The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-29
BEECHER's BURDEN.

imitation OF the Malodorous Compost of
scandal-A9 lima ginary Secret Meeting
Automatically Denied-Intervfews
with Friends of the Plymouth Pastor.
Prurient appetites have been whetted for the en-
joyment of the rehashed fragments OF the ghostly
dish OF scandal ondly believed to have been morally
ash.barreiled by the Congregational Conference
lew short months ago. story With IA circumstance
about an imaginary meeting at Mr.. Beecher's
house late Friday evening last led to visit
of a HERALD representative to the peaceful
regions OF Plymouth yesterday. Mr. Beecher was
not interviewed. He was much more pleasantly
employed, as viii be fully set forth in another
place, and as the HERALD representative got every
necessary contradiction from friends OF the much
enduring pastor, he thought he would not Sur ap
unpleasant thoughts and mar the cup OF JOY with
one drop OF bitterness.
THE ALLEGED PARTIES TO THE CAUCUS.
Mr. Moses Ii. Beach is In the country and his
house is shut up. lie told several members OF the
congregation that the supposed meeting was
myth, and tnat lie was, he believed, The last per-
son present with Mr.. Beecher that night, and that
MIR. Shearman, reported TO nave taken u very
prominent part the talk and 10 have enunciated
some remarkably forclble opinions, was not there
at ALL but went straight home alter the prayer
meeting Mr. sherman was mot at home" yes
terday, and is understood to object TO Sunday
u
moderator OF the business meetings, said he knew
nothing whatever aboat the alleged meeting or
about Mr. Beecher,s intentions, o. nything at all
\ OF the unsayory phantasm which mas peen raised
III 1.-THE silly season" 10 pad country ana second
/ class papers.
The genial superintendent OF the Plymouth sun,
DAY school, who was also very aereeably employed
when the HERALD representative nrst saw nm,
i beaming over tine bright assemblage OF young
4 Ply mouth pilgrims, was very communicative, ana
evidently may taken as the pulse Oh the congre-
CATION. His opinions are those OF the whole
Plymouth people, and his ialth IN Mir. Beecher is
HERALD REpREsENrATIvE-Mr, Raymond. was
there any special meeting on Friday night
Professor RAYMoSD-So, sir. Nothing OF the
kind. The story some OF the papers Was made
out q Whole eoa Is M Ee ana haeea
compauied nim home There Is nothing eAtraor.
binary in that. They frequently do But was
not with them, and observe that l am made TO
deliver sundry speeches and 50 forth, Which 40
credit to the Imagination OF some very unscru-
| pulous reporter. NY friends to-day have been
approaching me with mysterious sorts OF cross
questonlnss, as If were absolutely reeking with
| the navor OF scandal. 1t Is too bad
! HERALD REpREsENTATIvE-Wou ld YOU care to say
anything about the supposed occasion or the
Professor RAYMoSp-n l had anything to
say I'd say 1t directly, unless bound to secrecy,
which | am not But ! nave nothing 70
say. People will hardly believe that rom flrst to
last OF this miserable affair have not exchanged
one solitary syllable on the matter with MI
Beecher. am one OF his iriends-ndeed, perhaps
nearer to him in intimacy than good many
others; but 1t Is very delicate subject He mas
have refrained from ootruding any advice, or
| questioning even alluslon. At the same time
| have heard all about it that any Knows and
am as firmly convinced as any man can be OF
anything about anybody that the sentiment OF
Plymouth church IS right and sound In Its entirety
We know our pastor, and we uphold him. You
may say that for yourself or the outside pubic you
represent sentiment Is no convincing argument,
but facts must be relied on to repel such charges.
1t Is fact that Beecher is no sneak. He has his
faults. SKulking Is not one OF them Triton
charges him with skulking. We know Tllt0n from
the egg. We saw him Matched That letter, or
fragment OF letter-if 1t eXlst-uUdOubtedly re-
herent and firmly believe was jotted down from
Mr.. Beecher's utterances at different times, and
signed by him without knowing what he was sign
my On being asked he probably remarked Ger
taiply I'll sign. Ii it's anything | ever said, III
sign with PLEASURE ana thought no more about
it. / have told-don't give me as the au-
thorltv Tor this, but believe lt-that b. +. Tracy
has told Titon-who whlned about his going back
ON nim-that Tilton had no cause for complaint and
no case whatever, and emphasized the same to
Frank Moulton, Titon's particular Trend. Hilton has
natched mn a nonde scrlpt story OF grievances in a
book which he has lawked about the country Tor
mouths like a sewing machine or insurance agent,
and 1t was this precious volume which unsettled
the friendly minds oil Drs. Storrs and Budlngto on
and preclpltated the famous congregational Coun-
Gil, which kept Us all in such hot water for while
we have reason TO. And have the American
people. Now, sir, you have the fullest expression
OF our opinion, Tor mine but expresses what Is felt
by every member oil this church; and, more
over, you know at this moment. In my be-
Beecher himself about this wondrous mountainous
phantom OF Imaginary moehill. II Mr..
Beecner were to open his gus on Iiitcl NED SINK
his ship and. really, though we would rather let
the matter op with contempt, there is now a
feeling, not OF indifference but what may call, in
deed, OF anxiety, that a settlement should be come
I to- whoever may suffer. 1t Will certainly not be
Mr.. Beecher. What he means 10 do do not know,
but II his legal advisers or prominent executive
open his mouth, believe he might be prevailed
upon TO do It.