Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-04-08
DR.. Bacon adds

bAf i'HNSh ahhos
And now, some Of you may think that what
has been said has been dictated by suspicion Oh
MIR, Beecher's purity. My theory of all these
transactions and troubles proceeds on a belief
in the highest Christian integrity of Mr.
Beecher. ] believe that the Infamous women
who have started this scandal have no basis for
it. Applause. If it was their testimony
alone, it would not be worth kicking dog for.
But doubt not that he has bis ihfrmity, which
is to let unprincipled men know too much of
him. l object not to his being friend 10 pub-
llcans and sinners. Our Lord was. Bot the
harot who washed bis feet with her tears. and
wiped them with her tresses, was repentaut
harlot. 50 one must hedge himself in a little.
And you, as you so out to preach, be on your
guard, lest in your anxiety to do good to the
low, You become liable'to BIO charged with their
sins.
Another part of my theory is that Mr..
Beecher's magnanimity is unspcakable Ineyer
knew of man who had a larger and more gen
erous mind One who was in relations to him
the most intimate possible, said to me, Z" Ii
wanted 70 secure his highest love, would 90
INTO church meeting and accuse him of
crimes. This is his spirit. But think he
may carry it too far A man whose life is a
treasure TO the Church Universal, to his cbun-
try, to his age, has no right to subject the faith
in it to such strain think Mr.. Beecher
would have done better to have let vengeance
come on the heads OF his slanderers.
But he stands before his Master. and not he.
fore men. hope ever to feel the fullest conf
dence in his character, and to see his influence
enlarge and round out more and more. No one
co,rfd give such course Of lectures as this last
one OF bis here-which was the best-and
show unconsciOusly such reach OF spiritual
experience and growth, without being pure and
noble. Applause And in this feeling the
Council shared DR.. - himself aid To
me, as we went out of the church after DIR.
Storrs's address, in which he paid his high
tribute TO Mr.. Bcechers character and work
" That passage should be saved to be Mr..
Beecher's funeral eulogy, for it could never be
excelled,"
The Christian Union has an editorial, IN.
doubleday written by MIR. BrEouER himself,
which says
The Council was called under extraordinary
circumstances, which would vitiute the decis.
ion OF any court on earth. 1t was not ''packed. I"
but picked" With a few exceptions. the
delegates were not consulted in advance as 10
their opinion of the special case 10 prospect
but they were so selected that the well known
advocates OF stringent covenant should greatly
bpAhum'Ni tnN representatives OF churches
holding the other view.
The members OF the Council thus selected
were piled beforehand with partial and parti.
san statement. designed to arouse their appre-
tensions Tor the view Of Congregationalism
which they held, and to fix them 10 opinions hos
tile to Plymouth church. As result of these
careful preparations, the Council came together
with an unquestonably large working ma iority
on the side OF the churches that called il. Day
by day during its sessions this majority waned
in numbers and weakened in the intensity of
lts demands Probably the Incorporate pre-
sentation Of the case by the pastors Of the com.
planning churches began reaction which the
secret debates continued, The net result Is.
that the Council endorsed the stringent view Of
tho eorenanf, bot accepted as Congregational
the statements Of Plymouth church as 10 both
diseiphneand fellowship. On the whole the his.
tory and result OF the Council constitute practi
cal yindication of Plymouth church as a Congre-
gational church. The declared purpose was 10
eAcommunicate that church. TWAS pushed with
desperate perseverance through hours and DAYS