Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-07-30

OF them has lie ever given the opportunity anC
the wisdom TO serve me as you have. You
have also proved Theodore's friend and Eliza
beths. Does God look down from heaven OIL
three unhappier creatures that more need {
friend than these? Is il not an ntimation O.
Gods intent of mercy to all, that each one o
these has i'll you a tried and proven friend
But only in you are we thus united. Would
to God, who orders all hearts, that by His me
diation Theodore, Elizabeth and | could be-
made friends again. Theodore will have the
hardest task in such a case, but has he not
proved himself capable of the noblest things
wonder if Elizabeth knows how generously
he has carried himself toward me? OF course
can never speak with her again without hei
permission, and do not know that even then
it would be best.
BEECHER TO MRS. TILToN.
Mr.. Moulton, on the same day, asked
Tilton if he would permit Beecher to
address letter to Mrs. Tilton, land Til
ton replied i'll the affirmative, where
upon Beecher wrote as follows:
BROOKLYN, Feb. Z, 1871.
MY DEAR MRS TMToN: When saw you last
| did not expect ever to see you again, or to be
alive many days. God was kinder to me than
were my OWu Thoughts. me lflenu WHOM OOu
sent to me (Moulton) has proved above all
friends that ever had able and willing to help
me in this terrible emergency of my life. His
hand it was that tied up the storm that was
ready to burst on our heads. You have nc
friend, Theodore excepted, who has 1t in his
power to serve YOU so vitality, and who will do
it with such delicacy and honor. 1t does my
sore heart good to see in Moulton an unfeigned
respect and honor for you. 1t would kill me il
| thought otherwise. He will be as true friend
to your honor and happiness as brother could
be to sister In him we have a common
ground. You and | may meet in him. The
past is ended but is there no future? no wiser,
higher, holier future? May not this friend
stand as priest in the new sanctuary Of recon~
Citation, and mediate and bless Theodore and
my most unhappy self? Do not let my earn
estness fail OF its end. You believe in my
judgment. 1 put mysef wholly and gladly II.
Mouton's hands, and there | must meet you.
This is sent with Theodore's consent, but he has
not read it, Will you return it to me by his
own hand? l am very earnest in this wish
for all our sakes, as such letter ought not to
be subject to even the chance of misca riage.
Your unhappy friend, II. w. BEEcHER.
MRS. TILTON REPENTs.
Ihirteenh-That about year after
Mrs. Tilton's confession, her mind re-
manned in the fixed opinion that her
criminal relations with Beecher had
not been morally wrong, so strongly
had he impressed her to the contrary,
but at last change took place in her
convictions upon this subject, as noted
in the following letter addressed by
her to her husband:
SCaoHARIE, June %, 1871.
M Dear Theodore: To-day, through the
ministry of Catherine Gaunt, character of
fiction, my eyes have been opened tor the first
time in my experience so that | see clearly my
sim 1t was when I knew that was loved to
suffer it to grow to passion. A virtuous wo-
man should check instantly an absorbing love.
But it appeared to me in such false light that
40 loua 1 4oIt -e~>:-ed oanld harm no
one, not even you. | have believed untaIter-
ingly until o'clock this afternoon, when the
heavenly vision dawned upon me. ! see now
as never before the wrong l did you, and
hasten Immediately to ask your pardon with a
penitence so sincere that henceforth, if reason
remains, you may trust me implicitly. Oh, my
dear Theodore, though your opinions are not
restful or congenial to my soul, yet my own
integrity and purity are sacred and holy
things to me-. Bless God with me for Cattle
rine Gaunt, for the all-sure leadings of all
wise and loving Providence. Yes, now / feel
quite prepared to renew my marriage VOW with
YOU, to keep it as the Savior requireth who
looketh at the eye and heart. Never before
could l say this When you yearn toward me
with true feeling, be assured of the tried, pu-
rifed, and restored love of ELIZABETH.
OTHER LETTERS OF MRS. TILToN.
NJ Fr:t+11 f0Il0uvoI oh0uo Iof+aw
with these
July 4, ls7l.-Oh my dear husband, may
you never need the discipline of being misled
by good woman, as was bya good man.
No date:
Iwould mourn greatly if my life was to be
made known to father His head would in
deed be bowed to the grave.
No date:
Do not think my ill~health is on account of
my sin and it's discovery. NV sins and life
record have carried to my Savior. No, my
prostration is owing to the suffering | have
caused you.
WooDHULL'S DISCLOSURES.
Fourteenth-That about one year
after Mrs. Tilton's confession, and
about half a year after Mr.. Beecher's
confirmation of the same, Mrs. V. G.
Woodruff, then a total stranger to
Tilton, save that he had been pre-
sen.ed to her in the company of friends
a few days previous, wrote IN the
World, Monday, May %, 1871, the
following statement, namely:
| know Of one man, public teacher of emf
nence, who lives in concubinage with the wife
of another public teacher Of almost equal emf
nence All three concur in denouncing Of
fences against morality. ! shall make it my
business to analyze some of these lives.
(Signed) VICTORIA U. Woodruff.
Woodruff TO TILToN.
On the day of the publication o.
the above card in the World, Tiltor
received from Mrs. Woodruff a re
quest to call, on imperative business
at her office, and on going thither {
copy of the above card was put int
his hands by Mrs. Woodruff, who sale
"that the parties referred to therein
were the Rev. Henry Ward Beeche
and the wife of Theodore Tilton."
Following this announcement, Mrs
Woodruff detailed to Tilton, with We
hement speech, the wicked and inju'
rious story which she published in thu
wear following. Meanwhile Tilton
desiring to guard against any tempa
ton to Mrs. Woodruff to publish tht
grossly distorted version which sh'
gave to Tilton, and which she after
ward attributed to him, sought By
MANY personal services and kindly az
tentions to influence her to such good
will toward himself and family a
would remove all disposition or desir,
in her to affiict him with such publica
ton. TiIton's efforts and association
with Mrs. Woodruff ceased in April
1872. and six months afterwards
namely: Nov. 2, 1872, she publishes
the scandal which he had labored t
suppress.
Fifteenth-That on the third da.
thereafter, the Rev. Thomas K
Beecher, of Elmyra, N. Y, wrote a
follows: