The New York herald., 1874-07-23
THE PRESS ON THE SCANDAL,
The Arraignment OF Mr.. Beecher.
from the New York Tribune,l


The s0rrowiul controversy by which Plymouth
church has been so longsagtated has ceased to be
Q private quarrel or q mere congregation
scandal AS long as 1t could be so considered we
held aloof from all discussion OF II. only printing
what seemed due to our readers - legitimate and
imp ortant news But when Mr.. Beecher publicly
demanded an investigation OF the charges against
him we gladly hailed the occasion OF what we
trusted would prove his complete vindlcatlon, and
from that honr 1t appeared that the cause OF re.
ligon and decency would be best subserved by
calling public atten ton TO the final disposition now
to be made OF disgusting scandal which had lived
long enough IN the dark. 1t was announced
that Mr.. 1ilton mad gone before the committee and
brought forward nOtning; that Mr.. MoulTon mad
merely proposed a compromise and that Mrs. I'll
ton had put to rest the vague lnslnuationS con-
that there had never been the slightest suggestion
ol lmproprety between her ana Mr.. Beecuer. All
these statements we published being grati1ed
tnat the miserable contest was drawing near It's
close.
On Monday night Mr.. Tilton read to the commit
tee iull and unreserved statement. We print 1t
TINS morning. We have no right or inclination to
90 otherwise. This case now transcends the power
marDlots 70 settle or conceal it, Unless this friaht
iul exposition Is answered promptly and 1uly the
most famous pulpit the world has ever seen since
Paul preached on the Kill OF Mars Is slenced,
the life OF the greatest preacher IN the world Is
ended. 1t is useless to lal back upon the record
OF spotess and glorious career. There Is no
longer safety dignity IN the proud silence which
would have SO well become the great pastor II
there were no words OF his own to be explained.
would have the right to make hm open his lips In
contradiction Ii his own hand was not there to
bear witness against him. Even yet the thou
sands VINO tor so many years have known
and honored him and the vaster constituency to
whom, over the whole Continent, his name has
stood as q symbol OF genius, piety and every lib
eral aspiration win walt lor his word to give
them leave to trust him as Of old. 1t will he
an easy task II he should undertake 1t. If
there be any explanation, apart from the revolt
ing gwen by Mr.. Tilt0u, which will either
make clear the aslty OF these letters interpret
their humlhatlOn and remoTse, the better sort or
people IN this country Will hail 1t as tdlngs Of
great JOY.
The commanding personality Of MIR. Beecher so
dwarfs every other figure in TINS melancholy
drama that IL Is hardly worth while TO waste tlme
IN dwelling upon the pecullarites OF Mr. TitOns
extraordinary statement The leverish and un.
wholesome atmosphere OF emotion III wnlch the
lesser pcrsonapes live and move renders their
written and their oral assertions equally doubtful
matter It Is ineXpressibly mourn1ul TO see amid
wnat poisonous cloud OF mean passions,
temptations, jeaousies and even devotons
as injurious as hatreds, this great orator
and teacher habitualiy walked. In u lew days we
shall leain what answer he has to make TO these
grave accusations. II he can dlsprove them his
position WIN be stronger than ever Tor this trial
and triumph. II he ails II Is not too much 10 say
that all Cnristendom will deplore a loss hardly TO
be measured by words, and In our own country
his lapse will be regarded as a well nign irrepara.
BILE disaster 1t Is not only his eloquence, his lame,
his Christian character and example that are Gere
assalied; we should lose IN him the eminent
preacher whom every one knows and admires
and the ripe and liberal thinker whose value IS
only Just beginning to be recognized by cultivated
and thoughtfu men,, II he should come ahve out
Of this ordeal he will be priced more than ever.
II not the pistol shot OF Booth caused national
sorrow no deeper and not so hopeless