The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-27
The Great Scandal.-C0ntinued.

papers which had deposited with Mouton 10
| safe keeping:
'FEBRuARY Z, ISL.
my DEAR FRIEND MouLroN-I am glad tt
send you a book. etc. Many. man,
| them has He ever given the opportunity and til,
| wisdom to serve ME as you have. You have ais,
proved Iheodore's friend and Elizabcths. Does
| God look down from Heaven on three uuhappjc
! creatures that more need friend than these: l,
II not an intimation of Gods intent Of mercy t,
| all that each one of these has in you tried ana
! proven frlendy But only in you are thus unit
! cd Would to God, who orders all hearts. that b,
| ms mediation Theodore. Elizabeth. and l could
| be made friends again. Theodore will have til,
| hardest task in such case but has he 10; proved
| himself capable of the nob!cSt things: l won
| der If Elizabeth knows how generously hc has
Carried carrie himself sci toward me- or course can
| sion and DO not know that even ,hcn it weu!G Be
"BIooKLYN, Feb. 2, 1871.
MY DEAR Mrs. TILroN: When 1 saw you
last did not expect ever to see you again, or to
| were my own thoughts. The friend whom God
cent TO me (Moulton) has proved above all friends
h TIA terrible rSt " gs Of e His hand
that tied up the storm that was ready to burst
! on our heads. You have no friend, Theodore ex-
,itally. and who will do it With such defcacy and
honor. 1t does my sore heart good to see in
M"Hllcon sn unteigned respect and honor for you;
as brother could be to sister. In him We have
| common ground You and may meet in him.
| wiser, higher. holier future , May not
| this friend stand as \ priest in the new
sanctuary Of reconciliation and mediate.
DO not let my earnestness fail of its end. You
believe in my Judgment. I have put myself
wholly and gladly in Moulton's hands, and there
consent. but lie has not read it. Will you return
i, /" me by his own hand: am very earnest in
not to be subject to even the chance Of misear-
III W. BEEcnER."
have no recollection of seeing or hearing read
tn, letter of Mr.. Triton of the same date. In my
trtter TO Mrs Tilton alluded to the fact that l
Ill" no! expect when saw her last to be alive
many days. That statement stands connected
with series of symptoms which l first expe-
rcnccd in 1856. l went through the Fremont
| campaign. speaking in the open air three hours
n time three DAYS in the week. In re-
-iI"n way. l very seriously thought that was
-ninS to have apoplcxy or paralysis, or something
preaching. should have fallen in the pulpit if
had not held on to the table. Very often came
near falling in the streets. During the last fifteen
cs with Very strong ] that app should
"rErr come out of it alive. Have preached more
Sermons than any human being would believe
WEel felt all the while that whatever had got
I" say TO my people must say it then or never
would have another chance to use it. If had
r"H>ultcd physician. his first advice would have
Ne'l. - You must stop work. but was in such
4 situation that could not stop work. read the
best medical books on symptoms of nervous
rr1~'ra1on and overwork and paralysis,
ease. The three points l marked were: l must
have good Digestion good sleep, and l must so
n working; These three things were to be rec
nnyilrd and in regard to my diet, and stimulants,
and medicines made the most thorough and
searching trial, and. as result, managed my
body 80 that could get the most work out of it
y,11 III, Had
word about this to my family it would have
N.HN-h such distress and anxiety on the part of
my " lie as could not bear | have for many
Years SO steadily taxed my mind to the utmost
that there have been periods when l could not
afford to have people express even sympathy
with me- TO have my wife or friends anxious
AbVUt 1t. and showing II TO me, would be just the
drop too much
In 1868 l came again into the same condition
ins before going to England: and it was one of
hose reasons why was wishing to go. The war
was at its height. l carried my country in my
heart. had the Independently charge. and was
working. preaching and lccturing continually.
knew was likely to he Frustrated again. In De-
rellhcr. 1870. the sudden shock of these troubles
brought on again these symptoms in more vio-
.,.: all the more because it was ons Of those
fh!nGs tina: could not say anything about. was
silent with everybody. During the last four
ears these symptoms have been repeatedly
drought on by my intense work. carried forward
M an underlying basis of much sorro% and
rnuh!c. My friends will bear witness that in the
tiHll'tt nave very illuucu 10 my
1rr;a'ion of sudden death
feel that have more than once already been
near stroke that would have killed or paralyzcd
ne and carry with me now. as | have 50 often
a.ricI in years before this trouble began. the
,taly thought of death as a door which might
"tM-n !nr mo at any moment. out of all cares and
.ahor> into welcome rest.
