The New York herald., 1874-07-19

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alton for the wants of the poor, and especially
for the children Of the poor, does honor to the
Christianity of New York. Wealth can never
be turned into healthier channels nor directed
to better purpose.
Tho Religious Press on the Latest
Phase OF the Brooklyn Scandal.
Certain of our religious exchanges which
have heretofore kept aloof from this great
topic or who have touched it lightly, seeing
that 1t has taken on o new phase have this
week introduced it under its altered form to
their readers. The Golden Age, which long ago
disciaimed any credit for religious utterances,
returns this week to its staple topic ''like the
dog to his vomit, or the SOW that was washed
to her wallowing in the mire" and in the old
strain of innuendo and insinuation tries to dis
credit the motives of Mr.. Beecher in appoint
ing the investigating committee and to i'm
pugn the sincerity and thoroughness Of that
committees work. The editor has sort of
hypocritical regret that for three years this
terrible scandal has been in circulation, grow
ing by the efforts to suppress it, becoming
more serious the more it was pushed aside,
until at last it has assumed proportions
that put it beyond individual control. The
policy Of silence, this writer thinks, was pur-
sued too long The Golden Age insinuates
that the committee Of investigation is packed
| one. and that fact alone should be regarded as
a confession of guilt. For. says the editor,
Innocent men do not pack juries. The policy
that has been pursued is admirably calculated
to make people believe that the worst is true
He talks about 'brave and manly confessions"
so that these regulations might be saved from
more, from ruin all of which comes with
hypocritical mockery from the source from
which it emanates.
The Christian AdvocGte, which last week was
anxious for an investigation and clearing up
Of the mystery, rejoices this week that the
investigation has begun and that ii promises
to be earnest and thorough. It regrets, how
ever, that Mr.. Beecher and his friends did
not see their way clear to have constituted
the committee little differently, both as to its
personnel and the mode Of selection. The Aduo-
cate reminds Mr.. Beecher and his friends that
this is not simply personal and family affair
between MIR. Beecher and his church, but
stretches out far beyond that and even beyond
the bounds of the Congregational denomina-
ton. 1t suggests, therefore, that six other
gentlemen, the peers in Christian character
and reputation Of those now engaged in the
inquiry, be chosen from other denominations
and be added to the committee. It adds that
inofi md hxYc
tee could not afterward be called in question.
The Baptist Union, in view of later develop
ments, apologies for hasty and unfavorable
verdict rendered few weeks ago in q brief
paragraph in its columns. But it contends
that if Mr. Beecher has committed offences
which would depose an ordinary man from
the ministry he should be deposed regardless
Of his brilliant talents and his great genius
We cannot have one rule for small men and
another for great men. ''It is BETTER" it says,
''to lose every great man in the world from the
ministry than to wink at lewdness in their
ranks" It, however, hopes for an explanation
which shall justify MI. Beecher before the
Church and the community.
The Liberal Christian hopes that Frank
Moulton's alleged compromise will not be en-
tertained by the investigating committee
named, that the present issue be settled by
Mr.. Beecher frankly stating that he had sscom-
mitted an offence against Mr. Tilton for which
it was necessary to apologize, and for which
he did apologize in letter, part of which has
been quoted" by Mr.. Tilton, and further that
SIT was necessary for Mr. Tilton to make the
defence against DR.. Leonard Bacon which he
did make" The Liberal Christian thinks the
great preacher of Plymouth church has kept
silence too long and compromised too much
already, and that nothing but clear and free
vindication Of his character will now avail
"Nothing," it thinks, s'can be worse for the
public morals than the unhealthy excitement
which secrecy, innuendoes and apparent fear
of investigation have produced"
The Freeman Journal has broken the steady
silence of the Catholic press On this great
scandal, and this week gives column edito-
rial to it as pointing the answer to its ques-
ton "What are the products of the goddess
public schools coming ?" 1t thinks that Mr.
Beecher, being the descendant of an 'ant-
Popery" preacher, could hardly turn out
better than he is now reported to be- The
child Of Calvinism, thinking for himself there
was only one of two goals for him to reach
either to find some other religion or to ''strike
hard-pan" as an apostate from Christianity
Hence his sermons, it says, 'are occupied
with blasphemous descriptions of our Lord
and Saviour, and on other points make the
Gospel the exponent of licentiousness'' ''-as in
the instance which it refers to MIR. Beecher's
published discourse to prove, in which he
represents ''the Prodigal Son as the best te-
low of the two, and the only reason the other
didn't waste his living among harlots was
that he wasn't man enough to have his fing!"