The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-07-08
orn SEW work. LETTER
New York, July 4, 1874.
TiTR GREAT EXPERIMENTATION IMBRo6-
no


numb Of Tilton's paper, the Gotde.
Aqe. obtains a letter over the sigma
ture ii the editor, addressed to Rev
LeOnard Bacon, ofNew Haven, whic.
puts Mr.. Beecher in a rather avn
ward position. The situation is somc
thing like this:
Your readers all remember tina
some years ago the notorious Mrs
Woodruff stated in her paper tina
Henry Ward Beecber had been gull
ty of criminal intercourse with tht
wife Of Tilton. Those who knew
Mrs. Tilton knew that the charge
was false; but those in position tt
know. felt that there was something
the matter somewhere. Tilton with.
drew from Plymouth Church, and
the talk circulated with great free
dom.
Since this time. some friends Of
Beecher have prosecuted Tilton I'm
remittingly. DR.. Bacon, in his adj
dress to the council, spoke so point
edly of the magnanimity Of Beecher
toward-Tilton in refusing to "crush"
him, that Tilton felt obliged to give
to the public the facts in the case, to
the end Of showing who was the
magnanimous man Of the two.
Mr.. Tilton states that after be had
been for fifteen years q member of
Plvmoth Church, and had become
meanwhile an intimate friend of the
pastor, knowledge came to him IN
li870. that he had committed against
ham an offence Which he torbore 10
name or characterize. Prompted by
his self-respect, he Immediately and
forever ceased his attendance on his
ministry. Then he gives a long ac-
count Of how he closed his connec-
ton with Plymouth Church. The
church had knowledge through
Woodhulrs paper Of the charges
against Beecher, but it refused to
believe them. Mr.. Sherman, the
clerk Of the church, was reported
in the Brooklyn Union as saying:
CAS- for Mrs Tilton, she had oeca-
stoned the whole trouble while in a
halC-crazed condition. She bad
mediumistic fits, and while under the
strange power that possessed her Of
ten spoke of the most incredible
things, declared thirgs, possible that
were impossible, and among the rest
had slandered Mr.. Beecher. Mr.. Til
ton himselfhad acknowledged that all
the other things she had told him in
her mediumistic trance were false and
impossible"
This language, however, Mr.,
Sherman afterward retracted.
But in all the discussion Of the
question. great stress was laid upon
the fact that Tilton had s~landered
Beecher: that he vas bringing re-
proach upon the church, and that
Beecher's sparing him was really
saint-like. SO Tilton proceeds to
show directly who is the magnani-
nous man, and be publishes a letter
he wrote Mr.. Bcecher, dated May !,
1874.
Henry Ward BeecheT.
Sir: MIR. I. y. Carpenter mentions
TO me your saving to him that under
certain conditions, involving certain
disavowals by me, a sum Of money
would or could be raised to send me,
with my family, to Europe for a term
Of years.
The occasion compells me to state
explicitly that so long as life and self
respect continue to exist together in
nv breast, | shall be debarred from
receiving, either directly or indirectly,
anv pecuniary or other favor at your
hand.
The reason for this feeling on my
mart YOU know so we'll that | will
spare YOU the statement Of 1t.
Yourse truly.
THEODORE Triton.
l Whv did Mr.. Beecher desire the
absence ofTiton enough to raise mon
ey to keep him and his family in
Europe for a term of years. What
were the disayowals npon which the
raising ofthe money was conditioned!
These be conundrums!
In Mr.. Bacon's speech on the
Brooklyn Council, the following oc-
ours:
Another part of my theory is that
| Mr.. Beecher's magnanimity is IN
speakable. l never knew q maa OF
a larger and more generous mind.
| One who was in relations to him the
most intimate possible, said to me,
of I wanted to secure his highest
love. | would 90 intoa church-meet-
ing and accuse him Of crimes"
This is his spirit. But l think he
NAV carry it too far. A nan whose
life is q treasure to the church Uni
versal. to his country, to his age, has
no right to subject the faith in it to
such a strain. And l think Mr..
/ Beecher would have done better to
let vengence come on the heads oil
his s~landerers."
Whereupon Mr.. TiIton publishes
the following which he has held in
his possession four years.
Brooklyn Jan ], 1871.
I ask Theodore Tilton's forgive
ness, and humble myself before him
as do before my God. He would
have been 4 better man in my circum-
/ stances than | have been. | can ask
nothing except that he will remem-
Der all the other breasts that would
ache. Twill not plede for myself l
even wish that | were dead.
II. w. BEECHER.
This letter was written by Mr..
Beecher at the demand Of Mr.. Tilton.
The act for which he begs forgiveness
is stated to have been an attempt up
on Mrs. Tilton of the m:st gross
nature, which Mrs. Tilton indignant
" rejected, and which Mr.. Tilton as
Indignantly resented. Whether it is
true or not that Beecher made base
proposals to Mrs. Tilton, there is no
doubt as to the genuineness of the
letter. What is omitted from it no
one knows but Tilton, Beecher and
the friend who was present when it