1

shepherd, to the sheep of his pasture and of your charge? We entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the bowels of love, that you repent and turn again to God, and to the church of your charge, lest a broken covenant and the blood of souls rise against you.' To the church they spake as follows: 'Dear brethren, our bowels move with compassion and sympathy towards you, while we behold you as sheep without a shepherd; but we trust the great Shepherd of the sheep will not forsake you. Cry after your elder, cry to God for him; who knows but God will restore him to you? We advise you, brethren, after you have wholly discharged your duty to him in this respect, and he continues incorrigible and impenitent, that you depose him of the ministry, and the charge committed to him in his ordination. Finally, brethren, farewell; the God of peace be with you. Amen.'

At a meeting held on the 25th of the same month, the church voted their concurrence with the doings of the council, and directed their clerk to send a copy of the same to Mr. Palmer. Still, however, the final act of exclusion was delayed, in hope, doubtless, that their pas

tor, whom they seemed to have truly esteemed, might return to them; but in this they were disappointed. A letter is found on record, bearing date of January 9th, 1776, addressed to Mr. Palmer; in which, after reviewing the course of discipline pursued, they proceed to say: 'And now in covenant faithfulness to you, our once beloved elder, and in honor to the laws of God's house, we exclude you from our fellowship; and depose you from the pastoral office committed to you at your ordination.' We have copied these proceedings at length, because they furnish an interesting illustration of the principles of order and discipline by which this church, in its infancy, and the denomination in general, at this early period, were controlled. It proves that our churches at the beginning were well governed, well disciplined; that nothing like looseness of sentiment was permitted to obtain even in the ministry. It furnishes also an early precedent worthy of our special regard, showing the specific character and design of councils. council was exclusively advisory. It attempted to exercise no authority over the church. It simply gave its advice and left the church

This

free to receive or reject it. It was convoked, not to legislate, but to advise; not because the authority of the church was not adequate to the deposing of a minister; but because the church, in a case perhaps unprecedented, at least of peculiar intricacy, felt the need of counsel; and we scarcely know which to admire most, the prudence of the church in asking advice, or the high and christian-like integrity of the council in giving it. Having performed their duty, the council dissolved, leaving the church to pursue an independent course of discipline with their offending pastor. The executive power was in the church, and having with the aid of a council ascertained the law of God's house in this case, they proceeded in due time to put it in execution. How unlike this was the discipline of the prevailing church of that period. Here is no dominant priesthood, ' lording it over God's heritage,' with the strong arm of civil power enforcing its decisions; no arrestments, fines, imprisonments, or whippings; but the church peaceably assembling from time to time, calmly deliberating upon a most important and trying case, calling to her aid the wisdom of an esteemed and intelligent

ministry, and finally proceeding, in the exercise of her high and independent prerogative, to put forth her decision of excommunication. This verily looks like the primitive order of Christ's kingdom. Here are no synods, no presbyteries, no councils invested with legislative power; but the church acknowledging no head but Christ, and no law but his revealed word, seeking with due caution and prudence to ascertain its decisions in a given case of discipline, and, having done so, faithfully executing the same.

Of Mr. Palmer's character little can be known, except what may be inferred from the record of these proceedings, and this we fear may be less favorable to him as a man, as a christian, as a minister, than strict justice would demand. From all we have been able to gather respecting him, we should judge him to have been a man of strong and fixed prejudices, immovable in his decisions, and somewhat austere and censorious in the exer

cise of his ministerial functions. He reproved with severity, and, without consulting consequences, followed out what he regarded as truth and duty. Still his piety seems to

have been of a mystical cast, which often, as in the case of his confession, led him to renounce as wrong, what was evidently right, and to hold as right, what was evidently wrong. In one respect it must be conceded, that he was in advance of the age, at least without doubt in advance of his church, namely, in relation to ministerial support. It is well known that the views of many of our earlier churches upon this subject were exceedingly defective. And the putting forth of such claims as Mr. Palmer seems to have urged, would be likely to produce a collision. Most of our members at this period came out from under the oppression of an overreaching ministry, and thence regarded with an undue jealousy, whatever might have the appearance of this evil. * No record was kept of the members received under the ministry of Mr. Palmer. We cannot, therefore, judge very correctly of its comparative worth. It, however, embraced a period of twenty-two years, and was, in this respect, at least, worthy the imitation of the ministry of the present day. I cannot pass from this

*See Appendix, letter A.