or to their Moderator within eight days after the sentence of the church is rendered.

6. Censure of scandalous Contempt. If any person or persons orderly complained of to a council, or that are witnesses to such complaints, (having regular notification to appear, shall refuse or neglect so to do, in the place, and at the time specified, in the warning given, except they or he give some satisfactory reason thereof, to the said council, they shall be judged guilty of scandalous contempt. (Sayb. Art. XI.) If

any person thus guilty of scandalous contempt, be a member of a church, that church, ought to deal with him as an offender: otherwise, the church becomes partaker of his sin.

VII. Method of voting in a Council.

The rule according to which questions were anciently decided in councils of the consociated churches, was that nothing shall be deemed, an act, or judgment of any council, which hath not the major part of the elders present concurring, and such a number of the messengers present, as makes the majority of the council. (Sayb. Art. IV.) In the consociations of Litchfield county, and in that of New Haven East, this rule is still observed, with the modification that a majority of the elders must concur with

a majority of the messengers, to give validity to any act in reference to which, the application of the rule, is demanded by any member of the council. In New Haven West, two thirds of the votes are necessary to a decision.

VIII. Result or decision of the Council.

The result or decision of the council whether it be called advisory, as in some districts, or authoritative as in others, is in all cases to be a final issue. That is, no other council may be called to rejudge the matter: and in all cases, the church is to give effect to the decision of the council, by accepting and acting upon it, or by submitting to it, as the case may require. And the council, having seen their determination or judgment, duly executed and attended, may put upon its records the evidence of the compliance of the church with the decision.

IX. The right of parties to be heard by counsel.

No person is permitted to appear as counsel for another, before any consociation, who is not a member of a congregational church, and in good standing. In the consociation of New

Haven West, no person practicing as an attorney at law, in the civil courts, is allowed to appear as counsel. In New Haven East, no person who has made the pleading of the law, his professional business is admitted as an advocate unless he be a member of a church, belonging to that consociation. In the consociation of New London, no person is permitted to appear as counsel, for any party; nevertheless, the consociation, when in its judgment the fair and full investigation of any cause, shall require aid, may designate one of its own members to present and examine witnesses in favor of one or both the parties.

X. The union of two Consociations.

There is no appeal from the determination pronounced by a council of the consociated churches, in a district, to any other council or judicature. Yet if the matter brought before the counsel of any district shall be judged so great in the nature of it, or so doubtful in the issue, or of such general concern, that the said council shall judge best that it be referred to a fuller council, then they shall invite to their aid the churches of the other consociation, within the same county, (or of the next adjoining consociation of another county, if there be in it two

consociations in the county, where the difficulty ariseth,) and the fuller council of those two adjoining consociations, shall hear, judge, determine, and finally issue such case according to the word of God. (Sayb. Art. VII.)

XI. Proceedings when the Church refuses to abide by judgment of the Council.

1. If any pastor and church doth obstinately refuse a due attendance, and conformity to the determination of the council, that hath the cognizance of the case, and determineth it as above, after due patience used, they shall be reputed guilty of scandalous contempt. (Sayb. Art. VI.)

2. Such pastor and church, are to be dealt with as the rule of God's word doth provide, i. e. following the analogy of the rule, given by Christ, in Matthew XVIII; 15, 16, 17. (Sayb. Art. VI.)

3. If the offending church, and pastor, refuse to have the admonition of the consociated church, expressed by the council, then, after due patience, the sentence of non-communion shall be declared against such pastor and church. And the churches of the district, are severally to approve of the said sentence, by withdrawing from the communion of the pastor

and church, which so refuseth to be heard. (Sayb. Art. VI. See also above Part I. Art. II. § 2.)

XII. Select Councils.

1. The right of a church to ask advice of any other churches in cases of difficulty, is not taken away by our ecclesiastical confederation, yet the party concerned has always a right, to have his cause heard and determined by the consociation, after the church has proceded to sentence of excommunication against him.

2. In Litchfield South, if it be requested by. any offender, when prosecuted in any particular church, he or she shall have a right, (by the consent of the church,) to an advisory council to be mutually chosen by such church and offender, previously to a hearing and judgment by the church; unless by mutual consent of the parties, such case shall be immediately re

ferred to the consociation.

3. The result of a select council, should be entered upon the records of the church; and in Litchfield North, it is distinctly required that an authentic copy of the result, be deposited with the register of the consociation to be kept on file.