Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-01
Reeeher and Free Love.

Henry Ward Beecher has been claimed BY
the free-lovers ss q believer In IN cir doctrines
QucludiDg ''stirpicuIture, ;" on the plan Of Ste
phsn Pearl Andrews, and the oneida "Per.
fectionists,'') and they have m0re than once
urged him to come out boldly and frankly be-
fore the public in advocacy of his faith. They
have reported him as saying in answer to their
appeal, that the public was not yet educated up
TO the point OF receiving the doctrine in its
naked truth, and that, a. In the case Of other
lines OF advanced thought enunciatei from the
Plymouth pulpit, IL must be inc1lclted slo Wy
and in a way not to shock old prejudices. As
long ago as 1>G2, Mr. Beecher was called TO &C
count in TIE public press by Mrs. WOOdhUll, the
recognized leader Of the fres-lOveTs, not for sin
ful doing in the acts and doctrines charged
against him, but for falling to come out and
justly them. She wrote:
1.-The fault lind with Mr. Beecher il of a
totally different character, a. have told hi m re-
peatediy and frankly, and a. he knows very well.
4 condemn him because know, and have had
every opportunity 10 know, that he eRteTtains,
on conviction substantially The same views
which l entertaiR on the social question; that
under the influence OF these convictions he has
lived many years, perhaps for his whole adult
life, il a manner which the religious and moral
istic public Ostensiby. and 20 some xtent really
condemn; that ne has permitted himself to be
overaweG by public opinion, las consented 10
he lyPOcTite," etc.
In that publication Mrs. woodruff, feeling
probably that the p1blic would hesitate about
receiving such Statemsn. in regard to man
Of the enineBce Of Mr.. Baecher from her uu-
supported word, fortified herself BY citing yari-
oCs witnesses. She gave the name of Mrs. Paul
inc Wright Davis as one who had had from
MIS-. Tiiton's own lips, facts sustaining what
she alleged, and che produced a letter from
Mrs. Davis dated Providence, Il. l., May, 1871,
which closed with these words: ''GOi help you
a r..
Beecher corruption the more desire its open
ing" She also quoted Mrs. Elizabeth C4iy
Stanton as authority. ''Tnis good woman, )" she
said, ''dd indeed know the facts, and from Mr..
1itOn himself" Next she citod Mr. Tilton,
from whom she had the story and in whose Ian
guage she repeated it. And she brought in the
names Of Isabella Beecher Hooker, Mr. Beech
er's sister, and Mr.. Frank Moalton, as cogni.
zant Of the facts sustaining rhe truth OF what
she said.
Now, il IL TO be remarked. that from that
day to this these witnesses have not been chaI-
lerged by the friends Of Beecher to come to the
stand, but he and they have maintained the
same profound silence now proposed in regard
to his letter OF confession TO Tlton, in which he
humbled himself before him as before his
God, and even wished himself dead. 1t has
been urged in Beecher's behalf that his sin
could not have been very serious, since TiI:on
accepted his apology TO the extent of agreeing
hot % expose the matter. But il should be re-
nembered that TiltOn was himself mixed up
good deal with the free-!Overs, and had written
up their great exponent, Mrs. WoodhuII in
terms Of glowing eulOgy. TIlton, therefore.
might well accept an apology from brother
fr6e-loyCT that could not have been propsrIy
offered or accepted outside of the fellowship.
Tie Odium that came upon the woodruff crowd
from these Cpeu PRONUNCIATION of their doctrines
probably served 20 admOnish TiltOn, Beecher
and others tinctured that it was unsafe
ground. TiltOn, perhaps, has sickened
OF il from his own personal troYbIes
However far Mr.. Beecher nav have been a
convert 70 freelOve and sterpiculture, it cauno-
be denied that be has on more than one occa-
SION showed that be holds pretty free and easy
notions IN regard TO the marriage relation and
the association or the sexes. His Charge yie5s'
IN this respect were Illustrated by the facility
with which he consented TO perform a so-calIsd
marriage ceremony between Richardson and
Mrs. Mcfarland, after the former had been
shot by Mcfarland for intimacy with his vile.
And Il Is 20 be noted, further, that the Journal
lists and others who were then the lOudest and
moot eloquent In dsfence and pallistiOn of that
moek-msrrisge are now the most jealous in
defending him in the TiltOn business. They
I
bic OF another construction" and is not much
matter yhow; and some OF them abuse TiIton
for hlsbbing TO "a parcel of women too simple to
regard the phenomenon as other than O social
curiosity, OF too base to have any sense OF honor
regarding it."
MI Beecher's lecture last winter at Lincoln
Hall, in this city, excited remark at the time,
as being throughout in glOrifcatiou OF ssmuscu-
lar christianity" and the perfect anima Al man.
1t was in the exact vein OF q noted poem by
Walt Whitman, in which the poet "celebrates
himself and sings the praises of physical man
hood. The lecture might well be regarded In
the light OF guarded advocacy OF the free-loye
Doctrine OF the propagation of the species BY
the httest specimens, and under favoring
AFFINITY" conditions. If Mr.. Beecher really
enteTtains these advanced views" and his
congregation, knowing his views, sustain him,
let them say 30. Let them be as direct and
candid in the matter as Brigham Young and
his saints; and the Oneida perfectionists.
The comet was plainly visible in the north
west heavens last evening between twilight and