APPENDIX. DOCUMENT I. REV. JOHN P. CLEAVELAND. SALEM, AUGUST 29, 1831. Dear Sir-Will you please to hand over the inclosed communication from the church of the First Congregational Society in Salem, to your church, and to transmit to us their reply, at as early a period as will suit your joint convenience. Respectfully, we are your obedient servants, D. A. WHITE. H. DEVEREUX. The Church of the First Congregational Society in Salem to the Christian Brethren, At a meeting of this church, the votes hereunto subjoined, were regularly passed, and will of themselves fully show the object and authority for this communication. We conceive it unnecessary to enlarge on this subject any further than to assure you of our desire to promote those feelings of christian fellowship, and to practise those duties of courtesy, which different christian societies should ever observe toward each other. Mrs. Baker having joined our society, we are disposed to grant her all the means of christian improvement in our power, and having requested admission to our church, we consider her entitled thereto, if no reasons to the contrary exist. To enable us to judge of the course to be pursued in reference to her request, we are induced to ask the reasons of your withholding the usual testimonials of a christian character, and regular standing in the church. It is likewise the wish of Mrs. Baker, that such reasons, if any there be, should be frankly stated. With these views and feelings we beg leave to subscribe ourselves your christian friends. D. A. WHITE, H. DEVEREUX, Committee in behalf of the Church of the First Cong. Soc'y. in Salem. At a meeting of the church of the First Congregational Society in Salem, holden at the house of the Rev. Dr. Prince, August 27th, 1831, Mrs. Martha Baker, wife of Mr. John Baker, having applied for admission to this church, and having informed us that she has been for some time a member of the Tabernacle Church in Salem, to which she was regularly transferred from the Rev. Mr. Oliphant's church in Beverly, but that she has been unable to procure the usual recommendation from the Tabernacle Church, although conscious of no reason why it should be withheld, it was voted, That a committee of two brethren be appointed, respectfully to inquire of the Tabernacle Church, the reasons which have influenced them, in declining to recommend Mrs. Baker, to our communion. That Brothers Daniel A. White, and Humphrey Devereux, be the committee for the foregoing purpose. II. SALEM, 31ST AUGUST, 1831. Hon. D. A. WHITE, H. DEVEREUX, Esq. Gent. I am directed to communicate to you the following vote of the Tabernacle Church. I am, very respectfully, yours, JOHN P. CLEAVELAND. At a meeting of the Tabernacle Church, held at the Vestry, Aug. 29, 1831, a communication having been read from Hon. D. A. White and H. Devereux, Esq. on behalf of "the church of the First Congregational Society in Salem," relative to the request of our sister Martha Baker to be dismissed from this church and recommended to the "First Church" aforementioned, Voted unanimously, that the Pastor be requested to inform the Committee of "the church of the First Congregational Society" that the same evening on which Mrs. Baker's application was made to this church, it was referred to a committee, who have not yet reported to the church." Their report and the doings of the church thereon, will be communicated to you without delay, after the business shall have been finished. A true copy. On behalf of the church. JOHN P. CLEAVELAND, Pastor. N. B. It will be perceived from the foregoing, that Mrs. Baker's information to your church, that she had been denied the usual testimonials in case of transference, is, at present, incorrect. Another regular meeting of the church, does not occur till Sept. 13th. REV. JOHN P. CLEAVELAND. III. SALEM, SEPT. 3d, 1831. Dear Sir-Your letter under date of 31st August, was yesterday received, and would not, at this time, have required from us, any reply, if you had not misapprehended the import of the language in the communication made to your church, as you will perceive by reference thereto. In the preamble to the vote of the First Church, it is stated, that Mrs. Baker informed us, "that she has been unable to procure the usual recommendation from the Tabernacle Church, although conscious of no reason, why it should be withheld.” Neither the word "denied," nor any other of similar meaning is any where used in reference to information given by her-it is simply stated, that the paper asked for is "withheld," the truth of which assertion is apparent on the face of the transaction, and is admitted by all. We have thought it due to truth, and to Mrs. Baker, to rescue her from the imputation of having stated any thing, which is not strictly true; and we are unable to perceive the correctness of your inference, that Mrs. Baker has stated what is "at present incorrect." We are induced to trouble you with this note, from the desire, in which we feel assured that you will most heartily concur, to avoid all misapprehension;—and to have the facts of this case appear as they really are. Very respectfully, we are your obedient servants, D. A. WHIte. H. DEVEREUX. By a vote of the Tabernacle Church, I am directed to lay before you the following extract from the records of the church, as their final answer to your late communication, desiring to be made acquainted with the reasons for "withholding" the request of Mrs. Martha Baker "to be dismissed from the Tabernacle Church, and recommended to the church of the First Society." It may be proper to add, that this decision of the church has been delayed entirely for other reasons than the slightest hesitation, or difference of opinion, on the part of the church, as to the course proper to be pursued in the present case. The subjoined vote of the church, is not regarded as presenting any new view of the principle, on which, in relation to intercourse with other churches, they have long felt it their duty to act. It will serve, however, to define and settle that principle, so as to prevent the occurrence of any doubts, touching similar cases, that may arise in future. Very respectfully, yours, J. P. CLEAVELAND. At a meeting of the Tabernacle Church, held at the Vestry, Sept. 26, 1831: "The committee to whom was referred the request of our sister Martha Baker, 'to be dismissed from this church, and recommended to the First Church in this town,' having previously reported unfavorably to said request, it was, on motion, unanimously voted: That this church cannot grant the request of Mrs. Martha Baker, for the reasons following; viz. First, because this church cannot consistently recognize any church as a "Sister Church," which, in our judgment, rejects those doctrines, that we feel bound to receive, as the fundamental doctrines of christianity; and, Secondly, because this church cannot consent to hold fellowship with any church which manifests an entire disregard to the discipline of this church; and which, by readily admitting to its communion those who have been excommunicated by us, vir |