God  has  enjoined 
upon  those  united  in  the  bands,  of  holy  wed- 
lock ?  If  you  so  promise,  you  will  say — I 
do. 

[If  the   parties  desire  to  be  married  with  the  ring, 
the  minister  shall  say  to  the  groom  :] 


221 

What  token  do  you  give  to  seal  your 
plighted  troth  ? 

[Then  they  shall  loose  their  hands,  and  the  man 
shall  give  unto  the  woman  a  ring.  And  the  minister 
taking  the  ring  from  the  woman,  shall  deliver  it  unto 
the  man,  to  put  it  upon  the  fourth  finger  of  the  wo- 
man's left  hand.  And  the  man  holding  the  ring  there, 
•and  taught  by  the  minister,  shall  say  :] 

With  this  ring,  I  thee  wed  ;  and  with  my 
love,  I  thee  endow  ;  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen. 

I,  therefore,  in  accordance  with  your  sacred 
promises,  and  in  virtue  of  the  power  con- 
ferred on  me  by  the  laws  of  this  Common- 
wealth, pronounce  you  husband  and  wife,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  what  God  hath 
joined  together,  let  not  man  put  asunder. 

[After  the  minister  shall  have  prayed,  the  husband 
and  wife,  one  flesh,  shall  again  join  their  hands,  and 
the  minister,  placing  his  right  hand  upon  theirs,  shall 
pronounce  the  Aaronic  benediction  i} 

The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee  : 
The  Lord  make  His  face  to  shine  upon 

thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee  : 
The  Lord  lift  up  His  countenance  upon 
thee,  and  give  thee  peace.     Amen. 


222 
Second   Form. 

[Furnished  by  Rev.W.  B.  Williams.] 

The  ordinance  of  marriage  was  instituted 
by  God  Himself  during  the  innocence  of  our 
first  parents  in  Eden. 

In  the  simple  though  beautiful  and  express- 
ive language  of  inspiration,  we  are  told  that 
"  the  Lord  God  said,  It  is  not  good  that  the 
man  should  be  alone  ;  I  will  make  him  an 
help  meet  for  him."  This  ordinance  was 
also  sanctioned  by  the  presence  of  our  Saviour 
at  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee. 

A  holy  apostle  also  declares  that  "  mar- 
riage is  honorable  in  all." 

In  short,  both  reason  and  revelation  show 
that  when  this  relation  is  wisely  assumed 
with  a  due  regard  on  the  part  of  those  enter- 
ing it,  to  the  mental,  moral,  and  physical 
traits  of  each,  by  diminishing  the  sorrows  of 
life  and  increasing  its  joys,  it  is  highly  con- 
ducive to  human  happiness. 

In  token  then  of  a  due  consideration  on 
your  part,  of  the  nature  and  obligations  of 
the  conjugal  relation,  and  of  your  free,  delib- 
erate, and  decided  choice  of  each  other  as 
partners  for  life,  you  will  join  your  right 
hands. 


223 

Do  you,  A  B  and  C  D,  now  solemnly  prom- 
ise in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God  and  of 
these  witnesses,  to  receive  each  other  as  hus- 
band and  wife,  and  to  practice  with  mutual 
fidelity,  until  separated  by  death,  all  those 
offices  of  affection  and  kindness  that  God  in 
His  word  has  enjoined  upon  those  who  are 
united  in  this  relation  ?  Do  you  thus  mutu- 
ally promise  and  engage  ?  [Let  each  respond 
"  I  do."] 

[Here  let  the  groom  place  a  ring  on  the  fourth 
finger  of  the  left  hand  of  the  bride,  saying  :] 

"■  With  this  ring,  I  thee  wed,  and  with  all 
my  worldly  goods,  and  my  heart's  faithful 
affections,  I  thee  endow." 

[The  Minister  should  add  :] 

And  may  it  remain  a  fit  emblem  of  the 
brighter  link  uniting  your  hearts,  of  the  richer 
circle  of  your  common  enjoyments,  and  as  it 
is  without  end,  may  your  happiness  and  pros- 
perity endure  forever. 

