Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-07-31

THERE is a disposition in sundry
quarters to run > parallel between
Beecher and the.distinguished clergy
man in this State recently suspended
from the ministry. We protest against
such an attempt not only because the
assumption is not sustained by facts,
but because such unfounded assertions
are calculated to mislead the public
mind and to substitute well founded
conviction with unreasoning prejudice.
Both these clergymen are distinguish.
ed for ability, and beth the females be-
long to their respective Congregations.
So far the parallels perfect, but here
it ends and the cases so widely diyerge
that there ceases to be any similarity
between them. When Beecher was
on trial for the offense with which he
was charged, his church gathered
about him and with the aid of money
and perjury lifted him above the reach
of the law Notwithstanding his, and his
paramour's confession Of guilt. In
the other case trialfollowsd close upon
the heels of the accusation and the
punishment was immediately inflicted
In this case there is no Mrs. Til
ton confessing and denying but young
lady temporarily compromised by the
impulsiye indiscretion of the preacher
whom she honored and looked up to
as to father. Her character passed
through the ordeal not only unstained
but above suspicion; and his is yet to
be passed upon by a higher tribunal
than that before which he was first ar
raigned. Pending this appeal to the
court of last resort, tits obviously I'M
just to PREJUDICE the case, or to prejudice
public opinion by means of lima
tured structures, witty inuendos, or ma
licious surmises. Up to the age of Mr..
Beecher, the life of our distinguished
divine unfolded a moral record the
pages of which were unblurred even
by the breath of suspicion. And shall
forty years of earnest and efficient la
Dor in the cause of religion and NOR
atty weigh nothing against single false
step, leading no father in the direction |
Of guilt than seeming intent SINGER
ly repeuted of and finding no sanction
in the antecedents of a previously
righteous life? And are all others so
self-righteous as to feel authorized to
cast the first stone at one whose mark
ed eccentricities for the past few years,
may well palliate if not excuse. the er-
TOR of an abnormal mental condition?
Preachers are but men and whilst it is
required of them that they shall be
pure in thought and deed, all are not
SO fortified against sin that there is no
avenue through which temptation can
assail them. And whilst they should |
be promptly rebuked for sins of omis-
sion or commission, the standard by
which they should be tried is not that
of immaculate purify state unat- !
tainable in this life-and the extent of
their sins should be measured by the
general tenor of their lives and the ag-
gregate good they have done-this is |
the measure of human charity and JUS
tiee. But this case belongs to the
church which is bound to vindicate
the purity of its doctrines through the
purity ofits membership, and as a Sec
ular Journalist, We only ask for fair |
play at the hands of the secular press,
leaving it to the wisdom of the Con-
ference to fix the degree of guilt and
the extent of charity compatible with
justice. as developed by close scruti-
ny of motive and.action. The sin-is of
intention only and it becomes grave
question whether or not the punish
ment should be commensurate with
the crime, had it been consummated.