The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-01-01
the BROOKLYN SCANDAL.
Official Statement In the ''Christian
Uni0m.s,

Union.s,
[Froin the Christian Union, edited by Henry
Ward Beecher.]
Although the readers of this paper
have had to learn the fact from other
sources, none of them are ignorant OF
the existence Of an action at law
brought bv Mr.. Theodore Tilton against
the editor Of this journal. We have
refrained from all mention of the sub.
ject for obvious reasons; and, in now
giving brief account of the course Of
the affair in the past, and of the inter-
tlons OF the defendant in that suit for
the future, We shall abstain, as far as
possible, from saying anything which
might influence the current of judicial
proceedings in the case.
That the defer dant, so long as it
seemed practicable to keep from the
public the names of those pure and hon.
orable women whose regulations were
threatened BY false snd wicked SLAM
ders,
MADE EVERY EFFORT TO DO sO,--
willingly putting his own name in peril,
if thus they might be spared, he
neither denies nor regrets. If the de.
velopments Of the last year have not
justified the motives as fully as they
have proved the uselessness Of those
efforts, then We are unable to offer any
argument which will reach the uncon-
vinced. We are not Of the mind Of
those who profess that they maintained
silence because the welfare Of tho COM
munity, the peace of families, and the
interest Of the Christian Church de.
manded it, but felt bound to sacrifice
all those interests the moment that
their own reputation is attacked. On
the contrary, we feel it to be the duty
and the privilege Of a Christian man
to bear thousand attacks upon his
own reputation in silence, rather than
to suffer one innocent women to be vii.
lifted for his sake before the world.
We are not alone in such opinions,
or in the course which we have adopt.
ed under such views. Eminent and
honored men in every walk of life, and
notably so among the clergy, have pur-
sued the same policy in numerous in.
stances, some Of which arc recorded in
history at intervals for hundreds Of
years past, and others are known to US
to-day. But those which are known
are not tithe Of those which arc gen.
orally unknown. Fer in the vast ma.
jority Of cases the policy Of silence is
completely successful, and is the best
vindication Of the innocent. The inno.
cent man vindicates himself by his
life, and if the innocent woman can at
any sacrifice be kept from becoming
the subject Of public comment, the
triumph Of truth IS so complete that
the lie is forgotten.
1t was only in June last that it
BECAME NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE
previously adhered to. On juno 25th,
the letter Of Mr.. Tilton to DR.. Bacon
was published. On the next day MIR.
Beechcr resolved to call Tor an investi.
CATION. He was disposed to place the
matter in charge of gentlemen outside
OF the congregation, but was assured
that such proceeding, besides being in.
consistent with Scripturai injunction
and Congregational usage, would no,
be within the protection which the law
accords to the disclosures Of witnesses
as privileged communications land Sc
not libelous), if made in an investiga
ton conducted by the religious society
Of which the parties brought in ques'
tion are members. He therefore in
vited six members of his church and
congregation to take charge of the case
and left it absolutely in their hands
Their names were suggested to him by
members Of the regular Examining
Committee, and they were heartily ap
proved BY the full Committee when i
assembled.
| This Special Committee went abou
its work with a determination to b.
thorough, and was therefore necessaril,
deliberate in its movements, which wer
regulated entirely by its own members
without any attempt at advice or guild
ance on the part of the pastor of tn
church. Its conclusions were the re
suit Of its own independent judgment
and in some minor respects
!: DID NOT ACCORD WITH HIS.
Before the Committee had finishe
: its investigations, Mr.. Tilton, who q
first willingly appeared before it an
testified to the honor and integrity
its members, withdrew from its pre-
j: ence and brought the suit at law whic
is now pending. The complaint v.
, served Aug. 2l, during the defendant
absence in the White Mountains. I'll
= answer was drawn the next day; bu
Q owing to the distance and 4 successi<
Of difficulties in procuring correct of
cial certificates without which the d