The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-19
The plymouth Church Advisory
COuuciI.

IN
ting forth that inasmuGh as Question
asked them 10 decide whether there wer,
any reasons why Plymouth Church hat
forfeited It's claim to confidence and tel
lowship; therefore. 4, Z a l,i.. gs :
Resolved, That this Council respectful,
request Rev. r. 8. storrs and Rev. W. ]
Buddington toappear before itand stat
such reasons, II there be any.
Deacon Capon said he did not see how
the, delegates could conscientiously yot,
on the question without, first having heart
the statements Of the other side. He hat
come to the Council with the determine
tion to 60 to, the bottom Of this thing, ant
he did not know how they couldgo homI
without having done so. He was desir
ous Of getting home as soon as any body
but because Plymouth Church had suffer
ed so much, because its pastor and Shear
man and Others had suffered, he though
they should stay and investigate the mat
ter. o. T| t'sss sH ".
A discussion Of this resolution was In
terrupted by Prof. J. Abbott, who desired
to make report Of the Business Commit
tee on Bowen's letter, received last even
ing. He read the communication, anc
said the Committee. of Plymouth Churct
now have an opportunity to make any
further statement in regard to the subject
Moderator Bacon interrupted the pro
ceeding to refer TO the Business Commit
tee about the communication received
from Prof. Smythe, OF Andover. -
Deacon Gapons resolution vas laid or
the table that the discussion Of the Bow
en- matters might be resumed. 5Ap rf,
Mr.. shearman made . statement in re-
gard to the communication referring to
Mr.. Beecher's adultery, perjury and by.
pocrisy, and said the committee demand
ed Bowen 10 appear before council.
A resolution that Bowen be invited 70
lay his reasons before the council at once
were sought to be amended andread; that
Bowen be invited to appear before the
council to reconcile the difference be-
tween the statements. A long discussion
occurring upon the propriety Of the
council in summoning Bowen was had,
and an attempt was made to lay the whole
subject on the table, but failed, and final
ly it was disposed Of by the adoption Of q
resolution that he be invited to appear
before the council at7l o'clock this even
ing. l. s.-.l5.lu.
After the statement Of Rev: Winslow
that Rev. DR.. Storrs had written re-
quest to appear before the Investigating
COMMITTEES, letter was read from DR..
Storrs stating that he never had any
knowledge in regard to the matter.
The discussion OF Deacon Capon's reso-
luton was resumed, and after numerous
speeches and failures to lay 1t on the table,
It was referred to the Committee on the
Sixth Question, who retired to consider
the matter.
a. w. Storrs said he thought the ques-
ton put by Mr.. Fessenden yesterday
should be answered. The latter then
repeated the question which he had ask
cd yesterday, as to the pastors willing
ness to have the interview between DR..
Storrs and himself made public, or that
he should tell all they knew about him TO
the public.
Mr.. Beecher, apparently impatient 10
speak, promptly stepped forward and
said that he would make his answer first
and then anybody who wished to supple
ment questions could do so. He said
that he was glad Mr.. Fessenden had pro-
posed the question, and in answering the
FIRST portion Of it, he would say that he
knew OF no interview whatever
about which such question should
be asked. After parting with Rev.
DR.. Storrs on the night Of the
silver wedding in Plymouth Church,
with one exception, he never had the
pleasure Of meeting him, for in two or
three weeks after that this infamous
scandal was promulgated. He main
tained for o long time absolute silence,
and when DR.. Storrs addressed q brief
note to him he did not depend on the ad-
vice Of counsel. He said nothing and
wrote nothing. II they would recall the
interior history Of the church during
1872 and see the troubles he was subject
ed To they would readily understand him
when he should say he had no place to 60
to but his own home-no one but his own
family. He had once met DR.. Budding
ton in DR.. Storr's house since the time
mentioned and they then had an inter
view about tho matter. He then detailed
the interview at which he was asked TO
make general statement. He concluded
this portion Of his answer by again as
serting that he had no memory OF any
interview that occurred at his home be-
tween DR.. Storrs and himself.
HEEcHER CHALLENGES THE ALMIGHTY.
Now Iwish to hear the other part Of
the auestion-whether / am willing DR..
storrs and DR.. Buddington should state
anything they know-any facts. 1should
like to know how much longer man
need be at the focus OF the solar micro
scope, with the sun in the heavens con-
centrated upon him for six months, and
everything that could be found from the
North Pole to the South Pole and round
the earth forty times circuited raked up
and brought In. How much longer does
a man want to have his willingness 10
have the truth come out yindicated TO-
be put at that point? II there is q man
on earth that has anything to say 70 my
detriment, / am here, and now challenge
him to say It. [Cries Of "Goodp "GoodlS.
and loud applause.1 / go further than
that: Hthere be any angel OF God more
prescient or omniscient l challenge him
TO say aught! I go beyond that, and in
the name, Of our common Redeemer, and
before Him who shall judge you and me,
/ challenge the truth from God Himself !
[Great applause.l And what Is all this
doing? Tomorrow 1t will be said in
the morning journals, "How rhetorically
Mr.. BeecheP managed. the matter" and
itwlll be.put in the religious papers, "oh
yes, that was very plausible statement,
but, but" and I am in judgment be.
tween two duels, "but" and "if." Laugh
teri Nothing thaye said is taken to be
true, and'1 an put on perpetual trial on
my yeracity for althongh1 am willing to
be tried / don't disguise from myself,
suppresSing every sentiment of natural
honor that pertains to agentleman, that
l know perfectly we'll that this whole
process is continuous trial and cruci-
fxion Of every sentiment OF honor and
every sensibility of my soul, and that I am
questioned, and questioned, and question:
ed, and questioned as Ihaye been through
months and years on the supposition that
the truth has not been told, and l suppose
Il will be SO 70 the end Of my life. don't
look with any hope for the result Of this
Council. / don't look for any hope from
this tribunal, aud 1 think there'is hope