Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-11
Letter from the Rev. DR.. Edward

Beecher to Mrs. Hooper.
| ing letter from Rev. DIR. Edward Beecher to
Mrs. Hooper:
Brooklyn, Dec. 1G, 1872.
My dear Sister -
In your interview with me you stated
your belief that Henry is guilty as to Mrs.
| Hilton and that you were endeavoring to in
duce him to confess the fact as a means of
his salvation. To this reply that if he is
guilty, confession will not save him; he will
| tall in the Christian world as Lucter, son of
| the morning.
| To hope otherwise is the merest delusion
His own people would not forgive him and
ought not to do it. On what grounds you
hope otherwise, to think it could be overruled
| for good or be part of the great onward
movement | cannot conceive. All the
| churches take Christ as their law giver and
he condemns divorce except for one cause
and denounces even looking at a woman to
lust after her as adultery. Mrs. Woodhul's
| movement will sink in perdition all who in
dorse it, and the views stated by you to me as
your own would meet with universal reproba-
ton. There may be now and then an excep-
ton but they will be few. In fact then you
are laborng with all your might to ruin Hen
ry and you make PROFESSIONS of peculiar love
TO him and of hope for him if he will only
follow you.
| A greater delusion is not possible. 1t is
| true that if Henry is guilty he ought not to
| lie by denying it, and to practice hypocracy,
but if he were guilty and if for the sake of
| avoiding the consequences he should confess,
| it would not avert his fall. His only hope of
| salvation and influence is in the assurance of
| the christian community that he is innocent
and pure.
| have carefully looked into the matter and
| fully believe that he is innocent and pure as
| he has explained and declared to me- and |
| have watched his spirit 10 prayer, in preach
ing and in social life, and l believe that he is
in communion with God, and that God sus-
| tains him, and l do not believe that God
would thus sustain liar, hypocrite and
libertine, and he is all these ii he is guilty.
Still farther l have carefully reviewed what
could be done if any attempt were made to
prove him guilty, and believe he would be
fully and thoroughly indicated. | know
what testimony there is and how it would
stand, and am sure he would be fully vindi-
| Gated. This is the opinion of an eminent law
yer, who has thoroughly examined the case,
and of other competent judges. l have no
time to go into details, but you may be sure
that do not speak carelessly nor without in
quiry. l therefore think that you not only
iujure Henry by the course you pursue, but
all those who are Influenced by you to be-
lieve him guilty. Yet you are his sister and
profess peculiarly to love him. Now you may
be sure of this; the universal conviction not
only Of christians, but of all men of honor
and refinement, will be that if it were neces-
sary to bring Henry to trial or to bring him
to confusion, it is not sisters part to volun-
teer to be the accuser and prosecutor, and you
are preparing to come into collision with
come ctions and emotions of which God is the
| life and before which you cannot stand or
defend yourself for a moment.
If any one should ask why not meet the