New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-18

gr0oe oD4 reugfOos tcacoer, why Can vo nv
lsubs the construction of this letter The appeals
n Mrs Msulten strengthened by those whisperinGs
which brcAk down from heaven upon the heart had
toucheA the sensbiites and the conscience OF this
defendant And. IN the spirit OF the prodigal'
10 had Determined to rise up and 80 10
HE father and confess, Father I have sinned
In thy sight, and receive the benedctions OF parental
forgiveness This Is the construction to he put upcn this
document; to inquire. according to eur own
Judgment whether II giltyif he had been betrayed by
severe compilation by the singular aud urgent tendencies
Of his tcmpcramen. and physical lifeif notwthstand-
ing all the teachings of his better nature AMI all the re-
strans Of his religious belief and positionf notwith-
standing al this Mr. Beechcr had fallen into onense his
own faith his principles the doctrines which he
taught his congregation constantly and fsmisriy,
prompted him In the manner God directs through The
process His Providence leads the repenant sinner 10
concsis there anything repusve In that idea 10 the
Christian mindt know what theheathen and the SIN
ner wopi do. But we arc canvassiDg the prooaphues
Of action applied to Who has borne the charac
ter Of saint te,cher whs has great capacities OF
beng; whose spirit according TO the ideas OF my learned
friends ia N exalted ana aspiring as his nteiiect ana
We must expand notions; we must lit ourselves OUT
Of our sxn conceptions and get as near to this
man. In all his qualities and all his impulses, as we can
And AJAX the Christian hearts upon this jury, who know
aomctns Of experm entail religion, and who know, IL IL
10 humating and crushing to kneel at the conessohn
In spirit of cody contrton that when the answer Vi
reace and forgiveness there Is ample reuuhet"
ton I'm the Toy OF reception II seems to me II the
sorld needed iessonand IL has had teachings enough
IF the weakness and infirmes OF human nature-buth
II needed grand example OF a great mnd ana sre"
heart aiing the erceneSs OF temptation butyet'
in the grandeur ~ It's nature and In the aspiring anu
exalted purity OF religious fah rising up before I'D '
and God and confessng its fall, and pedging itself 10
renewed and more perfect life, Henry Ward Beecher
could have given that example and honored his
own nature, and exalted his own name' sahet-
ned the church 10 which he belonged and shed
. more glorious light even around inc doctrines ne
weekly taught Well it seems to me TO conform to that
interview between Mt Moulton and Mr. Beecher ana 10
that letter Of Mouton in which Mr. Moulton says TO MN
An substance: Confess II all the facts are revealed you
ran vet stand Something has been said about the dii-
ferent commandments of these two ietters nave
strdied tom with some care, and see no diherehce III
the septmens-only in the form of expression and Tor
the purposc Of attaching to the same expression whch
he ses IA tho corrected letter. sentiment in this Ian
gusge-
Your letter makes this first Sabbath Of Summer dark
and cold like vault You have never inspired me WIN
courage or hope and had listened 10 yon alone my
hands would have dropped helpless long ago lou no
moi I've gin 10 the danger that has tdceu you many
t,m before IN you now look it square in the eyes 1t
will COVER and shrink away again
Wcll what was this danger. gentlemeni Was it mere
danger from the causes which have been assigned by Mr.
Beechers there any danger to come from the lact
that MIRA Isiton had fallen in love with Mr. Beecheri
WHY clearly not Mr.. Titon never suggested any such
idea. never threatened any such revelation as thaI
There never any such danger that had theretoore
threatened Mr.. B-ccher. Well there was no danger
from the other circumstances impending over
Mr. Beocher The advice to Bowen, the advice TO scpa
ration created peril to Mr. Beechcr Now, this Is not
mere sentneut This refers to threatened peril Why.
Mr. Bcecher says that he was oppressed with remorse
and sorrow all that looked with great afcuon upon
the mischief which Mrs. Tilton's love for him had
wrought That is all very we'll But We are now coming
to CHARGE an assumption aequiesced In by him. that
there had been again and again, peril assang him. and
when he had looked IL square the face in the mode
which had been described by himself well as by other
witncescs why II covered and shrunh away Weu now,
this implies sin: it assumes error. No such words as
those could have been written to Henry Ward Beecher if
his story OF his Innocence Is ue' because nc was
exposed to n peril.
You know that never have been in sympathy with.
but that absolutely abhor the unnany MOOD OUT OF
which your letter OF this morning came This mood ~
reservoir of mdew You eau stand If the whole thing
wer published tomorrow. In my opinion II shows ohy
could with truth that you not COURAGEOUS enough
with 6os help aud faith In God, to try To live on earn
Now, what did that mean. gentlemen, in connection
with the declarations In his letters that he had strong
belief that preaching his last sermon and living
his last Sunday-in connection with the testimony OF
Mrs Mouion. aud with other psrtsto which may pos
ably draw your attention. where the same design OF
suicide Ia Swallowed forthi why does MI MSui'oh'
writing to MIR. Beechcr say:
II show WIS only selfish faith in God Ia go whining into
Hoavon could with truth that you :, are not conr
TO live on earth. You know that love you; and be-
cause do shall try and Try, as IN the past You are
making him appear as graciousy pardoned by you
He eaid form which he abused in some of the
asked reiief don't think impossible to frame letter
which win cover the May God bless you know
be will protect you.
spcxhsng Of thislctter Mr.. Moulton says:
Mr.. neccssr to my house ON the evening OF the
Sunday ON which this letter was written ana sala 70
Mr. no<ch Xnu
I'll wAsto follow you my hands would drop useless You
give 70 no y9n sSe f the me matter S whSer IS
easy@ whether 1t is hard to meet You drop you don't
your congregation the contriion which you have ex-
pressed to in consequence OF your intercourse with
s MSs camd Stand s my s Sy for hope
leness II letter this morning IL Is nothing ont
preston You stand If the whole case were known"
Now. perfectly apparent, whatever might be the
construction might give to these letters or 10 TINS
letter without the aid of any testimony IT Is perfectly
certain that that declaration in the letter of Mr. Moulton
WA founded upon the theory that frank confession by
Mr. Beehcr 10 his church would not dspace him. would
not dsrobe him. II the Father in Heaven forgNos may
not man forgiyet Is the Church holer than God its
founder and ni,steri If coming with penitence and
gcdly sorrow the deepest dyed sinner may claim for
giycpess, might not Henry Ward Beechcr, in human
Judgment 10 full Of merit and deserving, tempted and
fallen once but yet repentant aud redeemed noby CON
Tossing and retrieving error living In spirit OF repent
snce and reformf What is there in this at all rcpusive
We are all suners "Thee is perfect; no. not one
Tho best OF fault, and the teachings of God to
us to confess and the promises Of God TO us are on
confession, choeIing and strengthening
submit to you that this letter of Henry Ward Bcecher
M all It's spirit declares that sentiment and that purpose
II has been suggested-T don't know--it is hard to
Imagine that man like Henry Ward Bec,heT should
have contemplated the purpose OF selfdcs;rncon But
IN this ottor-n other letters to Mouton 10 Mrs. Moul
TIN that purpose was ayOved.