The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-18


getting GOOD opinion of her and her
advisers, and being impressed ms to the
strength Of her case. The reply Of Ply
mouth Church. read OF Thursday evening
10y the crafty Brother SuEArMAN, is, on the
contrary, cVasivC, pcttifOEgng, disingen-
uous and intrinsioally weak.
The bottom fact in the matter of the
dealings of Plymouth Church with Mrs.
MoULroN is this: Though she sworc that
the pastor was guilty of adultery. having
confessed the crime to her, and reiterated
the charge and added TO It the equally
grave charge of perjury, yet the church
did no, venture to discipline her for so ac-
cusing him, but wrilgled out Of the case by
dropping her from It's rolls for non attend
ancc. 1t IL us if the law should overlook
the murder and pursue the murderer only
for picking ms victims pocket. Either
what Mrs. MoULruN says is true and the
pastor Of Plymouth Church Is nm adulterer
and n pcrjuror, or she has crmiually aud
UNANIMOUSLY periurod herself, with the vile
object OF iniuiing good man and bring
ing scandal ON the household Of faith and
religion itself. Yet the church refuses to
20 into this vital matter, only indirectly
expresses itself as 10 her conduct IN So ac-
cuslng the pastor hy n sly reference to
ANANIAs AID SArPHIRA. which ought u
have sent every drop OF MIR. BErCHrH's
abundant blood his wcll-guard, d checks.
aud goes into a long and ingenious argu-
mont to- justify ITSELF in dropping hersimply
for not coming To church. she says she has
stayed away from church because the pas
tor il an adultcrer and "A pcrjurcr, and yet
that strange body. which cheers the crafty
reference to ASASIAS and SAPPnIRA. ar
CUES that because She stayed away she
should he dropped from membership. It
does not dane To- exclude her, but insists on
getting rid OF SO Troublesome sister in
some way.
Ii Is characteristic OF Mr.. BEECHrR's
dearly beloved admrer. Brother SHEAR
MAN. that he pcttifogs this issue with a
small adrotncss He asks Mis-. MoULroN
il there is Il recorded instance % q ciurch's
Furnishing for perjury an adverse witness
in trial the expenses of party TO which
it paid, and speaks Of the action ns ,tlll
pending. II there is no such recorded case.
II l. because the whole BELCHrR scandal is
an anomaly IN Church history. THEoDoRE
TILToN accused the pastor ~ adultery, and
yet was not tried for so doing. not punish
ed. aud not questioned as to his grounds for
the charge. Mr.. TUruN confessed the
adultery to MIR. BRNp-iAw, u member Of
the church. aud % Ms. MoUt roS. another
member Yet she ha, never been tried.
and the Que lady las been given lcttoi Of
dismissal and the othorl Is dropped. Deacon
WEST urged tine duty of trying TILruN,
and now thinks the pastor should he tried.
lie gets for his pains the ridicule II Mr..
| BFECHEU and Young Mr. kIVG, Mr.. BEECH
Err assistant publishers; and if the church
had had their WAY on Thursday evening,
! they would hav thrown INN overheard for
/ his uuwel, omc zeal. A. To the pen leucy Of
The trial, that is mere bubble. TIE trial
Ia over and will not bc renewed, and even
! # II was renewed, that would make no If
ference with the rieht and duty Of the
church NJ an ecclesiastical body to admin
! lister its scvorc,t discipline on a member
who could he proved guilty of perjury
and conspiracy to ruin the pastor Mr.
! Mon LTOS's standing rs "A witness ~ "A oivi
tribunal would not hc affected IN the least
10y what Plymouth Church might do. Tn,
sclf-sacriHce Of that extraordinary semi
religious body IN refusing to try her, ant
il she is guilty Of the crimes AGAINST
Christianity charged against her by Mr.
BELoHER, TO exclude her from membership
H., IA disgrace to the Christian name, Is posi-
lively sturllup.
The refusal of the church to accept hen
points 10 he submitted 10 n mutual council
and thus it, probable defeat Of the call fol
that investigating body, is another exam
pie OF its ill-judPcd efforts to prevent
fun inquiry into the scandal If Mr.
BLECuER is innocent, what has he 10 fea
from the submss on Of all points what
socyer touching his case? The more IN,
better; the nmpler the vindcatlou IN,
larger the range of iuves LEGATION and III,
nearer il gets down 10 the bottom facts
Unless these are reached, and unless the,
come up pure and true, Mr.. BErCHER ha
no vindication worth the getting and Mrs
MOrITON cannot receive the punishment
due her crimes AGAINST her pastor
Mr.. BEECHEH's resolutions calling for M
advisory council to instruct the church a
10 whether anything in us order aud di-
Ciplne requires correction, Is simply
flank movement in the face OF tn
enemy. He took care 10 expressly stipu
late that the "questions which thi
church agreed to submit 10 II mu
tual council" shall not come before thi
ca l0ric council That advisory body sha'
not touch the scandal with its helptu
hands Already the letter to Mrs. MoUI
TON, refusing 10 accept Der additions
questions, had been adopted with great al
pause and the mutual council was thus
30 far us possible, also kept Of the scand.
scent. Mr.. BEE,nFR supported his rcsoll
uous with remarks sklful enough in sui
stance aud manner Of delivery to provoll
the applause Of his unreasoning pnrtisan
but their hollowness and evasvencss ar
apparent to those who go 10 logic and fa'
10 test them. He simply avoided the ISSUE
made now effort to tie up the storm.
II is plain now, rs il always has bee
plain, that, guided by its pastor, rlymout
Church VIII never willingly submit 10 n
p impartial and thorough investigation O
= tho crimes charged against HENRY WAR
I BEEcHER. tits ready enough TO call frient
Y | ly ministers ana ohuTchcs TO talk with