South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 133

Searchable source text

THE    EX-rARTE    COUNCIL.  123
claim  1  Further,  this  custom  has  recently  been  recognized
and  ratified  by  the  formal  action  of  our  Church  at  its  last
annual  meeting.  It  was  decided  in  the  case  of  George  S.
Minor,*  claiming  this  right  for  the  first  time  in  our  history,
*  Note  Br  the  Author  of  South  Church  History. — That  he
intendod  to  ask  for  an  absohite  dismission,  is  evident  from  tlie  lan-
guage of  his  apiilication,  as  follows :
"New  Haven,  Jnly  19,  1863.
'■  To  the  Clerk  of  the  Soutli  Congregational  Church. —
^•Dear  Sir:  Feeling  it  a  duty  to  dissolve  my  connection  with  this
Church,  I  respectfully  ask  througli  you,  of  tlien;,  a  letter  of  dismission,
with  a  certificate  of  Christian  character,  and  recommendation  to  any
Church  of  Christ  to  which  by  God  I  may  be  directed  to  hold  fellowship
and  communion.
Yerv  respectfully,
GEORGE  S.  MINOR."
"We  have  before  us  the  requests  of  several  other  persons  who  applied
for  general  letters  of  dismission  about  the  same  time  with  the  above.
The  following  is  a  copy  of  Deacon  Minor's  application.
"New  H.wex,  July  22,  1863.
"  To  tlie  South  Congregational  Church. —
"  Dear  Brethren : — Feeling  that  I  cannot  with  satisfaction  to  myself
and  advantage  to  the  Chiircii,  retain  connection  witli  it  while  under  its
present  circimistances,  1  respectfully  ask  for  a  letter  of  dismission  and
recommendation  to  whatever  Cliurch  I  may  wish  to  connect  myself.
Respectfully  yours,
E.  S.  MINOR."
After  reading  these  requests,  and  others  life  them,  can  there  be  a
doubt  what  was  the  intention  and  wish  of  the  applicants?  They  felt
it  a  "duty"  to  separate  themselves  from  the  South  Church  and  the
South  Church  granted  their  request.  Neither  party,  it  is  safe  to  say,
had  at  thai  time  the  slightest  idea  of  any  further  ecclesiastical  coimec-
tion  with  eacli  other.  If  Paul  and  Barnabas,  after  "shaking  off  the
dust  of  their  feet  against"  the  sinners  of  Antioch,  had  subsequently
returned  and  claimed  it  as  thoir  property,  and  demanded  to  have  it  put
back  upon  their  feet,  the  Antiochans  would  have  been  liardly  more
surprised  than  were  the  South  Church  people  at  the  claim  of  their  dis-
missed members  to  to  be  still  members  of  that  Cliurch  in  full,  entitled
to  speak  and  vote  in  their  meetings,  the  same  as  if  they  had  not  been
dismissed.     And  yet  the  Council  sustains  this  claim.

Cite this page

Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0133. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 133. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n137/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

Historic U.S. publication before 1931; public-domain assessment based on publication date. Internet Archive does not necessarily provide an explicit license. Preserve publication and digitizing credits.