Agreeably,  then,  to  the  laws  of  this 
State,  and  the  higher  law  of  heaven,  I 
pronounce  you,  A  B  and  C  D,  husband 
and  wife,  henceforth  in  interests  and  des- 
tiny, as  in  affection  one,  and  "  what  God 
hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  put  asun- 


224 

•der,"  and  may  the  God  in  whose  presence 
you  have  entered  into  this  solemn  covenant 
look  upon  you  in  mercy  to  preserve  and 
prosper  you,  make  you  blessed  and  a  bless- 
ing in  the  sphere  you  may  be  called'to  occupy, 
and  bringing  you  through  all  the  troubles  and 
perils  of  this  brief  life,  grant  you  a  glad  and 
^eternal  reunion  in  heaven.  Amen. 
[Prayer.] 

Third  Form. 

i;Funiished  by  Rev.  Philo  R.  Hurd,  D.  D.] 
INIv  Dear  Friends  :  The  transaction  in 
which  you  are  about  to  engage,  you  will  suf- 
fer me  to  remind  you,  is  one  of  great  solem- 
nity and  importance.  It  is  certainly  one  of 
great  importance  to  you  personally,  inasmuch 
as  upon  it  your  happiness  in  the  present 
world,  and  possibly  in  the  next,  will  largely 
'depend. 

Marriage,  I  may  also  remind  you,  is  not 
merely  a  human  device,  but  an  ordinance  of 
God  established  by  Him  for  the  highest  and 
holiest  purposes.  It  is  not,  therefore,  to  be 
■entered  upon  lightly,  or  without  due  consid- 
eration, but  thoughtfully  and  in  the  fear  of 
iGod. 


225 

Trusting  that  it  is  with  these  views  and 
feelings  you  propose  to  enter  into  this  sacred 
relation,  I  now  ask  you  to  join  your  right 
hands. 

Do  you  (naming  the  man)  take  this  woman 
Mhom  you  hold  by  the  hand  to  be  your  law- 
fully wedded  wife  ;  and  do  you  solemnly 
covenant  and  promise  in  the  presence  of  God 
and  these  witnesses  to  be  unto  her  a  loving, 
faithful  husband  ;  and,  forsaking  all  others, 
to  cleave  to  her  alone,  in  sickness  and  in 
health,  in  prosperity  and  in  adversity,  so  long 
as  you  both  shall  live  ?  [To  which  the  man 
answers,  I  do.] 

And  do  you  (naming  the  woman)  now  take 
this  man  whom  you  hold  by  the  hand  to  be 
your  lawfully  wedded  husband  ;  and  do  you 
covenant  and  promise,  in  the  presence  of 
God  and  these  witnesses,  to  be  to  him  a  lov- 
ing and  faithful  wife,  and,  forsaking  all  others, 
to  cleave  to  him  alone,  in  sickness  and  in 
Tiealth,  in  prosperity  and  in  adversity,  so  long 
as  you  both  shall  live  ?  [The  woman  an- 
swers, I  do.] 

[In  case  a  ring  is  to  be  given,  the  minister  may  say 
ihanding  the  ring  to  the  bridegroom  :] 

In   confirmation  of  these   solemn  vows  let 


226 

this  ring,  the  fitting  emblem  ot  an  unending 
fidelity,  be  given  and  received. 

[The  bridegroom   puts   the  ring   upon    the   bride's 
finger,  when  the  minister  says  :] 

As  a   minister  of  God,  then,   and   by    the 

authority  given  me  by  the  laws  of  the  State^ 

I    pronouiice    you    husband    and    wife  ;    and 

what  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  mant 

put  asunder. 

[Prayer.} 


227 
•^       182.    BURIAL  SERVICES. 

I^After  the  casket  has  been  lowered  into  the  grave, 
.he  minister  may  use  at  his  discretion  one  of  the  fol- 
lowing forms  of  committal :] 

I. — ''  Jesus  said,  I  am  the  resurrection,  and 
the  life  :  he  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he 
die,  yet  shall  he  live  :  and  whosoever  liveth 
and  believeth  on  me  shall  never  die."  In 
unwavering  confidence  in  this  blessed  hope 
'of  a  future  life,  we  lay  the  remains  of  our 
loved  one  in  the  ground ;  earth  to  earth, 
ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust.  May  God  en- 
able us  all  by  His  grace  to  be  prepared  for  a 
'glorious  immortality. 

And  to  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  one  God,  shall  be  the  praise  forever. 
Amen. 


