New-York tribune., 1875-01-16


The rules Of plymouth Church afforded choice between
dismissal the other to dismiss myself less formally by pro
longed absence chose the latter In 30 . oUE IN INTO e
reasons Tor my ahand, ming church in which had been
brought up from boyhood and Therefore G t @ hnt odoncd
tho alternative Of silens sayiag g 1T 10 me O dmis,
that prolonged absence would hnaiy secure " 0
scvcr oar mo reasons prompted the adoption Of this
alternative among which the following The pastor com
muncatcd 10 me IN writing apology signed by his lie
also appealed to protect him from bring nc rproach to
the religion lie alleged that an exposure would forbid
him TO cascend his pulpit These and other similar reasons
had right disposition to disregard and acted upon them
harmed
H. At length my absence from the church-an absence OF
which not three members OF the congregation beside the pastor
knew the cause-began excite comment in private circles
Some Of the members hincd that had apcd INTO lament
able change religious vewswhereas views continued
be the they had been for years previous ana
though they had long before ceased to find their honest
childhood of Plymouth Church. yet my religious
faith had not changed from that early original more a he
of the hOnOred members and officers o
the same church had changed within the same time 90 ~
Other persons insnuated that had adopted un'Chrsan
tenets concerning marriage and dyorcewheTeas oucng
marriage have always held and still hold, with eyerinceas
ing fmness the and only view common TO an Shsen
dom; and touching dy0rce the substance Oh Ma' NJ
and stll is the necdfu abrogaton OF our unjust
code and the substitution OF the more humane Bsaon VI
Other persons fanccd that become spualist OF an
clear TO be Sprtuaist aceainly not TO be so mnGh
spiruaist as some Of the most prominent noiOof' Vi
All these s1pposons and many Others but the right
one became Current in the church and still arc explain
suddenly sundeed membership for which has
been understood always by the PASTOR but never by MS hOc
Ill At length after many caumnious whiperngs near and
far snce evil tales magnify they traveD weekly paper IN
NeYork in Nov oember 1872 published wicked and horrible
scandaa publication which persons in the church no
any attributed origin and anmus to me whereas had
previously spent many months of constant and unTemg en-
motive bn foolish judgment made many ldircced acri-
of my reputation position, money and fair prospects IN
life for all which losses of things precious since mine aohe
was the folly let mine alone be the blame.
" In May 1873 occurred the surreptitcqs publication Of
tpartite agreement signed by H. c. Bowen H. w Beecher ana
myself agreement which, far concerned for its
object TO pledge silence against using circulating
charges which Mr. Bowen had made against Mr. Beecher inns
covenant originally written. would have bound me never to
speak only of Mr. Bowens but also Of my own personal
grievances against Mr. Beecher refused to sign the original
paper My position in the amended paper was this Mr. Bowen
bad made grave charges ag1st m MI Md beeC mes
called cIESi "''' 10 '''u'''' ''' 'H'i 80 "''" ''' ~
v. In August, 1873, Mr.. William F. West member OF
Plymouth Church hitherto stranger to came to my resi-
Carpenter and told me that when the summer vacation was
over he Mr W. meant TO cite me before the church on e
Mr. 5 presence fiat Mr. Beechcr had acted as if the re-
ported candous tales true rather than false and urging
that owed to myself and the truth to go forward and be-
willing witness in investigation peremporly
declined to join Mr. West in his proposed inyessation and
been member OF Plymouth Church
for several years could be induced 10 that church
pose as to participate in scandal Mr. west had meanwhile
discovered that my name sull remained on the chuch ron
s am@mbcr and to force me to trial Accordingly few
later brought forward charges which nomnay
made against myself but really against the pasor-Ghages
which may characterize them by the recently published
language of the present clerk Of Plymouth Church. were an
the false pretence Of investigating another.
