The sun., 1873-11-05
plymouth CHURCH COURT.
r$SvEsrT6ArIOyIN WHTCH NOTHING
Is INHESTIGA ATED.
rbs Question between MIR. Bsschsr and MIR.
Tiiton.

Vhe Question between VIZ beecnef hnu WIZ
Titon.
II N, Ef,ior OF The sun.
SIN: There are some aspects Of the ac-
zion Of Plymouth Church last Friday night in
the case Of Mr.. Tton which are puzzlinc TO an
outsider, and on which some OF us would like a
little light.
l. Is IL In order In Christian church for any
memberto leave at his option2 Does II require
the assent Of two parties, the church and him
self. to get In, while he can 60 out without ask
Ing permission, and even without the church
being aware OF itf Mr.. Beecher's argument In
favor OF this position was rather strange. He
ssys, as reported In THE SuS:
He relations to the church were severed by hi. own
act That scvcring may not have been regular but II
90 not alwsys reqnlre regularity II parties regard
red the law hoiis ibst they are nsrred sliboush
there has been no marriage ceremony.
Allowing this, will the same apply to divorce ?
Does Mr.. Beecher hold that when a man de-
Berts his wife the separation Is valid, II not
quito regular7
2 Is 1t in order In Christian church to allow
aman to avoid discipline. or for a church to
avoid the disagrceable duty of self-purncation
by declaring he relation OF membership already
ecVeredf To AN outsider n seems like farce
Tor a Church which provides for discipline to
hiiom member charged with murder, or
adnliey' or slandGr, e. say, 81 withdrew last
.. Does not Mr. liton equivocate when he
says In the Engls, So far o. | know, no commit
loo, either In church or State, las ever made
vhargcs again me Of any sori z" This is verbal
ly true, for she charges in question were not
made bg the committee. but 10 the committee.
and by them communicated to Mr.. 1ilton. He
adds; Nor have been summoned 10 appear
before Plymouth Church committee for any
purpose Whatever" True again. The commit
Tee In presenting the charges made against him
did not siIiututu him to appear before the COM
mittce but only tn answer thcirlcttrr and aupc r
before the church. We are quoting his language
from the later amended report OF hi denial, rs
T. La MIR Bcccher really denied mat Mr. tn
tom has ever made calutnuious charges against
llluself 80 Mr. Iilton SAYS of the story that
have slandcred the minister of this church.
Lust summer Mir. Beerhrr published an explicit
card In the BIoohtyn Edglc eIcmpting me from
this injustice" ANY one VINO will read MIR.
Dcechers accurately worded card Will see that
IN II ne carefully avoids any reference to MIR.
Iitou's charge. against himself but refers only
tto those quite different charges mentioned III
the document to which the card alludes
which document omiis Hll reference to Mr. Til
tom We'll known charges az nst Mr. Beecher.
and only refers to those other charges which
Mr. lilton alleges were repeated to him by MIR.
ncwen. II is a little puznlng 70 see that Mr..
Neecher's exoneratiun Of Mr.. rilton In reference
10 certain charges Is claimed b, him as covering
AL other sIandcruus reports. without a word Of
ueniai from Mr.. Beecher who sits by and hears
s. what does Mr.. Beecher mean ny taking so
much pains to show the public that he has
est mystery of all. lie said In his card TO the
Elgi< II am unwilling that he mir. Tilton)
should even seem To be responsible for inJ Irous
statements whose force was derived wholly
from othets Last Friday night he said what
ever differences have been between us have
been amicabIy adjusted, ana SO far as / AIN
Cohccrned buried; and so far a. he Is con-
cerned buried | have no charges And vet
this miraculOu-ly iorgiying man knows that Mr
Titun l. the man who ha- again and A. ain
charged him with crime which involves the
peace OF his own home; who SAYS that hs
merry spirit burns to defend his wife and lit
tie Ones" but who forbcars to d. It lest his an
through other hearts, MIR HercIer hunWsthtt
TINS Is the great scandal which SO nearly under
mined hi, usefulness ia h- own church, ana his
PosulOh III We hearts ~ the whole people. lie
Knows that this horrible Caumny came from Mr.
Ihton ami nom nobody else, 4uu that mr. III
.pn hts meyer retr &C ed IL IA any way. lie knows
that Mr.. liltpn has within sc4rce six months
puhlicN charged nm wi.A " moral inslncerity"
anu pi'hlilul l4,k of conscience and cuur-
age, such as leads him "to think one thing md
70 say anoth,r; 10 hold me philosophy IN pub
nc ana hhpl hrr IN priNat" To offer one morality
- the multitude and keep another for himself "
hhowing all his he can yet assure the pubic
thai he has nothing against Mr. llltOn. lie can
sit sun and say nothing wHie Mr.. iIlton assert,
before his face: " a story has flied the land,
covering !, like mist. thai have -itndcred the
minister Of this church. Last summer MIR
Beecher published an explicit card In the
ice.' Mr.. D,echcr had done no such thing,
nor could he uuthfully have done any such
thing but had eNeu PIED him from injustice IN
reference 10 quite diner, nj SANDERS : and vet
ne allowed MI IIitun to spread the mantle of
that card broad enough to cover ala Mr.. TIlton's
real offences. How he could have done IL is
what ~ man can make Out.
g. Are we to understand that Mr. Tlton is left
made against him. lie refuses To reply claim
lng that he Is 10 member of the church. The
committee OF Examination admits this claim
Mr. Beccher admits thi, claim and the church
votes To admit Il. and also votes ul on that plea
that MS name be struck from the roll" lie
mas got ali he asks; but, detr rrmined to secure
not merely immunity but triumph, lac proceeds
To confront the church aud tts pastor, and to
say;
~ come here to night In order to say in Mr.
beecners pre- ence, surrounded here by his
friends that II have sIdndered him | am ready
70 answer Tor II t. the man whom nave Sian
uered' II, therefore, the minister Of this church
has anything whereof To accuse me, let MIN now
speak, and sha'l answer, as God Is iny Judge"
lie knows lie mas uttered these SANDERS and
pas never retracted them and Mr.. Deecher
khows II. And yet he dures to speak thi,
naughty challenge, and MIR. Leecner meekly re-
phes lie asks " have any charges To make
against MIN. have none. Whatever differences
nave been between Us have been amiCably adj
luated.' Most uystcrously forgiViug and for
bearing OF men. who does not even ask h public
confession ana apology before he forgiNes the
Calumny whicn has covered the land like IA mist !
PUIZLED OBSERVER.