The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-06-27
The TIl,on.peeehsr scandal.

The TiIton. Beechsr Scandal.
SwSprintthis morning THEoDoKE Tn.
1oS's letter in full. Is published inqhiS
own paper, the Golden Age, telegfaphic
extracts from which wefe given Jester.
day. There issuo. 4doabta general de-
sire tosee Ihis, exttaeFailAty document
aud We accordingly lsy ihg whole article
before our readers. Die z 1't :i.il d
As was to, have been expected, 1t 10
calling out editorial comments !fromi the
newspapers. The tone Of these articles
isoued regret over The aspects Of the
case. THE New York TINES in referring
to,ihe matter speaks thus Of II: ~ ~.
I'VE print in another column, though
not without regret, o portion Of o state
nient made by Mr.. Theodore Tilton In
reference 10 what has been for some time
known. O. the y BeecheE. Tilton" scandal.
Mrs. Beeehef's own admissions, as quoted
by MIR. Tilton, arc certainly very strong,
and win, perhaps, startle many who hold
that the lives Of ministers Of religion
should correspond in some degree with
their preaching. The solemn warning,
"Be sure your sin will find you out" b not
limited In It's application 10 the hearers Of
The Word, but applies 10 the preachers
thereof also. Mr.. Tilton declares that
he would not have Published q line on
this unpleasant subject but for the per.
sIstent attacks which have been leveled
St him by the friends Of Mr.. Beecher-
and there seems no reason 10 doubt his
word" --..- -
The Cincinnati Commercial! Of yesterday
alludes to the letter Of Mr.. Tilion as
eIfzs.s H. 80 % - =
awe have q revival Of the Beecher.T il{
ton scandal in the statement Of Mr.. Theo,
doreifA6n, which has been worried out
Of him by the, hounds that have been
barking upon his track for some months
past, The Geographic abstract Of this
statement does mott pafticulRrize the
offenso Of which Mr.. BeeeAer Is alleged TO
have hesa. guilty, but 1t must have been
very serious to irreyocabiy rupture the
intimate personal relations which, for fl
teen years, had existed between The pastor
Of Plymouth Church and the editor Of the
Golden Age, and extorted from Mr.
Beecher the very humilisting confession
which MIR. Tilton reproduces In seltde-
iensas- Ills .t0sb6 hoped that those who
hAVO7sueceeded At hst IN dtawiDg ont
the statement viii be- satisfied with
their evil work, and subside. What
ever the ufense, At, Beecher and
Mr.. Tilton seem 10 have sgreed to
keep silence; and neither the extraordi-
nary sensation oil Victoria Woodruff moi
the bAdgeiipg Of Dr.. Storrs and the Con-
gregauGnAl Council summoned At his In.
stigaLion, were sufficient 10 induce. Nj.
Titon to break the seal Of secrecy The
Rev. Leonard Bacon, however, has, by
peFsiAient assaults In the iA6epeRdent, sue.
ceeded in irritating Dir. Tilton toe point
Whefa iorhearRnce ceases to be a virtue,
and hence the explosion that will do
more TO discredit the American pulpit and
injure denominatlonAl Christianity than
anything that conld have happened.
What the motive could have been we are
alta loss TO conjecture, unless Il be that
patcsl Of ,slraightr theologiaus, fearful
Ihat BeeCheEs rStAef lStitpdinArian ortho-
doxy might ipjute their lSDOriously con-
structeds edihee, thought It better 10 de-
stroy the preacher, Il possible, than per-
NIT him 10 pull out the underpinniDg" Of
their edtice.
The Cleveland Leader oil yesterday
speaks Of the letter as follows:
"Thc Christian people Of this country,
who have reIolced il the eloquence and
strength Of the Rev. Henry Ward Beech
er, and who have believed with Q sort OF
blind tailh that all. The recent charges and
accusations against him were false or
greatly exaggerated, will read with dis
may the announcement recently made by
Mr.. Theodore TiltoD, editor otthe Golden
A9s This alleged exposure Is brought
out by the harsh criticisms Of DR.. Leonard
Bacon upon the course Of Mr.. Tilton. As
the case stood, either Mr.. Tilton had
grossly slSndeTed Mr. .Beecher or Mr..
Beecher was On unfit man TO occupy the
pulpit OF Plymouth Church. Beecher and
Triton, sitter some more or less public IN.
pleSsAntness years ago, had become per.
sonally rtconcIled, TiltOn leaving Ply
mouth Church, but refusing 10 testify
against its pastor. When called upon by
the Plymouth Chptch Investigating COM
mittee some months ago 70 sIate MS case
against Mr.. Beeeher, Mr.. TIlton, as will
be remembered, refused 10 testify, declar.
ing himself no! longer q member Of the
congregation aud denying the right OF
the committee 70, demand his evidence,
Thus the matter was dropped, the ma.
lorily Of people believing that Mr.. Beecher
Wss Innocent and that Tilton had no Sc.
rious story 70 tell. After living in this ats
titudeIoS . few months, Mr. Tillon says
that the structures Of DR.. Bacon have
been too much for his iortitude, and
he therefore tells the whole story
In seven columns Of the 6olden1
Ae6. The quotations from docu.
ment purporting to be signed by Mr..
Beeoher-Already published In our tele=
graph Tep0rb-beems sufficiently conclu-
EiVe % demand that Plymouth Church
callGn- immediate reinEeStigation Of The
case. Either Mr.. .Tilton 10 a moral by.
asns, maj. 10 be spprped from decent
society, Or Nh BeecAe hos fallen from d
position sohigh and influential that his
fall wtllbs Q. national Misfortune q Ply
mouth Church can olonger shield its
eloquent and beloved pastor from investl:
CATION. The exSmlnStien should be
prompt, thorough and candid, and liz re-
suits given frankly 10 the world. Bit
how and whom itmgy, The time tAs come
Tor the truth to he known about this long
llVhd nFd EaInfnN eonv,H61r ~ sa.-f7g,' " ~