The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-07-01
Eeaaher.Tiltnr.

time has absorbed the attention of so many
readers, has at last been submitted to the jury,
and we only now await che verdict which is to
tegdtty determine whether the great oracle OF t
Plymouth Church is the prosecuted saint that /
his devoted followers allese he is, or whether
the weight of popular opinion has forestalled |
the sentiment OF the Jury and that they too
will render verdict in accordance with what
the unbiased public mind conceiyes to be the
preponderance of testimony laid before them.
We have forborne, for reasons heretofore eX-
pressed and which are satisfactory, we knowto
our readers, from any minute or detailed refer
ence to this affair. The remoteness of the
community, which has been afflicted by this
moral miasma has caused us to reflect on the
propriety of transporting the banefu history
Of exotic vices to contaminate our own moral
atmosphere and while we are not so sure that
our watchfulness in this respect has been fruit
full of success in keeping from before impressi-
bic minds the narration OF incidents which
have at best but questionable influence, we
are at least freed from the apprehension that
we may have given any undue assistance to
their harmful dissemination by editorial review
OF criticism.
We daily hear the question propounded us to
how the result of verdict adverse to Beecher
may affect his pastoral relations and standing
in Plymouth Church, land whether even now his
ministerial character is not so blackened and
tefouled by the slime of the last years stlspi-
cions as to render his withdrawal from the pull
pit matter not only of private and personal
expectancy, but necessary to the preservation
of the unity of the great Plymouth Ecclesiasti-
cal corporation.
10 any one who has observed the marvellous
fidelity and unwayering adherence which these
followers OF the great sensational pulpit talker
haze given him, no answer is necessary. From
the very inception Of the nauseous affair; from
the date when the s'church commission" sat
upon the case, to the present moment, every cir
cumstance has gone to prove conclusively that
the Plymouth people had but one ear for the
story and one eye for looking at their pastor.
Had the trumpets of host OF archange1s BIAS
ted the story OF his guilt into their ears the
result would have been the same, and their
purpose in the premises would have remained
much the attitude of wealthy and brazen-
faced old mamma, who having a very naughty
and ill behaved family of children, determines
to brave out public opinion, by means OF great
pccuniary resources and to hold her position
by paying down roundly and promptly the
wages Of their indiscretions. Henry and Eliz-
abeth are guilty, but Henry is an entertaining
fo1Ja I,, CIT
buffoon on the boards of the congregational
temple while the plethoric pocket books of his
followers are freely opened to purchase, if
possible, favorable verdict, or failing in this,
retain him anyhow and bully aud overawe the
popular voice into tacit submission.
Let the Jury return with any dictum they
please the result as affecting Beecller will be
the same. He will still be the idol of this pc
culiar people. Flowers will still bcdeck tie
stand Of the great church and the rapturols
outgush Of applause will still follow his face
tious and pungent style of oratory. His pa
tlos too will bring the gentle dew of pity from
their eyes and when he rails against adultery
and turns up his saCctimonious eyes heaven
ward to thank the creator, as he has done, that
exquisitely balanced and so perfectly under the
dominion Of the spiritual and intellectual, that
it afforded Il perfect and unsurmountable NOR
al wall around his religious life over which
temptations could never crawl, this great
people viii say aye, aye. and amen as tho
Theodore and Elizabeth and the letter of cor
triton, and AloH!ton, land the later day afdavits
| hnI nor h,t tbn nhimarac of RI co1a ,,6
fevered brain. Sister Tilton will be re-instated
in the Sunday schools and mission societies and
will teach with increased JUNCTION the 10 COM
mandments to the on-coming generation. AS
to Theodore, poor fellow, we can hardly cast
his horoscope, maybe he may "a wooing CO."
and hereafter direct the battery of his attrac
lions and Establishments against the Gibraltar
of Susan B. Anthony's affections. Bessie
Turner will doubtless constitute one of the at
fractions in Barnum's, while old Mrs. Beecher
will stand like some grim and unterfified old
she sphinx at the gate of the Plymouth Par
sonage to keep ont mutual friends hereafter
and prevent Theodore Titon from ''spongng
his victuals off her table,"
Plymouth church has served up detecta-
dom AND for years hence the very name will
SAVIOUR as the synonym of all that is faulty in
morals, false in religion, lecherous in conduct
and shameful in demeanor.
How IT WoRKs.-The imitation platform OF
the Ohio Democracy gets little sympathy from
the influential press of the county. OF course
the Republican press is a unit in it's denuncla-
ton. The Cincinnati Commercial, Greedy pa
per, says it dooms the party in Ohio and the
whole country. The New York Herald holds
the same views; the World SAYS: ssIo's not
worth while to discuss the fiscal policy founded
upon such ignorance and fabricated with such
absurd incoherence." Concluding its edito-
rial, the World says: 'swhthersoever Demo-
Gratis of Ohio apd Indiana may wander. misled
by the hoot;ng of blind guides and silence and
1 the cowar(licc Of guides who are not blind,
Nevertheless the Democrats of New York. H.
gi,sois and other States will travel in one direc
ton only, whoever goes with them or refuses
to asf with them, and this is their guide post ::
First, gold and silver the only legal tender, no
currency is convertible into coin; second,
steady steps towards specie payment, no step
| backward.
/ The Tribune says the Ohio Democrats have
struck ont in favor OF Increasing the volume of
currency and must stand ef fall By that doc
trine.
The Tribune considers that the gepHbiiean
platform on this question is preferable and that