Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-22

paid by Beecher on the subsequent Satur-
day evening, followed also by other similar
acts on various occasions from the Autumn
OF 1865 to the spring Of 1870, the places be-
ing the two residences and occasionally
other places to which her pastor would in
vlte or accompany her, or at which he
would meet her by previous appointment,
this wrong being on her part, from first to
last, not wanton or consciously wicked, but
arising through a
BIinding of Her Moral Perceptions,
occasioned by the powerful influence ex-
erted on her mind at that time to this end
by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher as her trus.
ted religious preceptor and guide.
That the pastoral visits made by Beecher
to Mrs. TiltOn during the year 1868 became
so frequent as TO excite comment, being in
marked contrast with his known habit of
making pastoral calls ON his parishioners,
which frequency in Mrs. Tilton's case is
shown in letters written to her husband
during his absence in the West. These
letters give evidence that during a period
of FIVE or six weeks twelve different pasto-
raj calls on Mrs TiltOn were made by
Beecher, which calls became nOticeably in
frequent on Tilton's return to his home.
q. That previous TO the aforesaid crimi-
nal intimacy one Of the reasons which
Mrs. TiltOn alleged for her encouragement of
such exceptional attentions from Rev. II.
w. Beecher. was the fact that she had been
much distressed with
RumOrs Against HIS Moral Purity,
and wished TO convince him she could re-
ceiye Lis kindness, and yet resist his solicit
tations, and that sic could inspire in him,
by her purity and fidelity, increased respect
for the chaSte dignity Of wOmanhOOd. Pre-
yiOus to the autumn of 1865, she main
tanned with Christian frmness towards her
pastor, this system of resistance, always
refusing his amOrous pleas, which were
strong and oft repeated, and N a letter to
her husband, dated Feb. 3, 1865, she wrote
as follows: "TO love is praisewOrthy, but
TO abuse the Gift is sin. Here | am strong.
No demonstrations or facinations could
cause me to yield my womanhOod."
Z. That the first suspicion which crossed
the mind of Theodore TiltOn that Rev. Ii.
w. Beecher was abusing, or might abuse,
the affection and reverence which Mrs.
TiltOn entertained toward her pastor was an
improper caress given by Beecher to Mrs.
TiltOn while seated by her side or the floor
of his library overlooking engravings. Mr.
TiltoD, few hours afterwards, asked of his
wife an explanation OF her permission of
such liberty, whereat she at first denied the
fact, but then confessed il and said she had
spoken chidingly to Beecher concerning it
on another occasion. Tilton. after leaving
his house in the morning. returned to Il in
the forenoon, and going to his bedchamber
found the door locked, and when, on
knocking, the door was opened BY Mrs.
TiltOn, Beecher as seen within, apparent
ly much confused and exhibiting flushed
face. Mrs. TiltOn afterwards made plausi-
bic explanation, which, from the confidence
reposed in her 10y her husband, was by him
deemed satisfactory.
5. That in the spring of 1870, on TiltOn's
return from winters absence, he noticed
in his wife such evidences of absorption Of
her mind in Beecher that in a short time
an arrangement took place between Ter
husband and herself. In consequence she
went into the country earlier than usual.
After an absence Of several weeks she vol
unfairly returned TO her home in Brooklyn,
Oh the evening Of July 3, 1870, when and
here within a few hours after her arrival,
and after exaCting from her husband a sol
smn promise that he would do Rev. II. W.
Beecher no harm, nor communicate TO him
what she was about TO say. she made
4 CircumstantiaI Confession
10 her husband of the criminal facts herein
before stated accompanied with citations
rom Beecher's Arguments and TeasOnings
with her to overcome her long maintained
;cruples against yielding TO his desires, and
that she had committed no wrong
o her husband or her marriage VOWS, and
n support OF this opinion that her pastor
lad repeatedly assured her that she was
pOtless and chaste which she believed her
elf to be. She further stated that her sex
lal commerce with him had never proceed
ID fIOuf low Or vulgar thoughts either on
Ter part OF his, but always from pure alice
ion and nigh religious love. She stated |
furthermore thai Mr.. Beccher habitually
characterized their intimacy by the term
Nest Hiding,
ND that he would suffer pain and sOnOw |
his hidden secret were ever made known. !
,he said that her mind was often burdened |
" the deceit necessary for her to practice |
n orc er to prevent discovery. and that her |
conscience had many times imDelled her to |
brow off this burden Of enforced falsehOod |
" making full confession to her husband |
o that she would no longer lie living be- |
ore him
A Perpetual Lie.
II particular she said she had been on the |
We of making this confession few months |
reyiousiy during a severe illness when /
he feared she might die. He assured her |
epeatedly that lie loved her better than he
ad ever loved any other woman, and she /
cit justified before God in her intimacy |
With him, save the necessary secrecy which
ccOmpanied it, and at which she frequent
' suffered in her mind
9. That after the above named cOnfes-
ion by Mrs. Elizabeth l.. 1ilton, she re-
urned to the country TO await such action
" her husband as he might see fit to take.
after many considerations, the
hief Of which was that she had nos vOlun-
lrily gone eStray, but had been artfully |
lisled through religious reverence for the
lev. Henry Ward Beecher, her spiritual
hide, together also from desire to protect
he family from open shame, TiltOn
COndOued"
he wrong, and he addressed TO his wife
uch letter as he felt would restore her
rounded spirit, and which did partially
reduce that result.
10. That in December, 1870, differences
rose between Theodore TiltOn and Henry |
:. Bowen, which were augmented by |
Ienry w. Beecher and Mrs. Beecher, in
OnSequence whereof and at the wish Of
frs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, expressed in
-rIting, in paper put into the hands of
rancis ID. MoultOn, with a view TO pro-
IRE a harmonious
IHterView Between TiItOn and
Beecher,
Ich an interview was arranged and car
ed out by MOultOn at his then residence
n Clinton street, Beecher and TiltOn
leeting and speaking then and there for
he first time since Mrs. Tilton'S confession
six months before. The paper in Mr..
Ioulton'S hands was a statement by Mrs.
Ilton of the substance of the confession
hich she had before made, and of her wish
nd prayer fOI reconciliation and peace be
yeen her pastor and her husband. This
aper furnished to Beecher the first knOwl-
lge which lie had as yet received that Mrs.
iltOn had made such confession. At
his interview between Beecher and TiltOn,
was sought by Beecher to con-
ut with Mrs. TiltOn, and that the same
rening this permission being granted,
eecher departed from Mr.. MOulton'S house
ID in about half an hour returned thither,
lpressinG his remOrse and shame, and de-
airing that his life and works seemed
rOught to a sudden end. Later in the
me evening TiltOn, on returning to his