New-York tribune., 1874-09-07
COMMENTS OF THE RELIGIOUS PRESS ON
MIR. BEECHER'S ACQUITTAL.
so FAR so GOOD,
From The Boston Con1regati0Hdfist
- IL >,


We think the cOnclusiveness of this decision
will to great extent depend upon the sympalheuo
character Of the minds reeelvng It, WIN some temper
arments and some predictions and some habits OF
thought it will fail in force Some or torpid
tousness viii never mad themselves able look at 1t in
that light Others VINO can make it easy TO put them
rash acts and strong language. and who
have gift at stopping over" will have no difficulty
the fullest manner its judgments. And they will feel
tnat rigid treatment OF the whole subject IN some high
examine witnesses tue penalties OF perjury offers
the whole truth its only chance of getting uttered
the one, this would now seem the most welcome
OF all resorts to him For ourselves we have fei from
Spprbass fbe Seory Of Mr. BeecSers guilt That any
human being could preach, pray, and write as-in tho
Life Of Christ and esewhere-he has done, aud az the
same time be the abandoned Wrete1 dana Thica en
Mr.. Tlton's theory he must be; would be more in
Of TO S or seemingly ar
atives that ht be piled up, never 50 , hsn on 'ns
the Committee and the action the church thereon
with all drawbacks allowed TO reasonable lack OF i'm
toward the firmer and more intelligent holding Of our
instructive faith in Henry Ward Beecher
PROGRESS TOWARD LIGHT.
From The Nee York Methodist
IF the clear light has not been reached, great
progress toward has been made. We cannot tell II all
the facts atana6e ina have Pesa pe e
qury and that defect mpars the value OF their concu-
but it is before the world. The Committee do
It, but it enters into the consideration OF the sub
isSs not 81 shown VS' himsef to be person Of high
morale, but he Is not an IDIOT; he maintains
his position with tenacty. IL is conceivable that
he may have been mistaken TO the aud extent
OF Mr. Beechers admissions TO hm The fa ure To con-
larry not, defect in the report of tho
Committee and 80 far wsakens Its force We wish tbat
of the scenes in the church which accompanied
the readug of the report could he boted OF exist
ence. 1t natural that the Plymouth congregation
hu thai fal nf
their pastor; but the attempt to moo Mr. Monton was
wholly without Justification it will not help Mr..
heed to what Nr Moulton may hereafter say Whether
right or wrong, he is not done with yet.
CAUSE FOR COMMON GRADUATION.
From 7Ae Chicago Advance
Mr.. Beecher has reason to feel grateful TO
his Committee and 10 his church for their unanimous
rnmors. insinnations or charges brought asainss
him. The affectionate loyalty OF Plymouth Church To
their pastor is in many respects touchingy beautiful.
There those who will be confirmed by IL Ia their
feeling Of Mr. Beechers entire innocence IL s more
over, matter for common graduation to Christians
when any one Of Gods children emerges from
cloud of misrepresentation and cruel suspicion. and
For this reason t is greatly TO be regretted that Mr.
Beechers Of inquiry should have been created
Just 1t and the trial in some respects conducted
Just 1t has been, inevitably exposing It's findings to
considerable popular disrust on the ground tha tho
trial parte. irregular and Incomplete. Tho
names gwen OF the persons invited 10 testify but
conspicuous their absence are the names Of several
whose testimony ought to have been taken, II for no
other reas0D to make IL apparent that the committee
determined to get at the truth, ana the wbolo
truth.
NOT A JUDICIAL DOCUMENT
From 7h< UnigdsaIisL
The report has very little of the judicial
calmness 1t In the. temper and phraseology OF
advocate and to this extent harms the case 1t would
main. The acquittal has all the weight that can be
attached the opinion OF six intelligent, hghminded
men. who have formed the opinion under an almost
oyerpowerng bias, arising alike from sympathy for ono
they have reyered and from interest. both moral
and financial In the welfare OF Plymouth Church. Tue
report will do very well 10 modify the public Judgment
raNiDu
matter which TO the public can DO new We doubt not
that the submitted to jury IL wonld, on tho
present testimony, be promptly thrown out. But Mr.
Beecher needs something more than jury acquittai
lie needs be acquitted In the thought OF the Ameri-
peodle This all important end requires that all the
testimony be elected by legal trbuuat and subitted
TO the public for its verdict Mr Beecher caunot rise on
the sympathy OF his church. He must have the fuii
confidence Of the world
AN EMPHATIC ENUMERATION.
From Watchnds and Rcao5or.
The report of the able Examining Commit
tee OF the Plymouth Church an emphatic exoneraon
OF Mr.. Beecher from the charge OF crime preferred
against him. The Committee, consisting Of SIX gentle
men, three the church aud three from the society.
are unanimous In this verdict OF acqutta The COM
mtee held as sessions, and appear 10 have been very
thorough panstakng and impartial In their reatment
OF the the less 10 strikes because COM
posed and created the Committee necessarily wss.
Moulton was thereon hand now, however absent and
hard 20 be found and heard from other tunes. The
exhibit he made OF himself on that OCCASION, furious
and ravng like madman, as also his natural demon
sraons since would seem enough " dsabuse any buA
the m9st Pre1udicsd.