Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-03-28
A Few Points in the Closing Scenes OF
Observation-Disclosures In the De:
liberatiOns Increasing.
The "hain Question: Discussed in Sc.
cret SessiOn-TiltOn's Contribu.
tiOn TO the Records OF
the Council.
Ths Committee Fail TO- Agree-COntinu.
alton Of the Se.esiOn-The Brook.
iyn "Jn'Onn puts the d.
QUESTION.

NkW YORK, March 27.-Greater in
AeRost seems to be centering in the Con-
igregational council. The secret session
promlses speedy results, rs Il Is believed
tnat NJ noon a decisive vote will be
taken, which viii indicate the decision
6i u4e council on the main question. 1t
Is believed by many that while the ac-
tlo'n Of the churches of DR.. Storrs and
lJr. BuddingtOn will be sustained in the
Tnaln, the decision will be such as not to
seriously reflect on Plymouth church.
There has been very little opportunity
for the display of oratorical ability Of
the eminent members of the council. as
only technical points have arisen, which
demanded the most direct and matter
of-fact treatment.
Rev. VIM: w. Patton, DID,, of Chi
scago, has taken little part in the public
discussions, but 1t is surmised that he
VIII make himself heard in the secret
sessions.
A number OF prominent clergymen,
representing other denominations, and
not connected with the council, were
Eeguiar attendants at the open sessions.
The expenses of the council, which
VIII fall upon the two churches calling
II, viii be from three to four thousand
dollars. 1t has been frequent, in the
congregational councils, for delegates to
defray their own travelling expenses, but
lie church Of Pilgrims and the Clinton
avenue cbjdrch put no such burden upon
Nnose lled to advise with them. Am
pie provision has been made for refund
ing Tie money paid out by delegates
10 tf.e Congregational council, which
Wss. in secret session until one O'Clock,
AMI then took a recess. They received
a letter from Theodore TiltOn, asking
That he be accorded the courtesy of con-
Tlbutlng to the official records a correct
statement of bis own position, because
his position has been misrepresented in
this body to his grievous injury. He
says:
First-In 1850 1 became connected
with Plymouth church. y In 1869 I ter
minated my connection with that
church. In 1873 my name, which still
fingered on the roll, IVES officially
erased. My retirement from the church
was executed by me in strict conformity
with the rule of the church, and the
validity OF my act has since
peen slgnally snd repeatedly ratified
Oy tue unanlIHous vote of the church,
SInrmihg ahG reaffirming the principle
on Wnlch saat act was based. That prin-
cIple, as hold 1t, Is the free right of a
I5ee tnan to sever his connection with a
church by his own free will; and shall
never become a churchman in any
Church in which this is not the rule.
Second-FOUr years after I had thus |
terminated nay connection with Ply |
mouth church, / was charged by a /
member OF that body with having cir /
culated and promoted scandals de- |
rogatory to the christian integri- |
" OF the pastor and injurious /
10 the reputation of the church. A |
widespread impression overshadowed |
good mems minds that whatever other |
points were in doubt, there could be no !
doubt that / had slandeTed the pastor of /
plymouth church. hereby declare that /
mad not then, or have / since, nor at |
any time in all my life have I ever ut |
IeLed slander against any human being. /
Inc afternoon session of the Congre- /
gauonal council was continued till after 1
six O'Clock, when they took recess till |
nine O'Clock tonight. The proceedings |
are still secret. The committees have |
not yet reported.
The evening session of the council |
was short. The members assembled in !
the private lecture-room of the church /
about nine O'Clock, but did not retire /
into secret session until about ten /
O'Clock, owing to the fact that the COM |
mittee appointed at the morning session /
10 Jraft resolutions, embOdying advice /
q. the council of both churches, was un- |
able to agree. This committee is COM |
posed OF i've clergymen and three lay |
men, the names of some of whom only /
could be ascert8ined, namely: Messrs. |
t@uint, Post, Smythe and Hammond.
q Shortly before eleven o'clock thecom- |
mittee were sent for, and stated that they /
had not yet agreed. The council then |
adjourned, to meet at nine O'Clock to- /
morrow morning. Immediately on the /
adjournment of the council the COM
mittee retired again, to complete the
resolutions, and did not separate until
Late hour. The members of the commit
tee were very reticent, and would not /
say whether or not they had agreed on
the matter they had under consideration.
The Brooklyn Union says of Tilton's
letter: "In November, 1872, Mrs. Wood
hull, once warm friend of Tilton, and
the subject of bis biographical pen, pull
lished in her Weekly a gross story about
Beecher. She named Tilton, among
Others, as authority for her statements.
.I1lton has never publicly contradiCted
her. be has never pronounced her story
1alse. The only thing he has said on the
subject he said in a letter published
months after the disgusting story had
become as familiar as a household word
throughout the country. What he then
said was to the effect that he could not
tell the truth for fear of piercing some
body's heart as witha thunderbolt. The
first question for Tilton now to answer
is, "Did you ever tell Mrs. Woodruff or
anybody else what she said in her pub
LEGATION of November, 1872? Did you
say before her or anybody else what she
then and there alleged that you had
said?n That question has never been
answered categorically.