The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-25

From the Kew York Herald slst

proper tribunal, his remarkable bearing I
during the tendency of the case challenges 9
attention as perhaps the most extraordi-
nary moral and psychological phenomenon
ever presented in our American life. Mr..
Beecher's peerless abilities as pulpit ora
tor have never shone forth with greater
splendor than during the last few months.
when q weight OF care and anxiety sutf
cient to crush an ordinary man has rested
AZ burden upon his mind. Mr.. Beecher
might have excused himself. on grounds
which the public and bis own congregation
would have accepted as valid. from preach
ing during this trying period OF over-Dur
dening solicitude. His defence against the
terrible charge on which he is arraigneo
might be deemed sufficient to occupy Ms
thoughts and exhaust his energies, and II
is marvel, almost a miracle, OF inteltectu
al elasticity that, besides attending every
day on the exhaustiDg proceedings OF the
court, he has appeared each Friday even
ing at Plymouth prayer meetings and
preached 10 his pulpit every Sunday with
even more than his woBted brllliancy. This |
bright effulgence Of intellectual display un- |
der circumstances SO depressing must be |
regarded as great exhibition ofgenius. 1t
cannot be disputed that Mr.. Beecher is |
one of the most wonderful men that ever |
attracted the gaze and observation OF an
excited public ~
But the extreme Indulgence which lite
rary admirers are disposed to accordto the
alterations OF genius cannot blind the
moral perceptions of the sober part of the
community. The sanctity OF moral obliga-
tions cannot be set aside in favor OF brill
liant men. IL is too true that moral obliqui-
blaze OF faculties eclipses great faults; but
this extenuating tendency has more con-
monty been shown toward men who made
no pretensions to superior moral purity,
The RIGHTEOUSNESS of great poets, like By
ron aud Goethe, is palliated by the admir-
ers OF their genius because their love OF
pleasure was never attemptedTt to be con-
cealcd under mask of holiness. Clergy
men are judged by q, different rule FROM
that which is applied to men OF fashion
and pleasure, whose amours, when detected.
do not convict them Ut hypocrisy, nor drive
them to denials inconsistent with their
character as men of truth aud honor. taking
honor in its customary social sense A
clergyman is judged by strieter rules, and
he has no right to ask nor reason to expect
the indulgent Judgment which iBcUnsider-
ate literary people pass upon the moral
conduct OF their tavorites. -
Presuming Mr.. Beecher 10 be innocent,
as we are bound 20 do until he is proved
guilty, we must be permitted to say that
his recent pulpit displays are as indecorous
as his extraordinary letters to MoultoB and
others were unwise While this scandal
Gus trial is pending it would have becnme
him to subordinate personal considerations
to the honor of the church. No judiciuu'
man can believe that the cause of religion
is promoted by the preachingof man VIII
stands in the equivOcal position of Mr.
Beecher. Every uian, woman and intelli
gent child who listens to him in plymouth
church spends the time devoted to publ
worship in comparing the we'll known accu
satioDs with the bearing and appearance q
the preacher and people thus occupied
with the problem of his guilt must hav
their minds more or less turned away iron
the proper duties of the place. If the pu
pit OF Plymouth church were occupied by
clergyman who had no sort of connectio
with the scandal the congregation wouit
indeed, lose the thronging multitudes VIII
60 20 observe a man who has become Il
foremost object of public curiosity, b.
the regular worshippers would not hay
their .devotions disturbed by speculation
VI tuC Rullh luuUCCuCG VI tuC tdStUI,-
The apprnl,riate duties of the place wnu
be conducted With less distraction and in
ipure devotional spirit il the coDgregati,
were not revolving SO exciting profile
in their minds.
In order to place this subject in col
vincing light lei US suppose that Mr. Beec
er, instead OF being the long settled past
OF Plymouth church, were candidate 4
the ministry, Of indisputable theologic
requirements, applying to a responsib
ecclesiastical body for license. With Il
present grave charge pending against hi
we may safely assume that no ecclesiast
al budy OF any Christian denOmi1ati
would permit him TO gu into the pulpit
They would say with vigorous unanilni
that his innocence Eust be established |
fore any church could be edited by
ministrations. The grounds on which SUI
judgment and decision would rest a
quite obvious. Tie honor of the churc
public respect for religion and decent
gard for morals would alike forbid the e
trance into a Christian pulpit of a M
who's purity was impugned. howey
brilliant his talents. The dullest al
prosiest sermonizer who ever weari
the patience of congregation, il /
piety and purity were beyond 7
proach, would be justly deemed MO
useful Christian teacher than an eloque
but suspected man. The grounds of SUI
Judgment are equally applicable
the continuance in the pulpit OF preac
er whose moral character has fallen und
grave suspicious. His usefulness to d
great cause Of religion is fatally impair
until he can vindicate his character, and
true sense Of what he owes to the chur
and to his own self-respect should MIA
him cautious and reticent until his inr
cence is established The reasons again
man entering tine ministry under such
cloud as rests upon Mr.. Beecher are ecu;
ly strong against discharge Of its fur
tons by man in the ministry while t
purity OF his moral character is in litil
ton. The same interests of the chur
which would justify and compel the rel
sal OF a1icense to candidate in the 20
ton of Mr. Beecher ought to keer him @
Of the pulpit until his reputation is cleare
His weekly demonstrations that he i:
brilliant and uDequalled preacher pro
his talents, but not his innocence, and
would evince more sincere zeal for {
honor of religion If he recognized {
wholesome principle that no man of qu
tionable moral purity should ever entel
pulpit. The splendor of his abilities is
proof OF his innocence, and an attempt
make 1t such would seem to betray C,
seriousness that he cannot stand on the
suit of an impartial Investigation.
The manner in which gentleman of
high sense OF personal honor acts in sir
lar circumstances is illustrated by seye
passages in the last published volume
the Diary OF John Quincy Adams" g,