The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-07
THE GREAT MYSTERY.
BEECHER'S BURDEN.


FRIENDS OF THE PLYMOUTH PASTOR.
Prurient appetites have been whetted for
the enjoyment of the rehashed fragments of
the ghostly dish of scandal fondly believed
to have been morally ash-barrelled by the
Congregational conference a few short
months ago. A story with a clrcum-
stance about an imaginary meet
ing at Mr.. Beecher's house late
on Friday evening last, led TO a visit
ola Herald representative to the peaceful re-
gions of Plymouth yesterday. Mr.. Beecher
was not interviewed. He was much more
pleasantly employed. will be fully set
forth in another place, and as the Herald
representative got every necessary contra
diction of friends of the much enduring pas
tor, he thought he would not stir up I'M
pleasant thoughts and mar the cup of JOY
with one drop of bitterness.
THE Alleged PARTIES To THE CAUCUS.
Mr. Moses III. Beach is in the country and
his house is shut up. He told several MEM
bers of the congregation that the supposed
meeting was a myth, and that he was, he be-
lieved. the last person present with Mr..
Beecher that night, and that Mr.. Sherman,
reported to have taken very prominent
part in the talk and to have enunciated some
remarkably forcible opinions, was not there
at all but went ST a ght home after the prayer
meeting. Mr.. Sherman was mot al home"
yesterday, and is understood to object to
Sunday interviewing. Mr.. Frank Edgerton,
| usually moderator of the business meetings,
| said he knew nothing whatever about the
| alleged meeting or about Mr.. 3eecher's in
| tention, or anything at all ofthe unsavory
phantasm which has been raised in 'the silly
| season" to pad country md second class
plpers.
INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR RAYMOND,
the general superintendent of the Plymouth
Sunday school, who was also very agreeably
employed when the Herald representative
first saw him, beaming over the bright as
semblsge of young Plymouth pilgrims, was
very communicative, and evidently may be
taken as the pulse of the congregation. His
opinions are those of the whole Plymouth
people, and his faith in Mr.. Beecher is
| beautiful.
Herald Representative-Mr. Raymond,
was there any special meeting on Friday
night?
| Professor Raymond-No, sir. Nothing OF
/ the kind. The story in some of the papers
i was made out of whole cloth. 1t is likely
enough, and indeed true, that one or two OF
| Mr.. Beecher's friends accompanied him
home. There is nothing extraordinary in
that. They frequently do. But / was not
| Win LDonl, anu OUSerV6 LQaL am mace 10
deliver sundry speeches and so forth, which
do credit to the imagination of some very
INSCRIPTIONS reporter. My friends to-day
have been approaching me with mysterious
sorts of cross-questionings, if 1 were alb
solutely reeking with the flavor of scandal
1t is too bad.
Herald ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS you care to
say anything about the supposed occasion Of
the alleged meeting?
Professor Raymond-IfI had anything .tC
say I'd say it directly, unless bound to
secrecy, which L am not. But have moth.
ing to say. People will hardly believe that
from first to last of this miserable affair
have not exchanged one solitary syllable on
the matter with Mr.. Beecher. / am one oil
his friends-indeed, perhaps nearer to him in
intimacy than good MANY others; but it is
a very delicate subject. He has not once
opened his lips to me about it, and have
refrained from obtrudine any advice or
questioning, or even allusiOn. AT the same
time, have heard ali about it that any one
knows, and am firmly convinced as any
man can be of anything about anybody that
the sentiment of Plymouth church is right
and sound in its entirety. We
KNOW OUR PASTOR,
and we uphold him. You may say tn at fol
yourse1f.or the outside public you represent
sentiment is no convincing argument, bu
facts must be relied on to repel such charges
1t is fact that Beecher is no sneak. He hal
his faults. Skulking is not one of them
Tilton charges him with skulking. w,
know Tilton from the egg. We saw hin
Matched. That letter, or fragment of a lettel
lift exists-undoubtedly refers to two OF
three different things. 1t is incoherent, anC
firmly believe was jotted down from Mr.
Beecher's differences at different
times, and signed by him without
knowing what he was signing. Or
being asked he probably remarked. Ger.
tainly, I'll sign. If it's anything ever said
Pll sign with pleasure" and thought M
more about it. L have been told-don't Civ,
me as the authority for this, but believe il
that B. +. Tracy has told Tilton-whC
whined about his "going back on" HIM
that Tilton had no cause for complaint. anC
no case whatever, and emphasized the sam,
to Frank Moulton, Tilton's particular friend
Tilton has patched up a nondescript story O
grievances in book which he has hawkeC
about the country for months, like a sewing
machine or insurance agent, and it was
this precious volume which unsettled the
friendly minds of Drs. Storrs and Buddingtor
and precipitated the famous Congregations
council, which kept us all in such hot water
for while. Our faith in Beecher is abiding
| We love him, and have reason to. And SC
have the American people. Now, sir, you
have the fullest expression of our opinion
lOI ullH6 DuI pT0SSoS Wndb Is I6lJ DIV every
member of this church; and, moreover you
know at this moment, in my belief, Just as
much as any of us, or Mr.. Beecher himself
about this wondrous mountainous phan-
tom of an imaginary mole-hill. If Mr.
Beecher were to open his guns on Tiltor
he'd sink his ship; and, really, though we
would rather let the matter drop with con.
tempt, there is now a feeling, not of indiffer-
ence, but what / may call, indeed. of anxiety
that settlement may be come to, whoever
may suffer. 1t will certainly not be Beech
or. What he means to do do not know
but if his legal adviser or prominent execu
tive members of the church were to advise
him to open his mouth. believe he might
be prevailed upon TO do it.
WHAT WEST WANTED.