South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 168

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158  THE    EX-PARTE    COUNCIL.
"I.    THEIR    COMING   INTO   BEING."
"  Councils  cannot  come  into  being  except  a  Churcii  be
directly  concerned  in  the  matter  for  consideration.  Indi-
viduals cannot,  for  their  own  matters,  summon  a  Council ;
a  Church  must  be  a  party  in  inviting, — the  apparent  excep-
tion of  Ex-parte  Councils  called  by  aggrieved  individuals
being  no  real  exception,  as  the  individual  must  complain  of
some  Church  action,  and  bases  his  call  upon  the  fact  that
the  Church  of  which  he  complains,  ought  to  have  been  a
party,  but  has  unreasonably  refused.  An  individual
complaining  of  another  individual,  a  party  in  a  Church
complaining  of  an  opposing  party,  dissatisfied  members
complaining  of  a  pastor, — cannot  call  a  Council.  There
must  have  been  some  distinct  Church  action,  of  which
complaint  is  made.  Thus,  if  an  individual  complaining
of  another,  wishes  for  a  Council,  he  must  first  bring  the
complaint  formally  before  the  Church ;  if  the  Church  do
not  remedy  his  grievance,  he  has  no  resource  unless  the
Church  do  in  some  way  deprive  him  of  his  rights  ;  and
even  these  rights  cannot  come  before  a  Council  by  his  de-
mand, unless  the  rights  affected  concern  his  relations  of
fellowship  with  the  Churches  at  large."
"AVhile  this  is  the  case  in  matters  concerning  which
there  is  agreement,  an  idea  sometimes  prevails  that  Coun-
cils have  appellate  Jurisdiction  in  all  matters  of  Church
action  with  which  parties  are  dissatisfied.  But  this  is  a
mistake."
"  They  have  no  supervisory  power  over  the  internal
affairs  of  a  Church  ;  that  Church  is,  on  Congregational
principles,  entirely  sufficient  to  take  care  of  its  own  affairs.
The  'Churches  consulting'  control  their  fellowship,  but
not  the  action  of  the  particular  Church."
"  The  well  known  Council  called  by  the  aggrieved  mem-
bers of  the  Church  of  the  Puritans,  New  York,  erred,  or
rather  their  officers  did,  on  this  very  point ;  thev  declared
the  action  of  the  Church  to  be  null  and  void,  which  they
had  no  business  or  power  to  do ;  they  could  only  say  that
THEV  were  willing  to  fellowship  these  ])rethren  notwith-
standing the  CHiurch  action,  and  advise  Churches  to  receive
them  even  without  the  letters  which  had  been,  as  they  said,

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Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0168. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 168. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n172/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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