The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-17

Mrs. Moulton ON her Ear.
New York, Nov. s, Correspondence of the
Last Sunday Beecher announced that
the mem bers Of Plymouth Church would
hold an important" business meeting on
Thursday evening" About fifty promi-
nent members were present.. including
White, Sherman and .Storrs. White
acted as Moderator, and announced that
the;meeting was called to- hear the report
of the Examining Committee relative to
dropping the names of Deacon w West
and Mrs. Moulton, lso.a thossrsllsss of the
church. Gen. Roger a: Pryor attended
as counsel for Mrs. Moulton, who was
also present. The two sat near the Mod.
orators table. MI y Blair. chairman of
the Examining Committee, reported the
unanimous decision that the name of
West be dropped, and West not making
his appearaade, his name, after d LITTLE
discussion, was dropped. West had sent
word that he did not intend to resume
relations with theschqrch, but to. day he
denied that he had calculated that his
name would be dropped without further
stating his reasons for leaving.
Mr.. Blair again arose and stated that
the Examining Committee also recon-
mended that the name of Emma G.
Moulton be dropped from the roll of the
church, and that member of the Com.
mittee had on the previous evening adj
vised her of the meeting and the nature
of it. When the report had been &C.
cepted, and the motion to it seconded,
Gen. Pryor, counsel for Mrs Moulton,
said he had letter which she had pre-
pared, and which he wished to read.
After some discussion between the
Moderator and Gen. Pryor as to who
should read the letter, Mr.. Sherman,
who acted as Clerk Of the meeting, moved
that the Moderator request Mr. Pryor to
read the letter. Gen. Pryor immedia1e-
ly proceeded to read as follows:
To the Members of Plymouth Church, Brook
Ign, N. Y: -
received yesterday morning, through
Mr.. D. II. Hawkins, official notice tina.
the Examining Committee Of this Church
(of which Committee ne is member),
contemplated recommending to you this
evening the dropping Of my name from
its roll of members on account of my
having absented myself from the services
of the church. MIR. Hawkins further
said that, on behalf of the committee, he
gave me notice that might attend the
meeting tonight and give my reasons for.
non-attendance. This official notice by
Mr.. Hawkins, giving me the conclusion
of the Examining Committee. is the first
intimation have had that the commit.
tee had considered the propriety of ex>
punging my name from the roll of Ply.
mouth Church, nor have had any inti-
nation. official or otherwise, that the
Examining Committee even designed to
consider any such question. Had I re-
ceived any such intimation or notice,
should have appeared before the commit
tee to give my reasons for non.attend-
ance. Having been deprived n of
the opportunity to appear be-
fore the Committee, now
appear, in accordance with it's official no.
tice, before the church. protest against
the adoption Of the recommendation of
the Examining Committee, because am
not an absentee in the proper sense Of
that word,nor does the rule OF the church
in regard to absentees contemplate any
such case as mine. My absence is an en-
forced one, and caused by the crime Of
adultery committed by Henry Ward
Beecher, pastor Of this church, with one
Of his parishioners, which know to be
fact through Mr.. Beecher confessions to
me, and through the confessions of Mrs.
Tilton, and through the conclusive evil
dence Of the crime from other sources. I
appear before this church in loyal obe-
dience to the summons which 1 have re-
ceived, and hereby declare my DISPOSE
ton and desire to discharge all duties de-
volving on me as member that are con-
sistent with my knowledge of the adul-
terry of the pastor and his false swearing
with regard to it. Very ectfully.
EMMA G. MoUI.ToN.
Dated Brooklyn, N. Y, Nov. 4, 1875.
Mr.. Hawkins said that Mrs. Moulton
was slightly in error. She was not told
that she might appear before the meet
ing and give reasons. This point was de-
cided as immatcrial.
Mr.. Shearman offered as an amend
,nent that Mrs. Moulton, having come be-
fore the meeting with insinuations, be
questioned concerning them.
Gen. Pryor said that Mrs. Mou:ton
made charges rather than insinuations,
and declined to answer any questions at
that time and place. r-.
The vote taken relative to the retire.
ment of Mrs. Moulton from membership
of the church was unanimous in favor of
her name being stricken from the roll