Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-08-27

a ha-,
which have so long dreaded, and have so earn.
estly striven TO avoid. has come To pass conia
not further prevent IL without full surrender az
| honor and truth. The time has arrived when /
can freely speak IN vindication of myself I
labor under great disadvantages in making
statement. Ny memory of states of mind il clear
and tenacious, better than my memory Of dates
end details during four troubled years, in all 81
which have been singularly burdened with pub
lie labor. having established and conducted the
Christian Union, delivered courses of lectures
preaching before the Theological Seminary 81
Yale College, written the Life of Christi de-
liyered each winter lyceum lectures in all the
North and West-all these duties, with the care
OF great church and its outlying schools and
chapeis, and the miscellaneous business which
falls upon clergyman more than upon any
other public man, / have kept in regard
and now, with the necessity OF explain
ing actions and letters resulting from complex in
fuences apparent at the time, find myself in
position where know my innocence without be-
ing able 10 prove IL with detailed explanations /
am one upon whom trouble works nwardly, max
ing me outwardly silent, but reyerberating In the
chambers OF my soul, and when at length do
speak il liz pent-up flood. and pours without
measure or moderation. inherit tendency to
sadness, the remains in me oiposl1ye hypochon-
dria in my father and grandfather, and in certain
| moods Of reaction, the world becomes black. and
| / see very despairingly. Ii were In such mood
| to speak as feel i should give false coors and
| exaggerated proportions to everything. This
manifestation is in such contrast to the hopeful
| ness and courage which experienced in ordinary
times that none but those intimate with me
| would suspect one so full Of overlooking spirit
| and eager gadsomeness to have within him a care
| or gloom. Some of my letters to Mr.. Moulton re-
fleet this morbid feeling. He understood. and at
| times earnestly reproved me for indnIqng it,
| With this preliminary review / proceed to my
| narrative
| Mr. Tilton was first known to me as reporter
! Of my sermons. He was then youth just from
school. and working on the New York Observer,
| and from this paper he passed TO the Independ-
ent, and became great favorite with Mr..
Bowen. When, about 1861, Drs. Bacon, Storrs,
| md resi- / hppama
| editor Of the Independenf to which i had been
| from the start contributor. One of the induce
| ments held out to was that Mr.. Tilton
should be my assistant, and relieve me wholly
| from routine Office work. In this relation j be-
came very much attached TO him. We used TO
| stroll to the galleries and print-shops and dine
| often together His mind was opening freshly
| and with enthusiasm upon all questions. / used
to pour out my ideas of civil affairs, public pol
| lev, religion, and philanthropy. OF this he has
| often spoken with grateful appreciation, and
mourned at a later day over its cessation August
| was my vacation month, but my family repaired
| to my farm in June and July, and remained there
! during September and October. My labors con-
| ining me to the city, took my meals in families
| ofmy friends and from year To year became
| familiar with their children and houses that
went in and out daily, almost as in my own house.
Mr.. Tilton often alluded TO this habit, and urged
| me to do the same by his house. He would often
| speak in eXtravagant terms of his Wife esteem
| and affection Tor me- After ] began to visit his
| house he sought to make il attractive. He
| urged me TO bring my papers down there, and
use the study TO 90 my WrltlU9 H. aS III was not
| pleasant TO do my writing at the office of the
| Iadependeat. When went to England. in 1863,
| Mr.. Tilton took temporary charge OF the, Inde-
! DendeJf On my return paved the way for him
TO take sole charge OF ii. my name remaining for
| year, and he then becoming responsible editor.
