"
The seventh session of the National Conference, held at Saratoga in 1876,
provided for the appointment of a committee of fellowship, and the list of
names of those appointed to its membership appears in the printed report;
but there is no record that the committee ever organized. In 1878 the
council reported at considerable length on the desirableness of
establishing such a committee; and, again, a committee of fellowship was
appointed "to take into immediate consideration the subject of the
introduction into the Unitarian ministry of those persons who seek an
entrance into that ministry from other churches." This committee consisted
of twelve persons, three each for the eastern, middle, western, and Pacific
states.
At the session of 1880 the council of the Conference stated that it had
created a substitute for the old ecclesiastical council, that was called
together from the neighboring ministers and churches whenever a minister
was to be inducted into office. That method was costly and had dropped into
desuetude; but the new method of a committee of fellowship saved true
Congregational methods and freed the churches from unworthy men. At this
session the committee reported that it had adopted a uniform plan of
action; but a resolution was passed recommending that each local conference
establish its own committee of fellowship.
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