National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-07-28

THEODORE TILT0RSHYP
In his cross-examination before the Ply
mouth church committee, the report Of
which was printed in our telegrsphic COL
umns yesterday, Theodore Tilton gave the
world a curious Insight into his religious
opinions, or rather the lack Of them. In q
dramatic sort Of a way he thanked God
"that he did not belong to the priesthood
cor the Church" ri ANA man Of reli-
"gious sympathies, who thoroughly hates
"and despises religious creeds. l do not
"believe in one Of the thirty-nine articles,
"nor in either of the catechisms, nor in the
divinity injunction Of the Scriptures, nor
Gin the divinity Of Christ in the sense in
(which it is held" Whatever may be the
result of the present controversy, whether
Mr.. Beecher shall be shown to be guilty or
innocent, it is very evident that Tilton is q
splendid specimen Of frst-class hypocrite.
If the proof were required, we would not
have to search for it outside of the declara-
ton which he himself has made in the ex-
tract above quoted.
Until very recent period this man, who
now svows that he does not believe in GER
tain doctrines and articles of faith, was, as
the editor of leading religious weekly,
sustaining and supporting these very tenets
with all the force and eloquence he could
command. He was as Jealous and indefat-
igable in the newspaper organ of Plymouth
Church as Mr.. Beecher was in It's pulpit, and
in that way won . place and q name in the
ranks Of Congregstionalism hardly second
to that Of Mr.. Beecher himself Now, he
deliberately declares that he does not be-
lieve one word of what he professed to be-
leVe, what he 80 eloquently advocated for
and in consideration of ten or twelve thou
sand dollars year. The evidence, or rather
the statements made by him, all go to show
that the editorship of the Independent is
very closely connected with the present
troubles; that, in fact, they would never
have been made public if Mr.. Bowen had
retained him in that position; and that he
would only have been too glad to conceal
his 'unutterable woe if the salve Of the
Independent had been applied to it in some
substantial way. In almost every line OF
the cross examination Tilton shows his ny
pocrisy and falsehood. He admits that his
written publications, his conversations, &c,
all intended to keep the scandal alive, were
so framed and worded as to convey the idea
Of his wife's entire innocence when he really
believed or knew her to be guilty. did
you not say that she was pureT" 'cNo."
"Did you use an expression which you in
tended to be understood as meaning the
purity of the woman2" Il did, exactly.
There are many ways in which you can
produce such impressions, and have writ
ten to produce such impressions" Inthe
whole transaction he shows a degree of
fiendishneSs toward the woman he swore TO
protect and love that is absolutely horrible,
and the conclusion is irresistible that if his
story be true, he was using the secret to get
back into the position from which he was
dismissed. "The scandal was kept alive
''by your writings?" 81 have acted like
fool, I admit" The majority of people
will come to the conclusion, Mr.. Tilton,
that you have acted more like knave.