The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-07-10
BeecIRer.'EiEdOm,

From the Chicago Interior, Presbyterian
Organ.l
The Plymouth scandal is a sad affair.
We allude to it only to present some
points in the case as they suggest them
selves to our mind.
L. Mr.. TiltOn knows, if any one does;
whether he has slandered Mr.. Beecher.
If he has not done so, it is not strange
that he should refuse to submit in silence
to base imputati2ns when the evidence is
in his possession which will exculpate
him.
2 On the supposition that Mr. Tilton' 5
story is true, he has been badly treated
by Plymouth Church. by DR.. Bacon, and
the press generally; and Mr.. Beecher, in
making a convenience of him as a light
ning-rOd to divert the odium which should
have fallen upon his own head, has acted
an unmanly part.
B The question in which the public is
interested is the simple question of fact,
whether or no Mr. Beecher is or is not
guilty of an offense which Mr.. Tilton for
bears to characterize or name. Were it
shown that Mr.. Tilton is unprincipled, as
some affirm, or insane, as others have
said, the fact remains that portion of a
letter purporting to have been addressed
by II. w. Beecher to Theodore Tilton
has been publ shed, in which Mr.. Beecher
humbles himself before Theodore Tilton
as before his God, and wishes he were
dead. Mr.. Beecheg dig or did not write
that letter. If he did not, let HIM say so.
If he does not deny the authorship of
that letter, the public will believe that he
wrote it. ifhe wrote it, what did he
mean? What was the oIfense OF which
he speaks, and on account Ct which he
humbles himself and wishes he were dead?
Mr. Tilton does not hint obscurely as to
what the otfense was. Silence may
be the best course for Mr.. Beecher TO
pursue; It certainly is not the best course
if he is ah innocent man. If he is silent,
the world will not be long in bringing in
the verdict.
1 The, question of fact is one thing,
and tho question IS to what shall be done
is another thing.
The papers which are so ready with
their advice are prematurely telling US
not to forget the great service Mr.. Beech
er has done his country and the Church
1t may be very proper to consider the
mitigating circumstances if there be any,
when the question of fact has first been
ascertaiped, At present the religious
world wishes to know whether a promi
uthb lClISAOuS ICdCuOi los UNIV a DooO
act, or is a victim of base SANDER.
5. Plymouth Church can not refuse to
listen to Mr. Tilton's offer to appear at
their bar, without FORGETTING the respect of
the Christian world. Mr., Tilton tells
story which he offers 10 make good by
evidence. Ifthey refuse to face TIC IN
quiry, the world will say that they have
sheltered crime to save Beecher.
Sad as If woDl1 he If AR Reecher
should be proved guilty of a great sin,
il would be a mistake to ii::!far that wide
spread disaster will overtake the Chris
tan Church. Mr.. Beeeher is a man OF
genius, power and popularity. But Mr..
Beecher is a very small factor in the re-
Iigious world. The cause of Christ is not
so identified with Mr.. Beechef that his
fall, if fall he should, would weaken con
fidence in Christianity; and though Mr.:
Beecher held position ever SO exalted
in the Church, his guilt would not shake
our faith in Christianity, nor place him
outside the circle of our hopes. The
Church survived the sin of David, and
David's penitence reached the ear of a
forgiving God. We sincerely hope that
the letter written to Mr.. Tilton is capable
fan explanation which will save Mr..
Beecher from disgrace, ana ithe is an in
lured man he is wofully mistaken if he
supposes that his silence Is wise.
[St Louis. Republican,
There is barely one aspect of the
scandal which redeems
Il from utter contempt 1t promises to
explode a stupendous humbug and pune |
lure gigantic sham. 1t bids fair to
strip from the most successful politico' |
religious character of his age the fimsy |
DISCUSSES under which he has so long and |
so prominently figured. Henry Ward |
Beecher is as logical an outgrowth OF the |
current state of society as Pomeroy and
Colf4x were logical products of the pre-
vailing condition of politics. His minis
try is queer mixture of cant and circus
performance. His religion IS an odd
of dra matte goodness and
attractive heresy His church is a place
Of amusement. His congregation is a
body of people who pay an enormous
pew-rent for the sake of being shocked
every Sunday, and, incidentally, to be
n style. AS for the man himself, he is
1ne of those preachers whom Carlyle