The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-07-31

The whole story is out now in all its SYM
metrical nastiness, ~ far a. Beecher and Til
ton are concerned II conyicts Beecher Of
having been very human; Mrs. Tilton Of hav-
ing fallen a victim 10 preacher Worship, and
Mr. Tilton Of the crime, in the estimation Of
many people, Of having forgiven awoman her
weakness-and what Of it, What will be-
come of Beecher2 1t il too late for comics
sion. viii his church, which has 50 pcrsis-
tently shut it, eyes against the unvelcome
truth, still devise weak tictions for the excul-
patton Of the idolized pastor, or will it cut
him adrft 10 Iloat into literature or politics.
Despite his fall. Beecher has spoken volumes
of truths which will live after him. Ills sin
is venill in comparison with the mcannesS,
hypocrisy aud sefshncss displayed to evade
punishment. A. to Tilton there will be ma
ny and divers opinions Of his conduct, depen-
ding for their complexion on the calibre Of
the individual entertaining them.
Advocates Of the shotgun theory, who be-
leve implicitly in the Moslcm theory Of pro-
prictor.hip In woman-that man owns his
wife as he does his horse, will be full Of fire,
scorn and contempt for the spiritlcss wretch,
who, while gun-powder j. so cheap. no, only
permitted her .educer to live, but condoned
with the wife Others believing in a less
bloody code, can find no excuse for forgiving
the woman, though they will overlook the
I failure 10 scatter the Beecherian brains upon
{ the pavement Tilton himself, has been, or
/ rather was, free lover lie has publicly
proclaimed his free-love doctrines--and has
been guilty Of improper intercourse with the
| Woodhull heiier. We must give him the
credit for consistency, as we'll As magnanmi-
~.
Bcechcr's rejoinder or rebutter or whatever
il NAV be called. has strong legal fiayer and
smells loud Of the lawyer sherman as the
one who inspired or shaped it, 1t is simply
the power Of RI toric pitted against the logic
Of facts.
The neccs.itv or policy Of pastoral visits,
will be Thoroughly overhauled in all circles
hereafter. II is true, that all the Clerical
scandals, or most Of them, are the outgrowtll
Of thi. scticc. 1t is true that pastoral Wis
its Of the Shepherd to the ladies Of the flock,
should cease, or else, at least that eertan safe
guards should be thrown around it, 1t is a
noted fact, that these visits are universally
'-.----~ ''S'' s''N '''~s' Satioh are
away from home.
Religious exaltaton and that sense Of spir.
itual dependence so peculiarly elementary in
the female character are dangerous conditions
when combined with Opportunity. If pasto-
raj visits are necessity, let the pastors wife
console the women while the pastor devotcs
his time and attention TO the men, who, being
greater sinners, are more in need of the gui.
ding hand of the Shepherd. Or, if the needs
Of the woman's nature require the ministra.
ton Of a male Shepherd, let something like
/ the Catholic Confessional be established, when
good thick board partition intervenes be.
tween the pastor and penitent-, and consols
ton is administered through portfolio.
We believe the public at large think Beech
er guilty, and therefore, the sympathy, ii it
can be 50 called, is with Tilton.
| But like Senator Pugb, of Ohio, we are still
awaiting further facts, and with Goethe, ex-
claim,
Light moc light"
This scandal WAS first ntimated to the pub
lie in general, by the Woodruff woman in
May, 1871. She saying in point of fact, that
she knew public teacher Of eminence, who
lived in concubinage with the wife Of another
public teacher Of almost equal eminence- and
she should make it her business to analize
some Of their lives, for the purpose, it is sup
posed, OF advancing her own pet theories
This moral-leper is now on her way to New
York. to assist in gl1ating over the horrible
and disgusting details. About year after
she made the above utterance, she published
in her own paper, the detailed statement OF
the liaron which had existed for years be-
tween Henry Ward Beecher and Mrs Tilton.
Beecher kept a dignifed silence, although il
appears from the letters that an under TOW
was at work all the time, and when at last, the
developments made Tilton appear like the
sinner and Bcecher the saint, he, Tilton, de-
tcrmined to open his mouth, and TO day, we
have the entire press Of the land filled 10
rpletion with the dirty details Of this sad
business Beecher took up the glove thrown
by Tilton, thinking he would have the united
support Of his church as a bulwark of
strength that he was incased in the love of
all Christian people. And 81 far as his church |
is concerned, he appears to have not been de-
ceiyod, for they are standing up To him with /
a unanimiiy worthy Of better cause.
Our columns would be all too small, were
each column devoted thereto, to contain in |
full, the statements in extenso of Beecher,
Tilton, Mouton and Wilkinson, aud the er.
aminations of the respective parties by the .
Bcecher-Plymouth Church Committee. To I.
sum mp Tiltons statements, We would say
that ii bear the character of truth upon its 1
face, and corroborates the statement of MR.. /
Victoria Woodruff, while the documentary
evidence introduced, will require strong proof
to reiute it,
Beecher's statement thus far, in response to .
Tilton, is undoubtedly very weak affair. liz .
expresses an abiding faith in Mn. Tilion, and
denies rilton's charges in toto, but not spe-
officially, lie makes weak effort to over
throw Tilton's statements by referring 10 the .
inconsistency of his conduct and his Argument
to let by-gones be by-gones -whateyer had .
passed between them, never to be diyulgcd to
living soul.
MH. Tilton sustains ieecher in his aver
menis, she most solemnly denies the charge
Of adultery, aud declares that Beechcr never
even went 50 far as Ia make an Indecent pro- I
posal to her That ON the contrary, whatever
Of Christian life she had lived, il was all due
to the instrumentality and encouragement Of
Beechcr, who had assisted her toward the Di- I
vine naturs far more than any other human
agency.
II Is nlais . he