during the whole of the year 1871 was kept in
state OF suspense and doubt not only as to the
future OF the family Tor the reunion and happi-
Hrss OF which had striven so earnestly. bat as
10 the degree TO VIII Oh might personally be sub
'cct to attack and mi construction. and the
;roUblc he brought into the church and murniticd
y publicity Tue officers of the church sought
- Investigate into Mr.. Tilton's religious views
a." moral conduct. and on TIE latter point had
nr'H deceived into the belief that he was hot in
:aHi. As to the religious views. l still hoped
;or a change for the better, as it was pro,
,n-"i to drop him from the list of
.",s for n MOI r his AND WhI ns AL
Ills might have been done; but his wife still at:
:ru,rd Church and hoped for his restoration: l
~. G;mlv ntimatcd to me that he thought it not
lnfjEclv that he might :" back into his old
position. lie seemed to br in mood to regret
the past. and 50. when Mas urged by the EXAM
min. Committee to take some steps, said was
not without hopes. Mean" lille, one wing OF the
female suffrage party had got hold of the story in
never been intimatcd to me by Mr.. Tilton his
lrct.!>. did not then suspect what no" Know
that these atrociou>ly false rumors originated
with Mr.. Tilron himself | only saw the evil
that while was pledged to silence. and therefore
| could not speak in my own defense, some one
was forever persevcrins in ialsehood; ir"W'ns
were immensely increased by the utilization of
Mr. Tilton with the Woodruff clique.
In May, 1871, Mrs. Woodruff advertised a forth
coming article shadowing an account of dis
turbancc in Mr.. Tiltons family, but without
using names. 1t was delayed oslensihly by Mr.:
l'ill"n's influence with Mrs. Woodruff until
November 1872 During this suspension OF her
Ton and Mr.. Tilton. She was made welcome to
both houses, with the liberation but not the cor
| dial consent of their wives. l heard the most
| cxtrayagant eulosics upon her She was repre-
scented as a genius born and reared among rude
influences, but only needed to be surrounded by
| refined society to show noble and commanding
though my Impressions were nniavoraole' hcr
real character was not then really known to the
world met her three times. AT the first interview
she was gracious. At the second she was cold
and naughty. but at the third she was angry ana
threatening, for had percmporily refused to pre-
side at lecture she was about TO- give at stein
| made by both Tilton and Moulton to induce me
to preside at this lecture and to identify myself
publicly with Mrs. Woodruff. 1t was represent
| ed to me that need not, in so doing, expressly
give assent to her doctrines. especially with re-
gard to the marriage relation, upon which point
She was beginning to be more explicit in opposi-
| ton to the views which l, in common with all
Christian men, ENTERTAINERS; but it was plausibly
urged that could preside at the lecture and intro
duCe hcr upon the simple ground OF advocating
free speech and liberty of debate; but, as l un-
| derstood that she was about to ayow doctrines
which abhor, would not be induced by this
| plausible argument to give her public counte-
nance; and after continuing to urge me up to the
| very day of the meeting without any distinct
threats, but with obvious intimation that my
personal safety would be better secured by
went over to New York a, and presided presided
| gave vent, as l understand, for the first time
In public to the full exposition of her free-loye
| doctrines. The very thought that l should
have been asked under any circumstances
and upon any excuse to preside or be present at
such meeting was inexpressibly CALLING to me
| Whatever my establishment might have BEEN the
| motive Of MI. Tilton and Mr.. Moulton in asking
| such q thing, l had not ut the time as clear q
perception as | now have. The re-
| quest was nevertheless humliating. At about
the same time found that the circle of which
Mrs. Woodruff formed part was the center q
| loathsome scandals, organized, classified ant
perpetuatcd with greedy and unclean appetite
| for everything that was foul and vile.
Mr.. Beccher here details his efforts to prevent
the scandal being made public which was threat
ened by the trial Of Tilton by the church. ant
| of Tilt0n. I sOd determined n a