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

1740] CONTROVERSY WITH REV. JONATHAN EDWARDS. 213
been put to an abundance of trouble and difficulty by reason
of tlie course pursued by Mr. Edwards. His own opinion
and advice was that the pastor should take the matter
into serious and solemn consideration and contemplation.
He further intimated that the committee had decided not
to dally longer about the matter, at the same time presenting
him with their ultimatum, which would be reported to
the church. They recommended a mutual council, com^,
posed of seven or nine churches, all in Hampshire County,
to which' should be communicated the existing state of
affairs, insisting that the opposition to Mr. Edwards was so
great that the council should proceed at once to dissolve
the pastoral relation.
Reply of Mr. Ed- To tliese statements Mr. Edwards replied,
^aj'ds. proposing that five or seven of the nearest
churches should be called to decide whether
churches out of the county should be included in the coun-i
cil to dismiss the pastor, whether the time had come to
take such action, and if not, to advise with reference to the
present conduct of affairs. With regard to the proposed
report of the committee he would not consent to it, or put
any such thing to vote in the church meeting, unless first
advised to do so by a council such as he advocated. This
was something of a set-back to the committee, and they
revised their report, agreeing to suggest that a council of
five churches in Hampshire County, mutually chosen,
should consider the question whether the proper time had
arrived for convening a council for dismissal, whether min-
isters of churches from other counties should be allowed to
take part in it, and to advise ui:)on the course to be pursued
in preparation for such a council.
The Report Debated Tliis report liaviiig been submitted at the
and Adopted. adjoumed cliurch meeting, Mr. Edwards
])rotested vigorously against its propcjsitions.
He insisted that the council should be composed,
not of churches, but of neighboring ministers, who
although they were prejiuliced against him, were less outspoken
in their opposition than other ministers in the
county. As an alternative, he proposed to leave the mat-