The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-07-15

ton.
On the It'll of July Mr.. Beecher
addressed q note to the Executive
Committee of Plymouth Church,
stating that he had requested
certain gentlemen, members of the
church of the society, to make q
thorough and detailed examination
into the rumors, insinuations or
charges made respecting his con-
duct, and asked them if they ap-
proved of his selection, to aid
their official appointment to his
personal request. The letter ask
ing the gentlemen to serve was as
follows:
BROOKLYN, June 81, 1874
GENTS: In the present state of
the public feeling I owe it to my
friends and the church, and the
society over which I am pastor, to
have some proper Investigation
made of the rumors, Institutions,
or charges respecting my conduct
as compromised by the late publ
cations made by MIR. Tilton. Ihave
thought that both the church and
the society should be represented,
and take the liberty of asking the
following gentlemen to serve in
this inquiry, and to do that which
truth and justice may require. !
beg that each of the gen le,nen
named will consider this as if it
had been separately and personally
sent to him to-day: From the
Church, Henry W. Sage. Augustus
Storrs, Henry NJ Cleveland; from
the society, Horace B. ClaA1n, John
Winslow, j. F. White. l desire
you, when you have satisfied your
selves by an impartial!and thorough
examination of all the sources OF
evidence, the church will take such
action as may then seem to you
right and wise.
Signed, HENRY WARD BEEcHER.
The examining committee recog-
nizing the representive character
of the men thus appointed, unan
imously adopted the action of the
pastor, and formerly authorized the
gentlemen named to act as COM
mittee on its behalf, and report the
result of their inquiry for its in.
formation and further action. The
Congregationlist lately suggested
that the charges against Mr.. Beech
er should be referred for examin.
alton to several distinguished men
in several parts of the country, but
Mr.. Beecher seems to have thought
that the matter might more appro
priately be referred to members Of
his own church and society, whose
interest in the purity of its ministry
would make them do their work
thoroughly and impartially, and
who, having been chosen to oficia
trusts by their fellow members
would especially command thei1
confidence. This however is il
accordance with the principles ant
genius of Congregationalism, which
impos upone every church tn
duty of settling its difficulties
without needlessly troubling others
Mr.. Tilton's publication, it will b.
remembered, was made Thursday
June 25. Mr. Beecher, coming t,
the city Friday, conducted hi
usual prayer meeting,a and Saturday
9th, wrote the above letter asking
the church to investigate the matter
The committee has entered upol
its work and will prosecute it t
the earliest possible completion
The second letter of Mr.. Beeche,
also addressed to the examinin
committee, is not contained in tn
above article. It was obtained las
night by a Tribune reporter, an
is as follows:
July 5, 1874.
/ DEAR BRETHREN The enclose
letter, in which I have requisite
three gentlemen from the churcl
and three from the society of Pl.
mouth church, gentlemen of unin
peachoble repute, and who hav
not been involved in any of Il
trials through which we have passe
during the year. to make a tho
ough and impartial examination
all the charges or insinuatiol
| against my good name, and to r