The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-06-27
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The BEE iEili ! j; SCANDAL o N
Tnt6nSiIAfticle Iin FulH

5sds go = II 49, :
Theodore Tnt6nSSIAfticle In Full
Rev. LSonard Bae6n, b. D., III. D., a.
Moderator Of TIC; Brooklyn Council.
SrR:-Aiter I-had been for fifteen year,
member Of Plymouth Church, and has
become meanwhile an Intimate friend o
the pastor, knowledge came to mein' 1S7l
that he had committed againHt me an of
fence which Eiorbear 70 name or charac,
terize. Prompted by my self,respect
Immediately and forever ceased my atten
dance on his ministry. / informed hin
Of this determination as early as january
1871; in the, presence Of q mutual friend
MIR. Francis ID. Moultun. siJci Mi, MIA
The rules oil plymouth Church AFFORDED
me schplce between two methods Of re.
tirement- lone, to ask for Q formal lette
Of dlsmissal; the other, To dismiss mysel
less formally by prolonged absence.y ..
chose the latter. In so doing my chic
desire was 10 avoid giving rice 70 curioul
Inquiries into the reason Of my abandon.
ipT church in which ! had been brought
up from boyhood, and therefore did moi
invite attention 70 the subject by asking
for dismiSsory letter, 1bpt adopted the
alternative Of silent staying away, rely
log on the rule that, o, prolonged Yabsenct
would finally secufe tome q dismissal In.
yolying no publicity TO tie 6dSe!o
Several powerful REASONS prompted me
TO the adoption oE this alternative, among
which were the following: Tho pastor
communicated to mein writing an apol-
ogy, sigued-by his name He also iap5
pealed 70 me loprotect him from bring;
ing reproach 10 tha cause Of rehgions He
alleged that an expoSnte would forbid
him 10 reasCend hisspulpit, These and
other similar reasons j, had no. right or
disposition totegard; and .I;.actedStupon
them with conscientious desire to see
MIR. Beecher protected rather than
harmed. -, --',,-,'fN 49,
At length my absence from the church
an absence Of which not three mem-
bers Of the cougregatiop,. beside the pas
tor, knew the cause-began to excite
comment In private circles. sl.a-L :. = =
At length, alter many calnmniOus whis.
perings near and lar tsince svil tAles mag.
nifty as they traYe)i .. weekly paper In
New York In November, 1872, published
wicked and horrible scandal publ.
cation which some persons in the church
ignorantly attributed IN, the origin and
snimus 10 me; whereassI had previously
spent many months oiconstant and un-
remitting endeavoro 10 suppress it-an
endeavor in which, with an earnest mo.
tive but Abolish Judgment, ] made many
ill'directed sacrifices Of, my reputation,
position, money, and fair prospects in lie,
for all which losses Of things precious,
since mine alone was tho folly, let mine
alone be the blame. ~. 70 .bEoGast
10, August, 1873. MI w llham 3. West,
q member Ol Plymouth Church. hitherto
8 stranger to me, came 70 my residence
accompanied tat his reqnest1 by my friend
ME.F.R. Carpenter, -And -told-me that
when the summer vac tioni was over be
(Mr. WesD meant TO cite me- before the
Church on thechargeef oirculat ipg scan
dsls agAinststhe pastor, declaring in Mr.
Carpenter's presence THAT, Mr.. Beechel
had acted as, II the reported scandalous
tales were tTuarather than false, and urg.
ing that / owed 1t TO myself and the truth
10 go forward and become q willing wit
meas In an investigation. I peremptorily
declined 10 join Mr., West In his proposed
investigation, and declared that as l had
not been q member Of Plymouth. Church
for several years could not be induced
TO return 10 that Church for any purpose
whatever, least Of all Tor 30 distasteful a
purpose as to participate in a scandal.
Some leading members, including especi7
ally the PASTOR, desired my cooperation
in defeating Mr.. West, and / cheerfally
gave It. To this end ! wrote, with their
pre- knowledge and at their urgent desire,
letter declining to accept a COW, of the
charges addressed to me as a f1etnber. on
theground that had four years previous.
" ceased myConnectIon with the Church
For this letter l received on the next day
alter sending II the PASTORS prorni,t AM
hearty thanfs. To nv surprise and in
dIVnation L learned on the morning ri
October 81, 1878, that the feport wSiSb
was TO be presented at the Church meet.
Ing to be held on that evening would no,
be In The simple form already intiicateG
but would declare that whereas l had beer
charged with jalAndGff the pastor Rnl
whereas 4 had BEEN cited before III
church TO meet the charge. and wherea.
Ihad pleaded non: membership as an ex-
Cuse for not appearing for trial; thefeforl
resolved that i should be dropped. Ia
This gross imputatiori. thus f6rssh6i Owed
to ma led ma 10 annesr in nerson AT tht
chnrch that sesrj1f ! ;hsral * " ssS;. ~,
Sesdna ~ M eriSeGna ,eo await ma SG
report' when J n C. came to IA rad 5sTs hrons5
nethstoloWipg novel ntelIigehce, naSe