Friendly relations continued until 1866, when
violent assaults were made upon me by Tilton in
| the Iadependent on account of my Cleveland ct
| ter, and temporary discrimination OF publica-
| ton of my sermons in that paper broke OF my
| connection with it, Although Mr.. Tilton and /
/ ron GOOD terms.
| a GOODNESS between us in all matters OF politics.
| Our social relations were very kindly and as late
as 1859, at his request, sat to Page some fifty
times for portrait. 1t was here that first met
and talked with Moulton, whose wife was a mem
! Der of Plymouth Church, though he was not
| member, or even regular attendant. During this
whole period never received from Mr.. Tilton or
| any member of his family the slightest hint that
| there was any dissatisfaction with my familiar
| relations to his household AS late, | think, as
the winter of 1869, when going upon an extended
| lie curing tour he said: :" wish you would look
| in often and see that Libby is not Lonesome, or
does not want anything" or words to that effect:
Never by sign or word did Mr.. Tiltop complain of
my visits to his family until after he be.
gan to fear that the IndePendent would be
| taken from him; nor did he break out
into violence until on the eve of dispossession
| from both the papers. the Independent and the
| Brooklyn Union, owned by Mr. Bowen. During
| these years of intimacy In TiltOn's family ! was
| treated as father or elder brother. Children
| were born children died. They learned to love
| me, and to froc with me as If was one of
| i Il
| Tilton a true and honest regard She seemed to
me ali affectioDate mother, a devoted wife, look
| ing up to her husband as one far above the COM
| mon race of men, and turning to me with artless
| familiarity and with entire confidence. Childish
in appearance, she was child-like in nature, and
/ would az soon have misconceived the confidence
of the little girls as the unstuded affection which
she showed me. Delicate In health, with self
| cheerful air, she was boundless in her sympathy
| for those in trouble, and labored beyond her
| strength for the poor. She had the charge,
a married
| Mission School, and they perfectly worshiped
| her there | gave Mrs. Tilton copies of my
| from the farm flowers to be distributed among
a dozen more families, and she occa-
sionally shared, The only present of value ever
| gave her my return from Europe IN 1863,
| when distributed souvenirs of my journey to
some fifty or more persons, and to her gave
| simple brooch of little intrinsic value. So far
| from supposing that my presence and influence
was alternating Mrs. Titon from her family rela-
| lions thought, on the contrary that 1t was Civ
ing her strength and encouraging her to hold fast
| upon man evidently sliding into dangerous as
| sociations, and liable to be Immersed by unusual
sef-conceit. / regarded Mr.. Tilton as in a very
critical period of his life, and used to think it
! fortunate that he had good home influence
| about him. During the late years of our friend
ship Mrs. Tilton spoke very mournfuly to me
| about the tendency of her husband to great lax
ity Of doctrine in religion and morals. She gave
| me to understand that he denied the divinity OF
Christ, the inspiration of the Scriptures and
most OF the articles of the orthodox faith while
NltNs ar tO sHuCilty Oh tnS HlurTldpt ltlu
| tons were undergoing constant change in the
| direction of free love.
In the latter part OF July. 1870, Mrs Tilton was
sick, and at her request visited her She seemed
much depressed. but gave no hint of any
| trouble having reference to me. | eheered her as
| best could, and prayed with her just before
| leaving. This was our last interview before the
trouble broke out In the family. describe 1t be-
cause IL was the last, and its character has bear
| ing upon the latter part of my story. Concerning
all my other visits IL Ii sufficient to say that at
| no interview which ever took place between Mrs.
/ Tilton and myself did anything occur which
might not have occurred with perfect propriety
between brother and sister, between a father
and child, between man of honor and the wife
OF his dearest friend, nor did anything hap
| pen which she and l sought to conceal from her
| husband.
Some years before any open trouble between
Mr.. Tfton and myself, his doctrines, set
forth In the leaders OF the IadepeRdent, aroused
storm OF Indignation among representative
Congregationalists in the West. and the
| paper was still very largely supposed to be my
organ, was written to on the subject. In reply,
Indignantly dsclamed all responsibility for the
views expressed by Tilton. Ny brother Edward,
then living In Illinois, was prominent in remon-
strances, addressed TO Bowen, concerning the
course of the paper under Mr. Tilton's manage
ment. 1t was understood that Bowen agreed, In
consequence of proceedings arising out of this
remonstraDce, TO remove Tilton, or suppress his
peculiar views; but instead of that, Theodore
seemed firmer In the saddle than before, and his