South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 127

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THE    EX-PARTE    COUNCIL.  117
records  or  "  authenticated  copies  "  of  the  same,  because  it
had  decided  by  a  unanimous  vote,  (61,)  as  stated  above,  not
to  become  a  party  to  the  Council.  It  should  be  remarked,
liowever,  that  those  of  the  petitioners  who  had  not  been  dis-
missed, had  free  access  to  the  records;  one  of  whom  (G.  H.
Butriclis,)  took  extracts  therefrom.  Having  declined  to  ap-
pear before  the  Council,  how  could  we  be  expected  to  pre-
sent our  records,  or  authenticated  copies  thereof,  and  thus
take  away  the  ex-parte  character  of  the  Council  I
"  naviiig  carefully  considered  the  documents  submitted  to  us  in  be-
half of  the  complaiutints  by  their  Committee,  and  having  heard  such
testimony  as  they  in  the  disadvantageous  circumstances  in  which  they
are  placed  have  been  able  to  adduce,  we  find  the  following  matters  of
fact:
■'  1.  The  Church  in  question  was  instituted  as  a  Congregational
Church,  with  the  advice  and  approbation  of  a  conucil  of  Congrega-
tional Ciiurehes,  and  the  complainants  became  members  of  it,  in  the
warranted  expectation  that  tliey  were  to  enjoy  all  the  rights  belonging
to  the  brethren  of  a  Congregational  Church,  according  to  th?  princi-
ples and  usages  of  the  Xew  England  Churches."'
True,  it  was  organized  as  a  Congregational  Church  ;  but
never  having  been  associated  or  consociated,  we  are  an  In-
dependent Congregational  Cliurch, — and  as  such,  claim  the
right  to  regulate  our  own  affairs.
Several  of  the  petitioners,  one  of  them  a  Deacon,  (E.  S.
Minor,)  organized  with  us,  and  assisted  in  making  our  rules,
and  in  creating  and  sanctioning  our  customs.  Such  being
the  case,  what  reason  have  they  now  to  complain  of  those
rules  and  customs  ?
Among  tliese  rules  and  customs,  is  the  right  of  all  mem-
bers to  vote.  This  right  was  acquiesced  in  and  practically
approved  by  the  minority,  in  common  with  the  majority,  at
the  meeting  in  February  last,  already  referred  to — Deacon
E.  S.  Minor,  one  of  the  petitioners,  in  the  chair.
This  right  is  further  sustained  by  the  action  of  the
Church  in  all  cases  of  the  admission  of  members,  and  has
been,  from  the  organization  of  the  Church  to  this  day.  In
every  such  case,  after  the  assent  of  the  member  or  members
to  tile   covenant,  the   minister,  speaking   in  behalf  of  the
10*

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Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0127. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 127. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n131/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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