, 1874-03-29
DIX GbmaBn Gribua1e.
Sunday Morning, March 30, 1874.


histo-7 Of the matter may be briefly restated. a
year or more ago various scandalous stories were
circulated and printed, involving the Rev.
Henry Ward Beechcr, Of Plymouth Church,
Brooklyn, and, indirectly, the families Of Iheo~
dore Tilton and others. The PRONUNCIATION OF
these stories Was Traced to Henry c. Bowen, Of
the Independent and Brooklyn Onion news
pspers. Previous to any publicity Of them Mr.
Iilton had ceased attendance at Plymouth
Church. and ut much later day his name
was dropped from the roll Of members
of that church. He had not asked, nor did he
receive, any letter Of Dismissal. Plymouth
Church, throughout the entire agitation, haAi
resclrte]y and unanimously sustained Mr.. Beech
er, SID scou:ed everything like investigation.
The matter stood thus until b Congregational
Church OF New York addressed a letter to Ply
mouth Chu1ch suggesting that the dropping OF
the name of member without cause duly as-
signed was an irregulATity, and asking friendly
conference. Plymouth Churcl. declined this,
intinaating that it was competent to take care Of
its OWL busness. The Congregational churches
Of which Doctors stor1s aud Budingtou are pas
1ors thereupon voted that Invitations boeent to 8
number OF Congregational churches in various
parts Of the country, to hold Council, and de-
te11nine what is the practice and law OF tho
Congregational Church on the question involved.
In compliance with this call chu1ch-meetings
wero held by all the invited congregations :;
some voted to send delegates, and others de-
clined doing 60. The Council thus called is now
III session.
Under all this turks the sll-important ques-
tion whether Mr. Beecher is guilty Of tho charges
made agairst him, aud whether Plymouth
Church c2a be tolerated in refusing to investi-
cute accusations which, if trre, would unfit lr.
Beecher as teacher of religion, and stamp him
rs : lypccrite and q standing reproach to
Christianity. Though nothing OF this Kind ap-
pears On the surface every che knows that the
real purpose Of the Council is to force inves-
1igation Of the charges which have been banded
about against Nr. Beecher.
In the meantime, after SEASON OF scandal, in
which Bowen and Tlton appeared to stand up by
leaning against each other. there Was a solemn
Pact of secrecy entered into between Bowen,
Rcccher, and Tilton, under which all further
publicity concerning the scandal has been suc-
ccssful1y stiaed. Still there has been, mani
testify, no cordiality between the parties, and
lron the ground where the thing was buried
1ntl now it has blazed up in the Brooklyn Coun-
ii.
The excitement has been intensified by the
lropped from the roll Of membership Of Ply
mouth Church On account Of ISLANDERS uttered
u him, and without any trial to show whether he
was guilty OF not. Following upon this state
ment, If not provoked by it, aIr. Tlton ad-
dressed aletter to the Council on Friday, in which
he 1nada the two statements following:
ftfst-1o 1880 became member Of Plymouth
Church. In 1863 ter1ninated my connection With
tha: church. In 1873, my name, which still fingered
On the roll officially erased 3Iy retirement from
1his church executed by me in strict conformity
with the rlo Of the church, and the vay Of my act
haa Gnce been signay and repeatedly ratified by the
affirming The principle which that net was based
That principle, hold it, is the right Of freeman
sever his connection with church BY his free will
21d shall never become churchman in any church
in which this is not the rule.
SeconG-Four years sitter had thus tesna1nsted ny
connection with Plymouth Church was charged by
member Of TINT body with having circulated and pro-
n3oted scandals derogatory to the Chrs.an integrity
Of tire PASTOR aud injurious to the reputation Of tie
ArrfA vha8o
mems minds that whatever other points In doubt
there could be NO doubt that had slandercd the
pastor of Plymouth Church 1hereby declare that had
not then, nor hare eince nor st any time In all my
life ever uttered slander against any human being.
Tho first OF these seems to be conclusive rs to
LIS retirement from the church. but the second
has intensified the feeling IL regard to the other
question Of his having accused Mr. Beecher.
His words that he ''never uttered s1ande1
against rny human being are accepted as hav-
ing double meaning. They do not amount to
q denial OF having made charges against Mr.
Beeche-, but merely to denial that be has ever
accused him wrongfully. Mr. Tlton, therefore,
having spoken at al. will hare to do 30 again
and explicitly. Ho toust now state that ne new
er made any Of the accusations of which he is
the 1eputed author. or that, having made them,
he did 60 because they we're true. The Council,
il it sacceed in doing nothing else,
viii have uncovered this great scandal, and COM
pelled Mr. Tslton to deny all the statements At
tributed to him, or place Plymouth Church in
position where it ean no longer refuse to inres-
igate the charges.
In the meantime, the country will not lose
hight OF the fact that, from the beginning OF
his trouble, Plymouth Church LAS never been
hvided in its devotion to its pastor, nor On the
question Of stamping down every movement
ending to an inquiry, or explanation, or inresti~
satio2 Of the conduct Of Beecher, Bowen, or
rIlton. That is book which Plymouth Church
1as declared. with extraordinary and persistent
1naniu,*yy, aha1l never be opened; and, even
aaK. Tia Church sad tsa pastor treat tho Council