made, should absent themselves from communion until after such complaints have been acted upon.'

H. GRIFFIN said that there could be no harm in praying; that they could not, in so important business, be too much in prayer. Accordingly prayer was offered, Adjourned to Wednesday evening, May 6.

Had this arbitrary and unusual act of suspension been perpetrated upon the most humble persons in the community, for such a cause, it would have excited indignation in the breast of every one whose manly impulses were not crushed by a degrading and fanatical bigotry. To keep it secret was impossible. It became extensively known, and the two younger of the accused were entirely forgotten in the magnitude of the injustice done to Mrs. Weston, who, though a member of thirty years. standing, was unheard, uncondemned, and in defiance not only of " usage" (which is not in favor of such a course,) but of every principle of christian courtesy, set aside from communion for no offence, except acting contrary to the opinions of men who protest against the infallibility of the Pope!

The church was composed of 181 members of both sexes, and probably four fifths of the whole were shocked at this proceeding: Yet fear "was on every side"; and though many had the courage to express their dissatisfaction, the opposition of the greater portion, overborne by their reverence for the pastor, whom they had long regarded as a standing monument of human perfectability, subsided into indistinct murmurs. Generous human nature asserted its prerogative for a moment, and then succumbed to the tyranny of habit.

"When complaint is made of a CRIME, cognizable before any judicatory, NO MORE SHALL BE DONE AT THE FIRST MEETING, unless by consent of parties, than to give the accused a copy of each charge, with the names of the witnesses to support it; and a citation of all concerned, to appear at the next meeting of the judicatory, to have the matter fully heard and decided." Article fourth of the "forms of process," taken from the "form of the government and discipline of the Presbyterian church in the U.S."

Without this church, however, the measure met with reprobation from every impartial christian; and public opinion made itself heard with such effect that its authors afterwards attempted to avoid the responsibility of their

vote.

Under these circumstances, Judge Weston, on his return, and his family could not bring themselves to listen to the preaching of a man who, if not at the bottom of the difficulty, could have easily prevented it; and of course changed their place of worship.*

CHAPTER V.

"Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall; for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten CONTRARY TO THE LAW." Acts xxiii, 3.

"But Paul said unto them, they have beaten us OPENLY, UNCONDEMNED, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out PRIVILY."? Acts xvi, 37.

"Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like to thy friend." Ecclesiasticus vii, 12.

"There is an exquisite subtlety, and the same is unjust; and there is one that turneth aside to make judgment appear." Ecclesiasticus xix, 25. "God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in anything CONTRARY TO HIS WORD, OR BESIDE IT, in matters of faith or worship." Constitution of the Presbyterian church in the U. S.

Vestry, May 6th.

JUDGE WESTON asked the favor of the church to take up first the case of his wife. He was to be at home but a short time, and deemed it his right, as well as duty to be present at her trial.

*They worshipped with St. Mark's church, which was temporarily provided with preaching about that time. This society did not spring up, as has been supposed by some, in consequence of the difficulties in Mr Tappan's church, though these, in the hands of an all wise Providence, tended largely to increase it.

DEA. T. moved that the complaints be taken up in the order in which he had presented them.

But the motion was lost, and the case of Mrs. Weston made first in order.

C. DOLE here remarked that the case could not proceed unless Mrs. W. should be present.

JUDGE W. objected to this as an unnecessary and cruel wounding of the sensibilities of a lady.

C. DOLE insisted. He had acted in several cases, (once in connection with Pres. Appleton) and never knew a church to proceed in the absence of the party accused.

Judge W. then sent for his wife, who shortly after came in, with her sister, Mrs. Ingraham.

JUDGE W. then offered the following:

Resolved, That the church adjourn to assemble at the meeting house tomorrow at ten o'clock, A. M., and that all farther proceedings upon the complaints of Dea. Tappan, recently filed before this society, be open and public.

CHURCH WILLIAMS. I second the motion.

