should go to the person who has injured him and ask forgiveness for those unkind feelings? May he not go to him and say "sir you have injured and provoked me. You have excited within me unholy passion: but Christ has told us to be meek, mild and forgiving. He has told us to pray for our enemies, and those who despitefully use us and persecute us. He himself, while nailed to the cross, called down blessings upon those who placed him there. My feelings have been inconsistent with the religion of this holy Being; and I ask your forgiveness. I feel this to be my duty; and shall wait till God shall lead you to the performance of yours."

ton.*

This is a case, substantially, presented by Judge RedingIt was a view which commended itself to his mind, and I have no doubt that the man who should act in the manner there pointed out, would command the approval of the whole moral universe. I had been in the habit of thinking, that as the church were, in my opinion, the first aggressors, they should be the first to make concessions: but this illustration shows that each party has duties to perform, independent of the other. I have considered the subject seriously, and as one whose acts here take hold of a higher and better state of being; and I shall now endeavor to perform my duty-not confining myself to the charges in the complaint, but looking at the whole affair in its broadest sense.

I say then to you-I believe you have injured and persecuted me and my father's family without cause. I believe that the Pastor and Mr. Dole, by their advice and directions, by changing issues, and by management-of which I will not speakhave been guilty of the most unmanly persecutions against myself, my sister, and worse than all, against a mother whose grey hairs and devoted piety, ought to have been sufficient to protect her from spiritual domination.

I believe the statements of Deacon Tappan also, in the course of these proceedings, have not been in accordance with truth. I wish the church to notice that I am merely stating my convictions in all honor and honesty,-convictions which have been forced upon me by circumstances which seem to me to admit of but one interpretation. I did not make the circumstances, neither did I create the laws which control the human mind. These circumstances, acting according to those laws, have produced the above convictions. I have struggled against them.

*

Judge R. did not mean to give any opinion in this case, but knowing Mr. W.'s views, supposed a case, to meet them.

I have extended christian charity to the utmost extent which my nature allows; and heaven knows that such opinions are to me a source of pain and grief. If they are erroneous, I do these individuals and the church great injustice, and I hope I shall receive their pardon and that of my final Judge. In such a case, I am the one most to be pitied: for so long as their consciences are clear, they have nothing to fear from God or man. I wish the church to bear in mind that I make no assertions, but am merely expressing convictions, which are honestly entertained; and which will remain till the secrets of all hearts are disclosed at the dread tribunal of heaven.

Having these views, I have allowed myself to become excited, and feelings of unkindness, inconsistent with the religion of Him who commanded us to love our enemies, have swelled in my bosom against these individuals and the church; and these emotions have perhaps found vent in words, looks, and tones, which cannot command the approval of Him who was meek and lowly of heart. For whatever there has been in me, inconsistent with His religion with regard to these individuals and the church, I ask forgiveness, first of God and secondly of them.

I have thus done what I believe to be my duty, and am willing to wait till these persons and the church, shall do theirs, and make atonement where it is due.

In conclusion, I feel it to be my duty to renew my protest against any member of that caucus, voting in this case, for reasons already given. I am willing (and they ought to be) to abide by the decision of the rest of the church."

Adjourned.

CHAPTER XX.

"Let us not give heed to any of his words." Jer. xviii, 18.

Vestry, Friday evening, Oct. 2nd, The PASTOR called upon the accused to put his defence on file.

D. C. W. replied that he would consider of it. Undoubtedly he had the right to defend himself verbally, but had thrown what he had to say into writing, for his own convenience. If any member wished it read again, or any part of it, he would read it as often as it was called for.

Then followed some conversation about the meeting at the house of Dea. Means.

J. HOOPER denied that there was any intention of keeping that meeting secret.

D. C. W. said that it was very remarkable that so large a number concurred in keeping it secret, if there was no such understanding. That it was kept secret, no one could deny.

After some farther conversation,

DEA. MEANS said that the reason why that meeting was to be kept private was, that Mrs. W.'s feelings might not be injured!

After some farther conversation,

B. DAVIS moved that the church pass the following vote.*

"Whereas a complaint was filed last spring, and is now pending before the church, against Daniel C. Weston, one of its members, as may be seen by recurring

*This was drawn up and read by another gentleman, as his view of what the church would be sustained by usage, in doing, if they intended to proceed to excision.

to our records; and from the filing of that complaint to the present time, Mr. Weston has not attended public worship with us, though living near our place of worship, and not prevented therefrom by sickness, or other physical cause. And not only has he thus neglected to walk with us in the Divine ordinance of public worship, but has in many ways manifested his light estimation of this church, and a willingness that it should labor under the disesteem of others, and has announced a determination never more to return to its fellowship. That this determination of his is fully settled and to be carried into effect, is evident, not only from his own declaration, but also from his proceedings in relation to a religious society of another denomination, whose ministrations he has for several months attended, and whose church he has avowed his intention of joining.

In view of these facts, and of all the circumstances of the case, and after the employment by the church of all due measures for the purpose, we are no longer permitted to hope that Mr. Weston can be regained to the embrace and fellowship of this church.

Such being the condition of things, it is not perceived that any valuable results can be expected to flow from his farther relationship with us.

And whereas, in relation to a member so situated, as Mr. Weston is, it is the right of a church to consider and declare itself discharged from any further connection, or relationship; Therefore,

Voted, that Mr. Weston's connection with this church be now severed, and his relationship to it dissolved." This was seconded.

DEA. MEANS was opposed to abandoning the complaint in this way, and basing the action of the church upon other things. He thought it would be very difficult to explain to the public, and wished to have the vote based upon the complaint.

JUDGE REDINGTON, said he was prepared to maintain that the church had no right to pass a vote of excision,

for anything charged in the complaint mere dispute about phraseology.

That was a

After some farther discussion, the motion was put and prevailed.

The PASTOR then concluded the meeting with a prayer, commencing as follows.

O God! We have this evening been engaged in very serious, solemn, and important business; and those who have taken part in the proceedings, have acted conscientiously. We have been CUTTING OFF FROM THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, one of its members; and if WHAT WE HAVE DONE ON EARTH SHALL BE RATIFIED IN HEAVEN, how critical is the condition of the individual concerned! &c. &c.

Adjourned.

Before concluding, the reporter has a remark or two to offer.

Was not Mr. Weston entitled to have the complaint against him, passed upon by the church? He had been suspended on that complaint, for five months. He had just answered to the facts as reported by the committee appointed in the case, and was present, ready to abide by their decision.

Again. Judge Weston and his wife had formally left their fellowship, and had joined another church; and the committee, appointed in that case, had reported (and the report was adopted)-that the usurpations of the church exhibited "palliations of no small weight," though not an "entire justification" of their course. Were not the same "palliations" equally weighty in the case of D. C. Weston, who, notwithstanding, the same grievances, had not joined another society, but was there ready to answer to all charges against him?

And yet they abandon the complaint which seems to