2. — It  having  pleased  Almighty  God  our 
lieavenly  Father,  in  whose  hand  our  breath 
is,  and  who  doeth  all  things  well,  to  remove 
from  earth  the  soul  of  our  beloved,  we  com- 
mit the  body  to  the  grave  ;  earth  to  earth, 
•ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust  ;  remembering 
the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  when  he  said  : 
***  For  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for   you.     And 


228 

if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  come 
again,  and  will  receive  you  unto  myself;  that 
where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also."  To  those 
dying  in  Jesus  there  is  a  glorious  immortality 
in  His  presence.  For  "there  remaineth 
therefore  a  sabbath  rest  for  the  people  of 
God.  Let  us  therefore  give  diligence  to 
enter  into  that  rest,"  waiting  with  patience 
until  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is. 

"  Now  the  God  of  peace,  who  brought 
again  from  the  dead  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep  with  the  blood  of  the  eternal  covenant, 
even  our  Lord  Jesus,  make  you  perfect  in 
every  good  thing  to  do  His  will,  working  in 
us  that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  His  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ  ;  to  whom  be  the  glory 
for  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 


3. — "  Forasmuch  as  it  hath  pleased  Al- 
mighty God,  in  His  wise  providence,  to  take 
out  of  this  world  the  soul  of  our  deceased 
brother,  we  therefore  commit  his  body  to 
the  ground  ;  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,, 
dust  to  dust  ;  looking  for  the  general  res- 
urrection in  the  last  day,  and  the  life  of  the 
world  to  come,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ; 


229 

at  whose  second  coming  in  glorious  majesty 
to  judge  the  world,  the  earth  and  the  sea  shall 
give  up  their  dead ;  and  the  corruptible 
bodies  of  those  who  sleep  in  Him  shall-  be 
changed,  and  made  like  unto  His  own  glorious 
body  ;  according  to  the  mighty  working 
whereby  He  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto 
Himself"  {Book  of  Common  Prayer). 

"  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
the  love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  with  you  all."     Amen. 


INDEX, 


Page. 

-•A<;cept,  same  as  adopt 162 

Activity  of  Primitive  Churches 118 

Modern  Congregational  Churches 119 

-Adjournment,  effect  on  Councils 41,  42 

Admission  of  Members.  17,  125 

Form  for 131 

Apostles  had  no  Successors 67 

Appeal,  No,  from  local  church 32 

Associations,  Church  ...    53-^2 

Authority  of 56 

Churches  should  join 27 

Conditions  of  membership  in  .  .  .  .26,  55,  $7-60 

Doctrinal  bases  of 14 

How  to  form 187 

Justified  in  excluding  members 56,  58,  59 

Kinds  of. 53 

May  join  in  calling  councils. . 38,  48 

Membership  in,  guarded 55»  ^^»  200 

Ministerial  delegates  in,  not  members.  .  .61,  62 

Ministerial  standing  in 60,  77,  198,  200 

T^^'ames  of. 55 

Nature  of .    53 

'Not  Presbyteries 57-6o 

231 


232 

Object  of. ; 56 

Responsibility  of 56,  57 

Standing  of  churches  in 60 

When  may  ordain 70,  71,  202 

Associations,  Ministerial 63,  64 

Continuance  of 64 

Nature  of 63 

Origin  of 63 

Standing  in 76 

Use  of 63,  64 

Authority,  Associations  have  what 56- 

Councils  possess  what 51,  52 

Ecclesiastical,  where  deposited 30 

Ministers  have  none  over  churches 66 

Autonomy,  Church 30,  33-36 

Ballot,  authorizing  a  member  to  cast,  illegal 194, 

Informal,  cannot  be  made  legal 194 

Baptism 91,  92 

Service  for  Infant 189 

Baptists,  differ  from  Congregationalists no 

Number  of 6,  7 

Baptized  children,  when  communicants 14 

Basis,  Doctrinal,   of  union 14 

Bible,  Standard  of  Congregationalists 11 

Bishops,  what  in  New  Testament 32,  66,  67 

Board,  Church 90,  91 

Bunsen,  on  Primitive  Churches 34 

Burial  Services 227 

By-Laws  of  National  Council 176. 

Cambridge  Platform  and  the  ministry 64,  65 

Censures,  How  to  lift 98 

Certificate  of  membership 103,  152. 