JUDGE W. stated in support of the resolve, that the accused had been publicly censured by being kept from the communion table; that this was known throughout the town, and was even in the mouths of children. In so doing, he was informed that they acted contrary to ecclesiastical usage. By that usage the propriety of attending communion before trial, rested with the consciences of the accused; and with reason: for before the examination they only could know whether they were guilty or not. If they felt themselves innocent, and went as usual to the table of their Master, and upon trial they were afterwards acquitted, the public would be ignorant alike of the charge and its termination. But in

*This position is fully sustained by Professor Upham's "RATIO DISCIELINE. a work, the authority of which no congregationalist will dispute. On page 143, a form of admonition is given (to be used by the minister when the vote of suspension is communicated to the party concerned) that goes upon the supposition that the accused has been tried and found guilty. "I ADMONISH you to repent of the scandals which we HAVE

SEEN PROVED AGAINST YOU." &c.

this case, by this public censure, the community had been informed that a charge had been made, and I demand, said he, that the public eye shall scrutinize your proceedings, and the nature of the offence which has brought upon the accused such serious consequences. I do not know whether this motion comports with ecclesiastical usage; but that is not important. You have departed from that usage by this premature censure; and you ought to depart from it in this, (if it is a departure,) in order that the groundlessness of the accusation may be as wide spread as the censure.

C. DOLE. The course pursued by the church on the complaint was, I believe, in conformity with usage, which requires suspension on the filing of charges. I have known several instances of this kind, (one in connection with Pres. Appleton;) and such has been the uniform custom in those instances. As for having our proceedings public, I apprehend it would be altogether in violation of usage in like cases.

CHURCH WILLIAMS spoke in favor of the motion. Mrs. W. had been publicly censured, and had a right to a public trial.

PASTOR. If it be your minds that the motion prevail please to manifest it-contrary minded-it is not a vote.* D. C. WESTON. The motion was not fairly put. It is not parliamentary to call for the "contrary minded," unless the vote is doubted: for the reason that there are always some who, though in favor of a measure, do not think it necessary to vote until its passage is doubted.

JUDGE W. Never mind. The vote, I perceive, is against me: But I can tell gentlemen that if their doings are not in accordance with justice, this shall be no closet business. I trust this motion has not been refused because there is any intention of doing that which cannot bear the light. Any appeal to the public is to be avoided if possible; but I admonish gentlemen that such appeal may be made if the circumstances require it.

The examination then commenced, the complaint having first been read-(for which see page 40.)

*This is his usual way of putting a motion which he wishes to be lost.

DEA. T. Do you intend, Mrs. Weston, to deny the expression charged in the complaint? Because, if so, I shall be obliged to send for my proof.*

JUDGE W. I will not permit the accused to be interrogated. Make out your case. There will, however, be no difficulty on that point.

DEA. T. I heard, through a member of my family, that Mrs. W. made use of the alleged expression in her presence; and subsequently learned that dancing took place. I called upon Mrs. W. The first time I called she was absent. The next, she had laid down. I called again in the evening, found her, and stated that I was grieved as alleged in the complaint. I also called on the following evening with brother Kilburn.

She expressed to me regret that there had been so much talk upon this subject, and said she never wanted to hear the word dancing mentioned again. She referred to her constant practice and opinions as being different from mine; that she had been educated in a way to give her different views from those in the "Report:"-And said she would not allow herself to be controlled in her opinions, or usual practice upon this subject, by any church action. She would be ground to powder first. So that not being able to obtain satisfaction from her, I felt it my duty to lay the matter before the church. Cross examined.

JUDGE W. Are you satisfied, in your conscience, that you have fully and fairly represented the substance of your interviews with Mrs. W., stopping where you have?†

DEA. T. I am.

JUDGE W. Did she manifest, in these interviews, any unfriendliness towards yourself?

Thus was this aggravating examination commenced with an insult. As if Mrs. W. was capable of denying an expression she had used! And, if she did deny it, as if her denial was to be overborne by the testimony of a young miss of 15, an inmate of Dea. T.'s family.

+ Thus was Dea. T. put upon his guard in this solemn manner, and it rendered what subsequently came out so astounding to all present, that it required the utmost art and diligence of the pastor and the "leaders," out of the vestry, to still the murmurings of many.