The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-28

wrong. which act was followed by a similar
act OF criminality between the same parties
at Tilton's residence. during pas
toral visit paid by B5echer to
her on the subsequent Saturday
evening. followed also by other similar acts
on various occasions, from the autumn OF
1858 to- the spring of 1870, the places be-
ing the two residences Aforesaid, and occa-
sionally other places to which her pastor
would invite ana accompany her, or at
which he would meet her by previous ap-
pointment. These acts of wrong being on
her part from first to last not wanton or
consciously wicked, but ansing tbrouh a
binding VI her moral perception occasioned
by the powerful
INFLUENCE ExERTED on HER MIND
at that time to this end by the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, as her trusted religious pre-
ceptor and guide; fifth, that the pastoral
visits made by Fl. w. Beeeher to Mrs. Til
ton during the year 1s6s became so frequent
as to excite comment, being in marked con-
trast with his known habit of making few
pastoral calls on his Pensioners, which
frequency in Mrs. Til.on's case is shown in
letters written to her husband during his
absence in the West, these letters giving
evidence that during a period of
five o., SIX weeks MI y different itGe pas,
made by the Rev. II. w. Beecher, whic b
calls became noticeably infrequent on
Tilton's return to his home; sixth, that
previous to the aforesaid criminal intimacy,
one of the reasons which Mrs. L alleged for
her encouragement of such exceptional at
tentions from the Rev. III. w. Beecher. was
the fact that she had been much distres sed
with rumors against his moral purity and
wished to convince him that she could receive
his kindness and vet resist his solicitations,
and that she could inspire in him by her
purity and fidelity an increased respect
for the chaste dignity of woman
1858, she maintained with christian
firmness toward her pastor this position
of resistance, always refusing bis amorous
pleas, which were strong ana oft repeated,
and in letter to her husband, dated Feb
ruary 3, 1865, she wrote as follows; ITO love
is trustworthy, but to abuse the gift Is sin.
Here / am strong. No demonstration or fas
cinations could cause me to yield my woman
hood" Seventh, hat the first suspicion
which crossed the mind OF Theodore Tilton
that the Rev. Ii. w. Beecher was abusing or
might abuse the affection and reverence
which Mrs. L bore toward her pastor was
AN IMPROPER CAREss
given by Mr.. Beecher to Mrs. t. while seated
by her side ON the floor of his library over
looking engravings. Mr.. T., few hours
Us
of her permission of such liberty, whereat
she at first denied the fact, but then con-
fessed it, and said that she had spoken chld-
ingly to Mr.. Beecher concerning it. On an
other occasion Tilton, after leaving his
house in the early morning, returned to ii
in the forenoon, ana on going TO his be-
chamber found the door locked, and when on
knocking at the door it was opened 10y Mrs.T
Beecher was seen within apparently much
confused and exhibiting flushed taco. Mrs.
Elton afterward made plausible e2plana-
ton, which from the confidence reposed in
her by her husband, was by her deemed sat
isfactory; eighth, that in the spring of 1870 on
Tiltons return from his winters absence, he
noticed in his wife such evidences OF abSorp-
ton of her mind in Beecher that in short
time an estraugement took place between
her husband and herself, in consequence of
which she went into the country earlier than
usual for her summer sojourn. After an
absence of several weeks she voluntarily
returned to her home in Brooklyn. On
the evening of July 3, 1870, when then and
there, within few hours after her arrival,
and after exactipg from her husband SOL
emn promise that he would do the Rev. III.
w. Beecher no harm nor communicate to
him what she was about to say, she made
circumstautial con fession to her husband OF
the criminal facts herein before stated, ac-
companied with citations from Beecher's ar
guments and reasoniDgs with her TO over
come her long maintained scruples against
yielding TO his desires, and declaring that
she had committed no wrong to her husband
or her marriage vow, quoting, in support of
this opinion, that ner pastor had repeatedly
assured her that she was spotless and chaste,
which she believed herself to be. She fur
Their stated that her sexual commerce with
him had never proceeded from low or vul-
car thoughts either on her part or his, but
oixv from mn ffactior and
HIGH RELIGIOUS LOVE.
She stated furthermore that Mr.. Beecher
habitually characterized their intimacy by
the term "neS hiding" and that he would
suffer pain and sorrow if his hidden secret
were ever made know. That her mind was
often burdened by the deceit necessary for
her to practice in order to prevent discovery,
and that her conscience had many times
impelled her to throw off this burden of
enforced falsehood by making full con-
fession to ner husband, so that she would
no longer be living before him perpetual
lie. In particular she said that she
had been on the point of making this
confession few months previously during
a severe illness, when she feared she might
die. She affirmed also that Beecher had as
sured her repeatedly that he loved her
better than he had ever loved any other
woman, and she felt justified before God in
her intimacy with him, save the necessary
deceit which accompanied it, and which she
frequently suffered in her mind. Ninth, that
afeer the above-named confession by Mrs.
Elizabeth X. Tilton, she returned TO the
country to await such action by her hus
band as he might see fit to take. Where
upon. after many considerations, the chief
of which was that she had not voluntarily
gone astray, but had been artfully misled
through religious reverence tor the Rev.
Henry Ward Beechcr, her spiritual guide,
and together, also, from a desire to protect
his family from open shame, Tilton
condoned the wrong, and he addressed to
his wife such letter of affection, tenderness
and respect as he felt would restore her
wounded spirit, and which did partially pro-
duce that result; tenth, that in December,
1870. differences arose between Theodore
Tilton and Henry G. Bowen which were
augmented by Henry w. Beecher and Mrs.
Beecher, in consequence whereof and aG the
wish of Mrs. Elizabeth X. Tilton, expressed