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History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

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1749.] CONTROVERSY WITH REV. JONATHAN EDWARDS. 211<br />

the terms <strong>of</strong> tlio proposal were too broad, and opened the<br />

way for the discussion <strong>of</strong> topics that they were not yet<br />

ready to submit to the decision <strong>of</strong> a counciL He accused!<br />

Mr. Edwards <strong>of</strong> hav<strong>in</strong>g more regard for his own welfare<br />

than the good <strong>of</strong> the church, and argued that the church,)<br />

ensnared by the general terms <strong>of</strong> the proposition, would;<br />

thus consent to a consideration <strong>of</strong> the question concern<strong>in</strong>g',<br />

the pend<strong>in</strong>g admissions. Should a recommendation to^<br />

admit them prevail, Mr. Edwards would ga<strong>in</strong> a victory,<br />

and though the advice <strong>of</strong> the council was not b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g "it<br />

might lay the church under a disadvantage." Major Pom-<br />

eroy's arguments had a decided effect, and the church refused<br />

to accept the report. Ten more names were added<br />

to the committee and the meet<strong>in</strong>g adjourned for two weeks.<br />

The Church Decides So stroug had becouie the feel<strong>in</strong>g aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />

not to Celebrate tjic pastor, that Certa<strong>in</strong> members <strong>of</strong> the<br />

church refused longer to partake <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Lord's Supper under his adm<strong>in</strong>istration, and censured him<br />

for appo<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g Sacraments. To test the sentiment <strong>of</strong> the<br />

church on this subject, Mr. Edwards put to vote the ques-<br />

tion whether that ord<strong>in</strong>ance should be cont<strong>in</strong>ued, and it<br />

was decided <strong>in</strong> the negative.<br />

Composition <strong>of</strong> the The committces chosen by the church and<br />

Committees. prcciuct, wcre composcd, the former <strong>of</strong> fif-<br />

teen and the latter <strong>of</strong> n<strong>in</strong>eteen persons.<br />

And it is worthy <strong>of</strong> note that fourteen <strong>of</strong> the fifteen members<br />

<strong>of</strong> the church committee were identical with those<br />

who served the prec<strong>in</strong>ct <strong>in</strong> the same capacity. This may<br />

have been a co<strong>in</strong>cidence, but <strong>in</strong> all probability it Avas unavoidable,<br />

as the lead<strong>in</strong>g men <strong>in</strong> church and parish were<br />

the same.<br />

Report <strong>of</strong> this Com- The enlarged committee, after due delib-<br />

^**^^^- eration, prepared a report which they sub-<br />

mitted to Mr. Edwards. They proposed,<br />

that previous to any endeavors after separation, an advisory<br />

council should be chosen, conf<strong>in</strong>ed wholly to Hampshire<br />

County churches ; suggest<strong>in</strong>g that the def<strong>in</strong>itive council, if<br />

decided upon, should also be bound by the same lim<strong>its</strong>.<br />

They recommended that if Mr. Edwards cont<strong>in</strong>ued to ad-

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