Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-06-14

The Beeeher Scandal Once More.
Whatever may be the motives which
constrain the New York press to an I'M
accustomed retlcence on the subject of 8
great scandal, the newspapers outside the
metropolis demand with great unanlmity
that the shameful stories which involve |
the characters of Henry Ward Beeeher,
Henry c. Bowen and Theodore Tilton
shall be tifted with a view TO placing the
guilt, of whatever sort 1t may turn out
to be, upon the shoulders where It be-
longs. The publication Of the famous
compact Of silence signed by the three
men IN question, is not accepted IA
sufficient answer, and has stimulated
rather than allayed a curiosity which
however it NAV be stl0matized as pruri-
ent, is natural and inevitable.
Nor for that matter do we think that
the widespread and growing desire TO
learn the truth in this matter, deserves
to be thus stlgmatiEed and condemned.
Henry Ward Beecher is a man occupying
a professedly orthodox pulpit whence
proceed utterances, of questionable ortho-
doxy, which go further and secure
wider audience than the sayings OF any
other American preacher. He Is, further
more, editor of a widely circulated re-
ligious parer. His very prayers are
Photographed and circulated broadcast
through the land. He has a theology Of
his own, and he breaches methods OF biz
own discovery for the attainment Of thai
perfect life toward which 1t is the aim o.
ali true and healthy religion to guide anC
direct people. He repudiates the rigor o
the old methods, and denies the binding
character Of many sayings held as sacred
law by those who differ from him. Con
corning the character Of such a man, tn
public which cannot, IL 1t would, avoi'
his doctrines and teachings, has RICH
TO be informed.
Wide spread rumors have attributed t
this man a character and practice a
easy, volupluous, and unchaste as thos
for which his sister in famous boo
has sought to hold up Lord Byron to th
execrstion of mankind. Wesuppose nj
body believes these rumors in full, br
MIR. Beecher owes 1t to those who bele1
in him to prove that they are not tru
even in part. A man occupying such
position ia bound to give to those he seel
to lead, the example of life of spotle
ha hau I'D aUah a 1if
they who hold to the old doctrines a
entitled to quote him as an evidence al
a warning that the straight and mario
way is still the only way, and that 4
spiritual engineering which has soug
to the broad way otherwhere than
destruction has not succeeded,
If, on the other hand, Mr.. Beecher G.
come forth from this ordeal with
character untarnished, they whom be b
convinced are entitled to know ii, and
becomes more than ever a shining lig
powerful for good, and Henry c. Bow
should be .pilloried in public scorn
his attempt to vilely blscken the char
ter of a man who stood TO him
tue doubly sacred relations Of pas
and friend. Mr.. Bowen, publisl
of another great religious paper The
dependsT,t, with a whole corps Of Doct
OF Divinity upon his staff cannot aft
to rest under this imputation. If Beee
Is innocert, he is guilty Of such
Islander as should make him sever
connection with any end every age
protesting moral teaching for It's obj
As to Tiiton we hardly know what TO I
Mr.. Beecher has taken special paint
exouarate him from uey completely in
alleged slan6er, while his own chara
has been less involved than that Of ell
ofthe othertwo. He too is editor Of pr
protesting the incubation Of mora
aBd 10 an especial degree a search 6
truth, for its objects. We doubt il
signing Of what appears 10 be com
for the suppression Of truth will I'D
bis popularity with those whose
opinions he setAs.