233 

Challenge,  no  right  of. ,  .   47- 

Church,  A,  what 23, 

How  formed '.....  24-27 

Material  of 24 

Membership  in,  a  covenant. ...    loi 

Officers  in S4,  87,  89 

Standing  of,  in  Associations 60,  200 

Worship  controlled  by 107,  108 

Church,  The  Invisible 22 

How  manifested 22,  23 

Indivisible 36 

Theories  of 21 

Church  Board 9°,  91 

Churches,  Congregational,  legal  relations  of.  .  .27,  28. 

Number  of,  in  the  world .6 

Citation  of  the  Accused.. 192 

Civil  liberty  and  polity 108,  109 

Clerk,  Church 89 

Coleman,  on  Primitive  Churches 34 

Complaint,  form  of , 1 53 

Commission,  The  great 117 

Committees,  Church 91 

Common  fame,  Procedure  in 192: 

Conferences  (see  Associations) 53 

Confession 97,  98 

Confessions  of  Faith,  General 12 

Congregationalism,  Constitutive  principle  of.  22,  29,  30- 

Congregationalists Z-Ji    108-113 

Meaning  of  name 3,  4, 

Number  of 6- 

Origin  of 4,  5 

Consolidation  of  church  and  society 195. 


234 

Constitutive  principle  of  Congregationalism.  .  .  ,22,  29 

Pi"oof  of 33-36 

■Constitution  of  National  Council    172 

Co-ordinate  bodies 61 

Corner-stone,  Service  for  laying 216 

Councils  of  Churches 37-53 

Adjournment  and 41,  42 

Dismissing,  when  needed 42 

How  called ,  38,  45-50 

Kinds  of. 43,  44 

Binary 45 

Ex  parte 48 

Mutual 46 

Singular 45 

Membership  in 38-40 

Must  be  fairly  chosen. 49 

National 171 

Objects  of 42 

Origin 205 

Procedure  in 52,  157 

Quorum  in 40 

Result  of 51 

Scope  of 42 

Value  of 205 

Covenant,  church  membership,  a 25,  loi 

Form  of 133,  134 

Credentials,  Church 82 

Contents  of 83 

Ministerial 82 

Creed,   Apostles' 132 

Church 12,  126 

-Dedication  of  a  church,  Service  for 217 


235 

Delegates,  Members  only  may  be 55 

Ministerial,  not  members  of  Associa- 
tions  6i,  62,  203. 

Reports  from 52,  62 

Denominational  differences 108-1 13. 

Deposition  from  the  ministry 76,  78-81 

Diaconate •  87-89 

Deacons §7 

Deaconesses 88 

Duties  of .  .  •. 88^ 

Election  of 88 

Ordination  of 88,  212: 

