The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-11-04
HAWAIIANG GAZETTE
neecher,a d,nne.
rron ..serItaer.. MonthIrn ID october.

concerning the scandal 10 Plymouth Church, re-
Gently aud forever exploded. There never was
any probability in it. The idea that Mr.. Beecher
who had carried pure name through life. should
after having lived TO be nearly sixty years old
reared family, and been subjected to the most
Tremendous drafts upon his vitality. gone out Of
his way to seduce an innocent member out of his
own hock,-the wife Of personal friend to whom
he had married ber.-was simply preposterous.
The absurdity Of it is greater when it is remem-
bered that his life had not been brutal one, but
one in which the nobIer sentiments had always
been those receiving special culture. The crime
charged against him is probably the last toward
which be would have been tempted. We say
they never was any probability in it, regarded
/ purely from physiological point of view and
when we remember that the person who origin
ated it continued to cling to the nest which he
protested to believe was dishonored by repeated
crimes against Its purity, the improbablity grew,
in all practical results, to impossibty.
1t is strange that these two circumstances,
Mr.. Beechers age, his relations and the spiritual
nation Of the ofense which he professed to be-
lieve his wife had committed had not opened
the eyes of the public to the facts, and rendered
the scandal impossible. There are other circum-
stances that ought to be taken into consideration
If the public had fully looked in the face the or
ganized and selfjustifed nastiness in which this
scandal was bred, they would have seen that 1t
was an attack on eminent purity before which it
writhed 10 condemnation. But 1t is all over now.
We suppose that none but fool now believes
that Mr.. Beecher ever had criminal conversation
with the weak woman whose name has been
coupled with his in this business and that none
but worse than fool either wishes or pretends
to believe it. Saying this, the case ought to be
covered, but, unhappily, even Mr.. Beecher is still
blamed. Why did he not come out aud say all
he has said, before Why did he submit to the
manipulation which proved him SO little worldly
wise9 Why did he hold any communication
with people whom he ought to have known we're
unsafe associatesf Why did he, and why did he
not, do thousand things besides?
We are not Mr.. Beecher's champion, but we
would like to ask few questions. What bust
ness have you, oh inquisitive public, with mans
mistakes? Why did you give the slightest Gre
dence to this wretchedly improbable story, and |
put him to such long and inexcusabe torture |
He denied this story over his own signature ex-
plcitly why did you not believe his denial? Had .
he been in the habit of deceving you? Did this
tidal unra of filth thot hos su,,, o,o. a.. IL
originate with him? Has he not been snned
against publicly and privately, from the first?
That he was unwise n the management of this
affair is a matter for your commisseration and
not for your blame. The fact calls for your SYM
pathy, and not for your condemnation. The peo-
Pile and the press have done that for which they
ought to go down on their knees before Mr.
Beecher The sly knavery of the advice that
has been melted out to him, to confess and be for
given the apologies that have been made for him
on the ground of his usefulness as a Christian
preacher tie distinctions that have been drawn
between the man and his work the readiness to
give credence to anything that made against him,
rom the most ENTHUSIASTICALLY sources the handy
ng OF his name as q jest-these are offenses so
gross that all who have been guilty of them
should hide their heads in shame II Mr. Beech
sr can forgive, or withhold his Indignation, it be-
comes the offending public to be silent.
There is special portion of the great public {
Who ought to have few honest words said to {
hem, aud those we propose to say. 1t cannot be {
ienied that there was a considerable number of {
he large aggregate of the clergymen in this S
country who not Only did not stand BY Mr..
3eecher on his trial. but who had such degree '
# satisfaction 10 his humiliation that they could 4
lot contain it. There are clergymen who have q
ided in the circulation Of this scandal and help
d to confirm its impression upon the public mind o
men who envied him, distrusted his influence. n
nd did not believe in the soundness of his doc {
rines. How much Christianity is it supposed Y
here can be 10 any minister who can take the Fl
last satisfaction in the downfall of professional
rother? How much in him who does not refuse Il
believe anything against, such a brother until
is guilt is undeniaby proved Bah 1t is #
nough to make man sick to contemplate such G.
astards There is not one of them who does
OF i've 10 glass-house. There is not one of
lem who is not closeted, more or less with wo- u
zen in distress and he only needs to have an al
oservlng enemy 20 make him the subject of a III
anda just as cruel and causeless as that which tt
IS befaIlen Mr.. Beecher. If clergymen cannot pI
and by one another in emergencies like this, IN
N they blame the public for believing anything til
at may be said against them? 1t is dirty pc
I'd. &c. it
We congratulate Mr.. Beecher on his relief from sh
e horrible incubus that has SO long rested upon or
IN. We congratulate all who have stood by he
m, with faith in bis purity and integrity un- all
AIKEN. We congratulate the Christian Church tn
large, and Plymouth Church in particular, on be
e restoration to public confidence of the strong. pc
man in the Christian pulpit. We cougratu. cr'
e the country that one Of its greatest men 10
lnds redeemed to its respect, and that one of
Proudest names has emerged from cloud of
nder that can never hide II oooin W. -,