Page:The Judicial Capacity of the General Convention Exemplified.djvu/37

Rh present, in the light of the evidence now in my possession, I earnestly and affectionately solicit the aid of my brethren in helping me to see it. Respectfully submitted,

As soon as I began reading the above memorial to the Convention, one of the most prominent and influential members of that body endeavored to stop me; but finally consented to let the memorial be read. But the prevention were unanimous in refusing to grant my petition. Not an individual moved that an hour be appointed, or that an opportunity be given during the session, for Mr. Barrett to tell to that body (which assumes to be "the General Church of the country") the fault of his offending brother. And this, too, notwithstanding they were assured by Mr. Barrett that he asked permission to do this, in obedience to the Convention’s own fundamental rule of discipline, and its own understanding of Matt, xviii. 17. The Convention, by incorporating this rule of discipline into the preamble of its Constitution, clearly contemplates the possibility of cases like the one I brought; but as soon as a case arises, and the aggrieved party proceeds exactly according to the acknowledged rule, and respectfully asks permission to "tell it to the Church," he is not allowed to do any such thing. I submit whether the refusal of the Convention to grant the petition in my memorial, does not prove, either that this Body hows obsequiously to the opinions and authority of one man, or at most a very few men, or that it does not really believe this precept in Matthew to be of binding authority in its literal sense, or else that it is not ashamed to act directly contrary to its own principles. When I saw that I was not to be allowed to tell this matter to the Convention, I urged the propriety of its being submitted to the Committee of ministers, since it was a difficulty between ministers. This, also, was peremptorily refused, contrary to all established ecclesiastical usage. But a packed committee of five was appointed, three of whom were laymen, and to this committee I was permitted to tell my offending brother's fault. Willing to err on the side of too great condescension, if, perchance, I might see Mr. Wilks' innocence "satisfactorily established," I went before this Committee, in company with Mr. Wilks, and presented to them in as lucid a manner as I could, the testimony I have here offered—and something more. And not one syllable of rebutting testimony was offered—not a syllable. Mr. Wilks, however, flatly denied the statements made and sworn to by Mr. Miller, and corroborated by the testimony of Mr. Waldo and others; and the Committee accept this denial—a denial by the accused individual himself of the truth of