Smith, Theophilus. Appeal of the Association of Fairfield West, to the Associated Ministers connected with the General Association of Connecticut. New York: Printed for the Association of Fairfield West, by Baker, Godwin & Company, 1852. First Edition. [12110]
Removed, no wrapper, 8 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches, 95 pages. Good. Pamphlet.
In 1849 Horace Bushnell published God in Christ, a book that lit a fire of controversy among New England Congregationalists. Bushnell's views on the Trinity were deemed anti-Trinitarian by many, including by the Association of Fairfield West.
Fairfield West sent a letter of complaint to the higher authority of the Hartford Central Association, delineating in detail the reasons for their complaint. The doctrines deemed erroneous by Fairfield West are those touching on the Trinity, the Atonement, and Justification, three doctrines believed to be fundamental to the Christian faith. They protest to the Hartford Central Association that the comments made by Hartford Central in support of Bushnell will lead many astray. The Remonstrance and Complaint included lengthy footnotes of extracts from Bushnell's book. The final conclusion of Hartford Central was that they find no reasons for changing their view of the matter.
All of the above is reprinted here, with additional complaints and proofs, in which Fairfield West protests the inaction of Hartford Central to the main body governing the Congregational Churches in Connecticut, the General Association of Connecticut.
This is a thorough refutation of Horace Bushnell's views, and an appeal to have them marked as heretical by the General Association. The result of these proceedings was that Bushnell's North Congregational Church in Hartford withdrew from the General Association, thus ending any authority that the General Association possessed for disciplining Bushnell.
