South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 191

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MISCELLANEOUS.  181
Ex-parte  Council.  Charity  leads  us  to  hope  that  much  of
this  opposftion  is  the  result  of  ignorance  ;  although  igno-
rance is  a  poor  excuse  when  the  means  of  obtaining  correct
information  are  at  hand ;  and  prejudice  is  a  poor  excuse
when  based  upon  ignorance  or  misinformation  which  might
have  been  avoided ;  much  more  if  it  be  the  oflFspring  of
sectarian  exclusiveness,  professional  rivalry,  party  animos-
ity, or  an  unwillingness  to  entertain  strangers,  which  some
doing,  have  entertained  angels  unawares.
Among  the  conclusions  an'ived  at  by  the  Council,  this  is
one,  viz  :  ",tJiat  the  South  Church,  so  called,  ought  to  be
recognized  no  longer  as  a  Congregational  Church."  "  No
longer."  They  admit,  then,  that  it  has  hitherto  been  a
Congregational  Church.  One  of  two  things  follo'^^s  :  Either
that  this  Ex-parte  Council,  representing  a  dozen  Churches
out  of  200  or  300  in  the  State,  claim  and  have  exercised
the  power  to  put  us  out  of  the  denomination  ;  or  else  that,
not  claiming  this  power,  they  have  gravely  decided  that
we  "ought  not  to  be  recognized" — as  what  we  confessedly
are.  In  other  words,  that  the  truth  ought  to  be  suppressed
or  ignored.  If  the  latter  be  their  meaning,  it  is  in  good
keeping  with  the  evidence,  and  with  the  avowedly  ex-parte
construction  of  the  Council.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they
say  they  have  power,  and  have  exercised  it  to  put  us  out
of  the  Congregational  Church,  then  of  course,  according  to
their  own  showing,  they  will  have  no  more  right  hereafter
to  meddle  with  our  affairs,  than  with  those  of  a  Baptist,
Episcopal,  or  Methodist  Church.  This  is  some  comfort;
and  if  the  few  disaffected  members  who  have  not  already
left  us,  will  do  so,  according  to  the  advice  of  their  own
Council,  we  mav  confidently  hope  for  a  lasting  Peace  ;  for
there  are  no  other  elements  of  discord  among  us.  Not  that
we  are  all  agreed  on  all  subjects,  social,  political,  and
economical ;  agricultural,  mechanical  and  financial ;  but
since  by  common  consent  and  choice  we  leave  all  these
matters  outside  the  Church,  they  make  and  can  make  us
no  trouble  as  a  Church  of  Christ.  As  to  ecclesiastical
interference  unasked  for  by  us,  we  shall  henceforth  stand
where  we  intended  to  do  from  the  first.  We  were  organized
simply  as  a  Congregational  Church.    We  were  never  con-

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Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0191. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 191. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n195/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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