The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-06-30


pugnant to my feelings, duty requires
me to choose the second. &C.,.
| authorize you Qf such be your
ploasure) to cite me at any time within
the next thirty days to appear at the
bar of Plymouth church for trial on
the charge heretofore made against me,
namely, that of circulating and pro-
noting scandals derogatory 10 the
christian integrity of the pastor and In
furious to the reputation of the
church"
My only stipulation concerning the
trial is that it shall not be held with
closed doors, nor in the absence of the
pastor. y Truly yours,
..... THEODORE TILToN.
To the above communication | re-
celved the following reply from the
clerk of the church;
BRooKLYN, May Is, 1874.
DEAR SlR-Your note Of the dth
instant, inclosing letter addressed to
Mr. Boecher, Mr.. Halliday and my
/! self, was duly received.
/; This letter has been read by Mr..
Halliday, with whose concurrence it
has been submitted to the examining
committee; and we all deem its con
| -~..t. r..-~~. question wh,cl
should be decided by that committee.
| ana wiIivi, she. old not DO subnai,tcd to
the pastor of the church, to whom,
therefore, the letter has not been
shown, though he has been advised of
its substance.
Having consulted the members of
the committee, | am informed by them
that they ace no reason for accepting
your proposition, or even for laying it
before the church Yours truly
THOMAS G.. SHEARMAN.
Mr.. Theodore Tilton.
IL now remains for me TO give you
some reasons why have been prompt
ed, after yeais Of reticence to lay
before you the grave matters contained
in this communication. Nothing
could induce me to make my present
use Of the foregoing facts, except the
conviction which the events Of the last
year, and particularly Of the last half
year, have forced upon my mind that
Mr.. Beecher, or his legal and and other
agents acting in his interesting and by
his consent, have shown themselves
willing to sacrifice my good name for
the maintenance of his. | have come
slowly to this judgmont--more slowly
than my personal friends have done /;
but that / am not mistaken in it you
shall sec by few illustrative in
stances:
| The church, at public meeting, on
Friday evening, October 81, 1873, by
an official document which was pub
lished the next morning in every lead
ing journal in New York, gave the
public falsely to understand tnat | had
been cited to answer charges, when |
had really been requested not to answer
them-a piece Of ecclesiastical misre,
presentation which was the more griev-
Gus TO me because it was subsequently
accepted by the council as authentic
and because it is still widely believed
by the public.
MIR. Beecher's journal, the 'Uhristiar
Union published this official false
hood TO a vide circle Of readers, anc
took no notice Of the correction which
| addressed at the time in brief note
to the council. If every American
journal should be destroyed and only
the files of the christian Union should
remain, that journals report of my cast
would represent me as culprit, FIRST
who had slandered clergyman wht
had been summoned before the church
to answer for this calumniation next
who had evaded this summons by re
storation to the safe shelter of non mem
bership, and last, who. on account o
this moral poltroonery, had been drop
ped from the roll. Such is the recorC
which Mr. Beecher's journal contains
Of my case, up to date.
During the council, and while Their,
seemed a probability that plymouth
church would receive condemnation
and be disfellowshipped by the neigh
| boring churches, Mr.. Bcecher inspired
,, message from his church to the coun
Gil, closing with these words;
We hold that it is our right, ant
may be our duty, to avoid the evils in
cident to a public explanation or
public trial, and that such an exercis'
of our discretion furnishes no gooC
9 ground for the interference of othe
churches, provided We neither retaiI
within our fellowship, nor dismiss b.
letter, as in regular standing, persons
who bring open dishonor upon TIT
Christian name.
This adroit insinuation against MI
!, il what you as moderator Of the coun
, Gil know to have been the turning poin
in the fortunes of Plymouth church be
fore that tribunal. The council yer
dict lyrrows almost these identica
E words 1t says "fhe accused per
sons has not been retained in tn
/, church" " @"' 0'''
DO not misunderstood me. | vii
not say that in my unsuccessful man
agement Of this unhappy scandal
/: have brought no "dishonor ON tn
Christian name, the one name which o
I al Others | most seek to honor. Wit
3 infinite sorrow look back through tn
= last few years and see instances il
' which, by the fatality Of my false posi-