Discipline,  Church 93-I07,  204 

Citation  in 192 

Jury  trial  in 95 

Law  of 93 

Offenses 93.  94,  95 

Procedure  in 94?  95 

Discipline,  Ministerial,  by  Associations 79,  204 

By  churches 98 

By  councils 79 

District  Associations 53 

Doctrine,   Evangelical 15 

Importance  of 1 1 

Standard  of. 1 1 

Dropping  members 102 

Ekklesia,  meaning  of 3 

Never  used  of  a  collection  of  churches 25 

Ecclesiastical  authority,  M'here  deposited 30 

Society  consolidated  with  its  church 195 

Unscriptural 3^ 

Ecumenical  Association 54 


236 

Elders,  Plurality  of  in  Primitive  Churches 84 

Same  as  bishops,  presbyters,  pastors.  .  .  .32,  67 

Election  of  church  officers .31,  88,  89 

Episcopacy,  Constitutive  principle  of ...    22 

Episcopalians,  how  difter 112 

Equality  in  churches 55 

Evidence,  Rules  of 96 

Excommunication 98 

Ex  pa7'te  councils. . 48 

Fellowship,  Church 53 

Conditions  of 60 

How  secured 26,  27 

Reciprocal  rights  in 27,  58,  60 

lireek  Church , 113 

Hatch,  on  Primitive  Churches 35 

Inalienable  Rights  of  Churches 80,  200,  201 

Independence,  Church 22,  30,  58 

Conceded 33-35 

Pioof  of 31-33 

Infant  Baptism,  Service  for 189 

Installation 71 

Decline  of. 86 

Irregularities,   Force  of 97 

Jury  trial  in  churches 95 

Lawyers  in  ecclesiastical  trials 50 

Laying  corner-stone,  Service  for 216 

Legal  relations  of  churches 27 

Letters  of  Dismission 103 

Force  of. .  .    105 

Form  of ' 152 

To  churches  not  receiving  them 104 

When  not  to  be  issued 104 


237 

Letters  of  Introduction ji-2 

Letters  Missive -.y 

Forms  of 1 54_i  ^5 

Liberty  in  non-essentials j  - 

Relation  of  polity  to  .  .' 108,  109 

Licentiates,   laymen 50 

When  may  administer  rites 92 

-Lord's  Supper 02 

Relation  of  baptized  children  to ... 14 

Service  for  administering 209 

-Marriage  Serviced 220 

Material  of  a  church. . 24 

Membership,  Associational 55,  61,  204 

Church,  guarded i  ^ 

In  councils og 

Weak  Christians  and  church 17 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church 1 1 1 

Milman,  on  Primitive  Churches 34>  35 

Ministerial  Standing y^^  203 

Guarded  how 200 

Held  in  church  associations 77 

National  Council  on iq8 

Not  held  in  councils 76 

Not  held  in  ministerial  bodies .    76 

Transferred  from  local  churches 74,  75 

-Ministers,  Authority  of 66 

Examination  of .  . .  i-"    t-" 

When  pastors 68    86 

•Ministry,  a  function,  not  an  office 64 

Doctrinal  guards  to 13 

Not  a  priesthood 66 

One  order  in  the 66 


238 

Missionaries,  Antioch  church  first  send  out 117- 

Missionary  Societies,  Churches  may  control 118 

List  of  Congregational 120 

Mosheim,  on  Primitive  Churches 34 

Mutual  Councils 46 

National  Council 54,  171 

By-Laws  of 176 

Constitution  of. 172 

Doctrinal  Basis  of 14 

Ministerial  Standing  and 198 

Rules  of  Order  of 181 

Non-essentials,  Liberty  in 15 

Oath,  Form  of 100 

Officers,  Church  : 

Deacons 87-89 

Pastors 84-87 

Other  officers 89 

Election  of 3 1 ,  88 

Ordination,  what,  and  by  whom 68 

Service  for,  of  deacons 212 

Papacy,  Constitutive  principle  of 21 

Parties  calling  councils,  not  members 39 

Parties  when  protected  in  trials 100 

Pastorate 84-87 

Theory  of  the.    65 

Pastors 84 

Duties  of. 87 

Induction  into  office 85 

Installation  of 7^ 

Recognition  of 72 

Should  be  church  members 68 

Presbyterianism,  Constitutive  principle  of. 22 


239 

Presbyterians,  how  differ no 

Presbytery  in  local  church.      . 84 

Procedure  in  church  meetings. 159-163 

Church  trials 147 

Common  fame 192 

Councils 157 

Quorum  in  councils , 40 

Recognition,  council  of 72 

Reciprocal  nature  of  fellowship. 27,  58,  60 

Religious  corporations  in  States 28 

Reports  of  delegates 5^,  62 

Representation,  what 55'  ^^ 

Roman  Catholics 113 

Rules  of  Order  in  National  Council 181 

Parliamentary    159 

Disposing  of  business 161 

Introducing  business 160 

Motions  amendable 163 

Incidental 167 

Privileged 167 

Requiring  two-thirds  vote.  , 167 

Subsidiary 165 

Unamendable 163 

Undebatable 164 

Sacraments 9i>  9^ 

Administered  by  whom 92 

Seminaries,  Congregational  Theological 121 

Societies,  Congregational  National 120 

Standing,  Ministerial  and  Church .  .  73-78,  60,  200,  204 

Sunday  subscriptions 105 

Superintendent  of  Sunday  school 91 

Synods,  National  Congregational 17^ 


240 

Theories  of  the  Church 21 

Constitutive  principles   of 21 

Diverge  where .    23 

Treasurer,  Church 90 

Trial  by  jury  in  churches 95 

Trustees,  Board  of 141 

Unifying   principle    36 

Development  of 37 

Unions,  Congregational 55 

Unity,  not  secured  by  force 108,  109 

Veto,  Pastors  have  no  power  of 31,  87 

Voting  limited  to  adult  members 68,  106 

Waddington,  on  Primitive  Churches ^j 

Weak  Christians  admitted 17 

Whately,  on  Primitive  Churches ;^^ 

Witnesses 100 

May  be  put  under  oath 100 

Protected  in  their  testimony 100 

Worship,  Each  church  regulates  its  own 107