Some leading members including especially the pastor de
gave it, 70 this end wroe-with their pre- knowledge and at
their urgent desire letter declining to accept copy Of the
charges addressed TO me as member on tne gnn lha s
four years previously ceased my connection with tle cnuCh
For this letter received the next day aer sending H. he
pastors prompt and hearty thanks An understanding then
had between Mr. Beccher and myself IN an interview NJ he
residence Of Mr. Mouon that Mr. Vests indictment against
me was TO be disposed Of in the following way namely by
simple resolution the effect that whereas had four years
previously terminated memberships and whereas by mad
ertence still remained on the rG Therefore TeoeG
put Mr. Vests case quietly out OF court without bringing up
TO nv surprise and indignation learned the morning Of
October 81 1873 report which TO be presented at
the church meeting held that evening would not be in
the simple form already indicated but would declare that
whereas been charged with anderng the pastor; and
had been cited before the church to meet the charge
and whereas had pleaded membership as an eXcnse Tor
appearing for trial. therefore resolved that shoud DC
Tis gross mputaton thus foreshadowed to me- led to
appear in person the church on that evening there to await
came TO be read brought me the following novel intelligence.
namely Whereas copy Of the CHARGES was put into lhe
nads ofhi that he Od dHer the same by the I'd OF Oco-
do not know to this day whose hand it was that drew the
above report and therefore am happily sWed from an often
siye personality when that the statement which have
having been requested the charges had
been requested not to answer them.
After the public reading Of the above report in the
meeting and said in Mr. Beechers presence that if had Sian
dcred lin would answer his face which he replied
in equally public manner that he had no charge whatever to
vi Next growing Of the churcs singular proceedings
in this the Congregational Council oi which you
The above fscand eventswhich have mentioned briefly
as possible emitting their detals-wi serve sufficient
groundwork whereon to base the correction oi the u ana
Injurious statements which you have un"itngy gwen OF my
participation and responsibility in the case WIN the Conge
raona and usagcs which you have so ably discussed
have no concernyOu probably right abot them But as
to the essential facts growing out OF my relationship 10 F
mouth Church you have been wholly Hniomed-as you VIII
You saw Rst Ietred from the church. giving announce
en ~ nv so doing proper officer in other words that
stole out secretly letting in authority know of my
purpose Your language concerning me is as follows:
"IIis position that he had terminated his membership
four wears previous yot By requesting the cct s by its
rules he might done drop his name from is r@ etc
this the beautiful non-stringency Of the covenant which
connects the members church with the body and with
cb othcr5 What sort OF covenant that which can be dis
solved any moment not merely by mutual consent nor Dy
either party giving notice to the other Dut by silent Nooh
The above il thorough missaement Of the mannern which
on the very occasion Of my meeting the chief officer OF
the church. after my retirement from IT, gave hQsce 70 9
t sSi ace1s or hat M body In evidence Of this fact adce
the following extract from recent card BY hr l1oSs T az
Shearman Clerk Of Plymouth Church. published III 4s H"
pendent June lS 1874 lie says: ,. A.
Long before any charges were preferred against him. MI
Tton distinctly informed tue clerk Of the church and various
other officers and members myse included nat ne hdd
@ayGas yo .Sy Gt hat M have either malicious heart or "a
crazy brain" / know the fountan-head of this opinion
While the Council session in Brooklyn, the following
startling paragraph appeared in Tie Booya Union Of Sat
urday, March 28 1874:
Mr. Fuerton-I need not read the article from Tie Brooklyn
Union which was read awhile ago.
Mr.. Eyars-NO, Sir.
NV attention was not called TO the above paragraph until after
the Council had adjourned and its members had gone their
homes At first not willing 10 believe that the Clerk Of
Plymouth Church-the officer whose name had been
Officially signed TO all the documents which the church had
lust been sending the COunccOud have been guilty OF
nch an outrage against decency the above para
graph contained particularly against lady whose devout
Gg0us faith and life the farhe possible from
sussm or fanatcism OF kind Accordingly procured
The following statement by the reporter certifying the