Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-08-26

De Spcdh out III NlOlSlCC VII VIZ 'HO
evening of his dispossession of
both papers, the independent and
the Brooklyn Union, owned by
Mr.. Bowen. During these years
of intimacy in Mr.. Tilton's family
| was treated as father or elder
brother. Children were born,
children died. They learned to
love me as if | was one of them
selves. love them, and / had for
Mrs. Tilton true and honest re-
gard. She seemed to me an affec-
tionate mother, a devoted wife,
looking up to her husband as one
far above the common race Of men,
and turning to me with artless fam
iliarity and with entire confidence.
Childish in appearance, she was
childlike in nature, and | would
as soon have misconceived the
the confidence of the little girls as
the unstudied affection which she
showed me. Delicate in health,
with a self-cheerful air, she was
boundless in her sympathy for
those in trouble and labored be-
yond her strength for the poor.
She had charge at one time of the
married woman's class at the Beth
ell Mission School, and they per-
fectly worshiped her there. Igave
Mrs. Tilton copies of my books
when published, and / sometimes
sent down from the farm flowers to
be distributed among a dozen or
more families, and she occasionally
shared. The only present of value
| ever gave her was on my return
from Europe in 1868, when l dis
tributed souvenirs of my journey
to some fifty or more persons, and
to her / gave simple broach of
little intrinsic value. So far from
supposing that my presence and
influence was alternating Mrs. Til
ton from family relations, | thought
on the contrary it was giving her
strength and encouraging her to
hold fast upon q man evidently
sliding into dangerous associations,
and liable to be immersed by un-
exampled self-conceit. | regarded
Mr.. Tilton as in very critical
period of his life, and used to think
il fortunate he had good home in
fluences about him. During the
late years of our friendship Mrs.
Tilton spoke very monrnfully to
me about the tendency of her hus-
band to great laxity of and decline
in religion and morals. She gave
me to understand that he denied
the divinity of Christ, the inspira-
ton of the Scriptures and most OF
the articles of the orthodox faith,
while his views as to the sanctity
of marriage relation were under
going constant change in the direc-
ton of free love.
In the latter part of July, 1870
Mrs. Tilton was sick, and at hel
earnest request visited her. Sh'
seemed much depressed, but gave
me no hint of any trouble having
reference to me. / cheered her as
best | could and prayed with hel
, Just before leaving. This was oul
last interview before trouble broke
out in the family. i de clibe i
, because it was the last, and it
/, character has bearing upon th'
: latter part of my story. Concern
ing all my other visits it is suiiicien
10 say that at no interview whicl
, ever took place between Mrs. III
ton and myself did anything occu
! which might not have occure
: with perfect propriety between
brother and sister, between a fatt
er and child, or between n man {
honor and the wife of his deares
, friend, nor did anything ever haT
!, pen which she or / sought to col
y ceal from her husband.
. Before any open trouble betwee
y Mr.. Tilton and myself, his doctrine
\ as set forth in the leaders of ii
- MdepeudeRt, aroused a storm
. indignation among representatiN
y =, Congregationalists in the West, an
as the paper was still very largeI
Q supposed to be my organ l W;
.n written TO on the subject. In II
- y ply / Indignantly disclaimed all II
% . sponsibility for the views expresso
:, by Tilton. My brother Edward
a then living in Illinois, was prom
nent in remonstrances address,
=, to Bowen concerning the course
80 his paper under Mr.. Tilton's ma
- aoement. 1t was understood tn
~ ~ Bowen agreed, in consequence
- - the proceedings arising out of tn
- remonstrance, to remove Tilton
'g suppress his peculiar views, b
!, instead of that Theodore seem'
;" firmer in the saddle than befor
,s and his loose notions of marriat
. . and divorce began to be shadow'
= editorially. This led to the stai
g. ing of the Adrmce, in Chicago,
90 to supercede the Independent
~ !, the Northwest, and Mr.. Bowen W
"a -, made to feel that Tilton's manaf
60 60 ment was seriously injuring |
n business, and Tilton may have Il
or that his position was being unds
oa ~ mined by the opponents OF !
ooS views. with whom he subsequent
ou Unattended to believe | was
y. Ieague. Vague intimations OF /
a. "a "fccling hard" toward me as
- :" oscirbed to his misconception.
= had really taken no step TO han