Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-04-21
From the anti fert Standard
MR.. BEECHER REBUKING THE TRUS
TEES OF HIS CHURCH.

Our readers have been informed Of tho disgrace
full fact that tine Trustees.of Plymouth Church,
Brooklyn, refused to open their house for the de-
livery of Wendell Phillips Plea fer tho Dissulu-
tion Of the Union, and that, too, under circum-
stances exceedingly embarrassing to the eappcauts
and that seemed likely to prevent Mr.. PHILIPPE
from gaining hearing in the ci:y at ell, The re-
fusal excited both astonshment aud indignation
in the minds Of not few Of Mr.. Beecher's con-
grcgation, and, following as it did almost imme.
diately after his attempt to bolster up the Ameri-
can Board of Missions, it very naturally re-
gaided by many the fruit Of his suddenly de-
veloped conservatism the effect upon the pe@s OF
a change of tone and policy in the pulpit. Such
indeed was our own convictions and we believe
now that the Trustees of Plymouth Church would
never have shut their doors against Mr.. Phillips
if they had not believed that, in SO doing they
would be acting in the spirit of MIR. Beschers re-
cent utterances .?oa the slavery question. But
their inference, however legitimate in view Of what
he had lately said and done, was still unjust to his
feelings and Intentions. If he took backward
STEP he did not mean to lead his society into
position SO inconsistent and disgraceful as that in
which it was placed by the Trustees-a position
which, while it disappointed and panied the friends
of freedom, called forth shouts of exultations
in the pro-savery camp. In his sermon, on Sun
day evening last-the subject being CoURAGE-Mr
Beecher took occasion TO declare his views in very
mpha;ic terms, as follows:
When was away from home, recently, turn.
ed ruby red with shame to find in newspaper
what supposed was aniguominious 81 ander, but
which proved to be an ignomnious truth-namely,
that this church had been refused to Wendell
Phillips, for the delivery Of his address on The
Destruction Of the Union If the church had not
been accustomed to be let freely for concerts and
lectures, and the like, pending the construc-
tion of new church. the case would have been
different, and it nigh. have been prudent not to
let it on the occasion in question; but when il was
in the market to be let to all respectable causes
and persons, for one hundred dollars a night
which is the fee-to deny it to him because be was
advocating an unpopular doctrine, and because it
was feared that his using it would have an iniu-
rious effect on the raising Of money for the new
church, was shameful in the extreme. When |
read it, colored till felt my bushes in my
boots was ashamed through and through l
said to myself Thirteen years of ministration
among people, resulting, in the thirteenth year,
only in a cowardice that makes them afraid to let
man stand in my place and speak what they do
not believe, what they fear will have an unfavora-
Die effect on the church or what will have an un-
favorable effect on mel
There is not more moral or upright man, or a
more perfect gentleman and scholar, in the Uniou!
Though do not accept his philosophy, or the ap-
plicaton OF it, l an proud to own that Wendell
Phillips is my personal friend. have the great.
est admiration for the man, lie has that which