The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-07
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL. TUESDAY JULY T. 1874

tigatiOn. peremptOrily declinded to join
Mr. West in his proposed investigation, and
declared that as had not been member OF
Plymouth Church for several years l could
not be induced to return to that church tor
any reason whatsoever, least of all for so dis
tasteful purpose as 10 participate in a scan
dial. Mr.. West had, meanwhile, discovered
that my name still remained on the church
roll, from which circumstance he determined
to assume that was still member, and to
force me TO trial. Accordingly. few weeks
later he brought forward charges which were
nominally against myself, but really against
the pastor charges which ,ifIhmsy characterize
them by the recently-pu blished language OF
the present clerk of Plymouth, were IAN in
direct and insincere method demonstrating
one man under the false pretense of investi-
eating another" AS this statement is both
inco rect and incomplete in important par
ticulars, 1 take the liberty of sending you a
true and full record of the facts. Duringt the
spring of 1878 the publication OF many de-
tails of "the scandal" and the no wledge of
the fact that Mr.. Tilton had made serious
charges against Mr.. Beecher, gave rise to
feelings OF -.,
SORROW AND UNEAsINESs
in the minds of many of those connected
with Plymouth church. Under these cir
elrnstances, after consulting with many
members of the church, several of whom
had been my former associates on the exam
lining committee, 1 determined to prefer
charges against Mr.. Tilton for the purpose
of purifying the church and putting an END
to the scandal which troubled it. The
charges were made before the examining
committee in the latter part of June, and,
after some amendment, were adopted by
them without dissenting vote, on or about
the lst day of July, 1878. AT the same meet
| ing resolution was passed by the commit
tee instructing their acting clerk 10 forward
| a copy of the charges to the accused. Inese
instructions were not followed, notwlth-
standing the earnest remoustrances OF my
self and other members of the church, and
| no official copy of the charges was sent &c
Mr.. Tilton until the following October.
This failure TO act on the part OF the church
together with the fact that rumors were
soon put in circulation TO the effect That the
charges against Mr.. Tilton were intended as
an indirect attack on Mr.. Beecher, greatly
surprised me, and caused me the deepes
main. In an interview with MIR. T1ltoI
during the month of August, 1873,
was told by him what he has 81
loften repeated since, that he had never
spoken falsely OF Mr.. Beecher. Knowing
| from the witnesses who had PROMISED 70 ap
pear against him how serious in their natur'
| his accusations were, / told him that If h'
spoke the truth thought it his duty to ap
| pear before the committee and state to then
| what he had said to me, that he owed it t
himself to establish his own innocence II
that were possible), and 10 become a Willing
witness to the truth. In view OF the abov
facts it is evident: First-That The charge
against Mr.. Tilton were made nearly 1--WE
1 months previous to my interview with him
and not few weeks alter as stated IN hi
letter. Second-That at the time when the,
were made they were intended to secure tn
conviction of Mr.. Tilton (if he were guilty
to remove the stain which rested on tn
church, and to vindicate its pastor; the,
were not ian indirect and insecure metho'
of investigating one man under toe falls
pretence of Investigating another" regre
exceedingly that the statements containe'
in Mr.. Tilton's letter compel me to agail
take part in this unhappy controversy, bu
as am convinced that those statements,
they remain uncOntradicted, will become
part of history, L feel that it is my duty thu
10 reply to them. Yours respectfully,
| WILLIAM Il, WEST.