Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-09-02
Plymouth Church Com n ittee
Declare Beecher S0t Gaitty.

II DeSP0iched RePorf ot me .heettnS.
Last Friday evening, the 2Sth ult.,
Plymouth hurch, Brooklyn. was dense
Iy crowded by Rev. Henry Ward
Beechcr's congregation to hear the re-
/ poit of the committee that had exam
med the charges brought against their
pastor. The report of the committee
vas satisfactory 10 the congregation,
aud was accepted with great enthu-
siasm.
/ Tue people a:noug whom Mr.. Beecher
has labored for more than a quarter OF
century having thus publicly declared
/ that they d. not believe the char ges
preferred by Tilton and Moulton. and
that their pastor is more firmly Gu
shriued in their confidence ard hearts
than ever, who shall gaissay it, Ger
iainly, of all the people in the world,
they, among whom are hundreds who
have known him intimately since their
childhood days, are best able TO judge
of bis character. Ir is moral and in
tellectual imbecility, or qualities m6-
nirely worse, that would prompt the re-
fectiop that Plymouth Church people
would sustain Sir. Beecher if they for
q moment entertained the belief that
the charges against him were in the
least eolored with truth. Of all
the churches in this country Plymouth
Church would IN all probability be the
last one TO sustain pastor guilty Of
the things alleged against him, or fos
ter clerical debauchee. Taking the
membership, call in all, there is no
church more competent TO discover the
defects Of character of nes aud women
aud pronounce on the saaie, than the
one mentioned. Its members are ac-
quainted with the foibles OF designing
men, and any minister having the pro
clivities charged TO Mr.. Beecher would
long ere this have been discovered and
discharged from the position be holds.
Doubtless the people who have caused
all the trouble will be revealed in their
true character when in cOurf.
A despatch under the above date
gives the proceedings Of Plymouth
Church congregation on the question as
follows:
Plymouth Church was densely crowd
cd tonight. After introductory reli
gious exercises the business meeting
was opened. with James Freeland chair
man. The members Of the investiga-
ting committee we're invited to come on
the platform, and were received with
cheers. The report Of the investiga
ting committee was then submitted oy
the examining committee, with their
approval and endorsement, without one
dissenting voice. In II err brief report
the examining committee says: We
find nothing in the evidence to justify
the least suspicion of our PASTORS in
tegrity and purity, and everything
to juttify and demand on the part Of
Plymouth hurch and Society greater
degree of confidence and affection to-
wards its pastor, If possible, than it has
ever felt toward him. 1t is not the
office of this committee to review his
error Of Judgment in managing com
plex trouble, and struggling against the
most infamous conspiracy known to the
present age. 1t is for US simply TO con-
slider what moral culpability, if any, is
developed on his part, and of this We
end no proof, although, under a Gelu-
sisu aI;fully brought about by his ene-
mics, cur pastor was for long time
made TO believe himself in fault The
committee IN conclusion recommend the
adoption by the church of the follow
ing resolutions;
Resoired, That the evidence laid be-
fore the examining committee no. only
does not afford any foundation for put
ting the pastor of this church, the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, upon trial, but,
on the contrary, esta tablishes, to the per-
feet satisfaction of this church, his en-
tire Innocence and absolute personal
purity with respect to all charges now
or hereafter made against him by Theo-
dore Tilion.
Resoired, That our confidence and
love for our pastor, so far from being
diminished, are heightened and deep
ened by the uumerlted sufferings which
he has SO long borne, and that We
welcome him, with sympathy more ten
der and trust more un5Ounded than We
ever felt before to his public labor
among US. TO our church, our families,
cur homes, and our hearts.
The report of the committee was
read by Professor Raymond. During
the reading of the rePor, frequent in-
terruptions were caused by applause
which followed certain passages sus
tanning Beecher, and outbursts of laugh
ter were drawn out by an allusion to
Moultcn and his participation in the
matter. The concluding portion of the
report and summing up Of the com
mittee were received with waving Of
handkercEiiefs, hats, &C., and the ap-
plause which greeted the ending was