South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 154

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144  THE  p:x-pakte  council.
FIFTY  male  members  at  that  date,  kxclusive  of  two,  who,
with  their  families,  had  been  for  a  considerable  period  absent
from  the  city,  and  whose  present  residence  w^as,  and  is,  to
the  Church  unknown.  Between  the  1st  of  January,  1863,
and  the  date  of  the  petitioners'  memorial,  twelve  male
members  were  added  by  letter  or  profession,  and  sixteen
dismissed,  viz  :  5  by  letter  to  other  Churches,  8  by  general
letter,  1  by  discipline,  and  2  by  death.  Leaving  at  the  date
of  the  memorial,  forty-six  male  members,  exclusive  of  the
two  above  mentioned.  If  these  two  were  included,  it  would
make  48.  But  call  it  46.  Of  the  eight  dismissed  by  gen-
eral letter,  five  are  signers  of  the  memorial ;  two  are  doubt-
less incliuled  among  the  "sympathizers ;  "  and  one  is  under-
stood to  have  joined  another  Ciuirch.  Deduct  the  first
seven  of  these  eight  from  the  26  signers  and  sympathizers
claimed  by  the  petitioners,  (for  in  all  their  calculations  they
include  the  general  letter  men,)  and  it  leaves  them  but  19.
That  is,  they  do  not  even  claim  more  than  1 9  signers  and
sympathizers,  out  of  the  46  male  members  above  stated; —
the  other  seven  of  their  number  consisting  of  men  who  had
been  dismissed  by  general  letter,  and  who  tlierefore  were  no
longer  reckoned  as  members  by  tbe  Church.  If,  however,
these  were  included  us  members,  it  would  increase  the  num-
ber of  male  members  to  53  at  the  date  of  the  memorial.
Twenty-six  is  not  a  majority  of  53  ;  neither  is  19  a  majority
of  46.  Take  it  which  way  they  will,  therefore  ;  include  the
general  letter  men,  or  exclude  them  ;  and  count  in  for  the
petitioners  all  the  sympathizers  they  claim ;  still  they  fall
short  of  a  majority  of  the  ?iia?e  members.  Hence  it
appears —
1.  That  the  petitioners  to  the  Council,  20  in  number,  are
not  what  they  "  styled  theaisklves,"  according  to  the
published  declaration  of  that  body,  "  the  majority  of  the
brethren  of  the  South  Congregational  Church  in  New
Haven."
2.  Tiiat  they  do  \oT  "represent"  a  majority  of  the
brethren.
3.  That  tlicy  and  all  tlic  "sympathizers"  Ihcy  claim,
are  not  togi;thkr  a  majority  of  the  brethren  of  the  South
Churcli.

Cite this page

Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0154. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 154. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n158/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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