The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-12-20
For the Palladium

~ ABOUT MT. Beecher, and that is q
-ood enough sign that the end of the
Beecher-Tilton scandal is nigh. She
generally brings up the tail end Of
very discussion and gives the last
yiggle of activity to the fading bub-
oles of our society. Indeed, her pen
mas great vitality, like snakes tail
and never yields its interest in any
thing SO long as glimpse of sunshine
lasts in which to bask its points,
There is very little danger now that
any thing startling will again happen
to give the public more satisfying
glimpse into the naked truth of Mr..
Beecher's recent trials and tribula-
tons. They have reached point, SO
far as the public is concerned, that
bears very strong analogy to the
barren fig tree which was cursed be-
cause Of its lack Of vitality; and Mrs.
swisshelm's curious appearance, at
this late day, to take hand in the
fray, is only another evidence of the
truth and force of this analogy. Of
course, her sympathy is with Mr..
Beecher, and justly SO, too. Every
right minded man and woman must
come to such conclusion, if they
have not already done so.
The secret of Mr.. Beecher's manly
attitude in this crisis of his n,iniste-
rial and social standing lies in the
fact that the Bowen and Woodruff
attacks made upon him were very far
from true. In attempting to degrade
him. they have more than degraded
themselves, and their late joint ALI
ance against and notorious relation
toward him at this time is strong pre-
sumptive proof of Beecher's inno-
cence. The outspoken, just, strong
recommendation of Brooklyn Church
to stand by their pastor through thick
and thin is an unequivocal repudia-
ton of the charges made against
him, as well as the suficiency of the
proof upon which they were based,
and is concurrent testimony of his
innocence.
The only question that interests the
public now is whether Mr.. Beecher
will come off victorious in his contest
with the general government of the
Congregational Church. There is
reason to believe that Mr.. Beecher
will take an important stride forward
in the question of Church discipline.
He will make it larger, freer, more
liberal, and worthy the spirit of the
times. He dared, the other day, in
the lecture room of the Brooklyn
Church, to utter profound truth,
which, in the future, will prove an
open sesame to Church government in
general, and lead to changes the i'm
portance of which can not now be
estimated, and was as fellows: IF YOU
teach that the Bible is charter of
tyranny, then, by every generous SEN
timent of the soul, we are bound to
trample religion under foot.
There are those who mourn over what
they call reaction in religion. There
is a reaction among those who only
know religion in its distractions, and
l don't wonder at it." Undoubtedly.
many persons regard this utterance as
reasonable in the sight of the Church,
and so it may be; but in the sight of
Tod 1t was an act of kingly loyalty to
truth and conscience. Mr.. Beecher
sees what others do not see-namely.
that religion can and must 60 forward:
and, in order to advance at all, it
must expand its doctrines so as to
consist with the wonderful strides
that have been made in natural
knowledge-namely, the sciences
during the past few years. In order
to meet this coming want on the part
OF the Churches, Mr.. Beecher says:
The door of admission Ito the
Churches] should be as broad as
humanity, and the door of emission
as wide as necessary. It is we'll that
MIR. Beecher has the courage of his
opinions; that he is determined to
keep abreast Of the times; that he
has the courage to carefully read and
even to teach the truths contained in
j. Stuart Mills System of Logic. All
honor to Ward Beecher.
Mrs. Swisshelm intimated that
something had happened to produce a
disturbance between Mr.. Beecher and
the Tilton's, but she did not much
enlighten any body as to what the
matter was. At any rate, reconcil-
lation has been effected, and they are
neighbors once more. In the absence
OF other proof than the mere say so of
Mrs. Woodruff herself, Mrs. Swiss
helm says she is not willing to accept
her as leader to Lead in reproach-
ing such persons as Mr.. Beecher.
The fact is, Mr.. Bowen was the Seid-
litz powder that did the business for
MIR. Beecher. Why Mrs. Swisshelm
should have overlooked such an i'm
portant witness as the said Bowen. or
rather ignored him altogether, is a
marvel of surprise.
1t is to be hoped, however, that the
attractions across the sea will eventu-
ally wean Bowen from his sugar plum
this side the waters, and that he will
spend the remainder of his life some.