Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-08-01
Whole Number 1882.

good offices in this case have led me
to a higher moral feeling than l
might otherwise have reached.
Ever yours, affectionately,
THEODORE.
To FRANK MoULTOx.
On the same day Beecher wrote
to Moulton the following
Ny DEAR FRIEND MOUIrON:
I a am glad q to 5 send you book, &C.
Many, many friends has God
raised up to me, but to no one of
them has He ever given the oppor-
tunity and the wisdom SO to serve
me as you have. You have also
proved Theodore's friend and Eliza
beth's. Does God look down from
Heaven on three unhappier creatures
that more need a friend than these ?
Is it not an intimation of Gods in
tent of mercy to all, that each one of
these has in you a tried and proved
friend? But only in you are we
thus united. Would to God, who
orders all hearts, that by His kind
mediation, Theodore, Elizabeth, and
l could be made friends again.
Theodore will have the hardest
task IN such a case; but has he not
proved himself capable of the no.
blest things? ? 1 wonder if Eliza
abeth knows how generously he has
carried himself toward me. Of
course, l can never speak with her
again, without his permission, and
do not know that, even then, it
would be best.
Moulton on the same day, ask
ed Tilton if he would permit
Beecher to address a letter to
Mrs. Tilton, and Tilton replied in
the affirmative; whereupon Beeeher
wrote as follows
BEOOKLYN, Feb. Z. 1871.
MY DEAR MRS. TnT0N;
When l saw you last / did not
expect ever to see yob again, or to
be alive many days. God was kinder
to me than were my own thoughts.
The friend whom God sent to me,
Mr.. Moulton, has proved, above ali
friends, that 1 ever had, able and
willing to help me in this terrible
emergency of my life. His hand it
was that tied up the storm that was
ready to burst on our heads. You
have no friend Theodore excepted
who has it in his power to serve you
so vitality, and who will do it with
such delieaey and honor. 1t does
my sore heart good to see in Mr..
MoultOn an unfeigned respect and
honor for you. 1t would kill me if
I thought otherwise. He will be
true friend to your honor and hap
piness, as a brother could be to
sisters. In him we have a common
ground. You and / may meet in
him.. The past is ended. But is
there no futureY No wiser, holier fu-
ture? May not this friend stand as
priest in the new sanctuary of re-
conciliation, and mediate between
Theodore and my most unhappy
self? Do not let my earnestness
fail of its end. You believe in my
judgment, 1 have put myself Who'll
ly and gladly in Moulton's hand.
And there / must meet you. This
is sent with Theodore's consent,
but he has not read it. VIII you
return it to me by his own hand?
l am very earnest in this wish,
for all our sakes, such a letter ought
not to be subject to even perchance
of miscarriage. Your unhappy friend.
HW. BEECHER.
xT. That about a year after Mrs. Til
tons confession, her mind remained
in the fixed opinion that her criminal
with Mr.. Beecher had not
been morally wrong; so strongly
had he impressed her to the contra
ry. But at length a change took
place in her convictions on this sub
ject, as noted in the following letter
addressed by her to her husband:
soHOHARrE, June 20, 1871. 5-
MI DEAR THEODORE:
To-day, through the ministry of
Catharine Gaunt, character of fic-
ton, my eyes have been open for the
first time in my experience, so that
see clearly my sin. 1t was when
knew that was loved, to suffer it
to grow to a passion. A virtuous
woman should check instantly an
absorbing love. But it appeared to
me in such false light. That the
love l felt and received could harm
no one, not even you, / have believ-
ed unalteringly, until 4 O'Clock this
when the heavenly vision
upon me. see now, as
never before, the wrong I have done
you, and hasten Immediately to ask
your, pardon with penitence so sin
,ere that henceforth (if reason re-
nains) you may trust me implicitly. |
Oh! my dear Theodore, though your
opinions are not restful or cOngeni-
Il to my soul, yet my own integrity
and purity are sacred and holy
hing 20 me. Bless God with me
;or Catharine Gaunt, and for all the
,ure leading of an all wise and saw
no Providence. Yes; now l feel
I1ite prepared to renew my mar
.iape VOW with you, to keep it as
he Savior requireth, who looketh at
he eve and the heart, never before
.ould l say this. When you yearn |
oward me with feeling, be assured
f the tried, purified, and restored |
owe of
EL1zABETH.
Mrs. Tilton followed the above |
etter with these:
July 9Th, 1871.
Oh, my dear husband, may you
ever need the discipline of being
lisled by good woman, as l was
y a good man. s t
mo Date,l ts
would mourn greatly if my life /
Ias to be made known to my father.
lis head would be bowed indeed to
he grave.
10 ,,ot tb;rb 49, IN baoltb is on 4