New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-18


but as Prof Smyth's letter to me published III
The IEIBUNE. / send you this in reply 10 him.
Yours respectfully, LEONARD BACON.
Eesc-HGrela, Conn, April 10. 1876.
Rev. EGBrRT C. sMYTH, u. D.-Ny Dear Sir:
{" Life is short - and I have many things to do in
that little portion of it which romans for me.
must Beg therefore to be excused from replying in
detail TO all tho particulars of your letter OF
March 20.
You intimate that the Andoyer proposition" was
Inexperienced by the late Council at Brooklyn.
Let me suggest that perhaps the scope OF that prop
ositon" was Observation-Disclosures at least, not well
eomprehended-by tine church from which 1t came.
We thought that what you proposed was a mutual
council nlutual between the two clurches), before
which the Rev. Henry Ward Beechcr, as party T.
spondont, sbould have fair and conclusive trlaI,
and by which he should be either acquitted or con
demncd. Allow me to say that ,.m # tae SAME
opinion now. After all your explanations, cannot
believe that you your church had any thought Of
calling a mutual council for investigation with no
other result than that Of advising that Mr. BeeeheI
should or should not be put on trial.
But waving the question whether YOU OF we I'M
derstood the "Andover proposition" correctly,
think may say that 1 understand wh3i YOU now
moan The proposition" as row i5teIpreted, pro
poses mutual council, not ;oT SIC wa Of Nil
Beocher on a definite complaint wiz complainant
behind il, but only for an Investigation VIA refer
ence TO the question what uiteacr proceedings shai
be had. What you now want rs aOt trial, hui -
inquest. Before sach council IS you now pro
pose. the complainant would be yOur church, and
the respondent woud he, not Nj. BecchcI, but the
Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. The question legiti-
mately before that Council would not be- coa'd not
be-whother Mr.. BeCcher is guilty Of the crimes
which have been reported against HIM. Il would be
only some question about what that church has
done or has not DONE or some question about What
il ought to do. What yer testimony against MI
Beether such council might find in It's " investiga-
tion1 tie result of council that w0u,d be, al
the utmost nothing moro than proposal that Mr.
Beecher be brought to tral Oh charges definitely
formulated. with responsible prosecutor, OF, IN
other words, OH formal complaint to the church by
complainant
Ii now, very dear brother you VIII take the
trouble to compare that supposed result the ex
IRENE result concerning Mr.. Beecher 20 which yOuT
proposed council could possibly cOme-with The 81
vice given to the Plymouth Church by the late
Advisory Council, you will perceive reinarkahie
coincidence That council instead OF advising that
there be new inquest about Dir. Bescher to ascer-
tain whether there ouKhf to be subsequent trial,
has gono furtner-has gone as far as your proposed
council cuuld possibly go ia that drocti7a-has all
which he shall have the position AID the rights of
respondent The church has accepted that advice,
and is ready TO put its pastor upon trial as soon as
any responsible person be found to assume the
responsibility of preferrins n complaint or charges
on which there can be a trial
But Won do not like the idea of a commission to
try the issue Of the fact-which Is al that commits
sion could do, OF that anybody has tOugat OF doing
by means of IT. You and Others with whom or Tor
whom you ars acting abhor the proposal Of a cosi-
mission. Very WE'LL that commission, dare cay
will never be constituted. Tse lsIa council advised
that if complaint should bo brought. the Issue
ipurely an Issue of fact should he tlcd not by she
Examining Committee OF Any other COMMITTEES OF
the church-still less By church mcoung-but by
five eminent whose names il was thought
would command the co1fdeace Of the public, and
who were to lie empowered By tho church rs its
commission for that trial. Though tie church was e
have no voice OF part in selecting them Had com
plant been offered, had the commission been const
tdted. had the trial proceeded. tho chances Of fad
ing out all that be proved against sir Beecher
land wao wants anything oiss p would have beon
tenfold better than in any heter-sSeter invest
CATION" without charges 30 b. tried, with no com
plainant aud with no respondent. There will BE- 10
commission, and you and those with WHOM you arr
acting will have the satisfaction Of knowing thai
by your hasty misunderstanding and consequent
Misrepresentation of the plan yea have made IL lm-
practicable
You tell me that you have been inquiTng about
witnesses whose testimony IS important to the quos-
ton of Mr.. Beocher's iilt innocence, and that
you know Of more thaa half dozen who will not
testify in the trial proposed by tho late council, but
are confidently expected to testify in tic invest
CATION" which you proposing. Give ne the
names Of the men and the women VINO Will testify
where there charges 70 be proved. and where
there is 40 respondent to croSssxanins them, e.
explain or contradict their testimony by that of
other witnesses, and who are unaltcrably deter
mined that they will not tell tho story. face to
face with Mr.. Beecher. before tribunal at which
he viii have the rights of respondent. Publish
their names and you will make them infamous.
You will not tell who they are. for in doing You
would make their testimony worthless.
have only thing more 10 say. You are sure
that you and those with whom you act IN this matter
are on the right course. Go on then there is nothing
10 hinder you. Thanks to God. and under Him,
thanks to the CongregationalisIn that ever in
the MayioweT, this is free country, and our
churches are free. Free say, for the "inaeLabls'
freedom of each church fron every lordship
but that of Christ, and from every authority
but that of truth and equity, Is tho hrot
rudiment of their CongregaticnaiiSin No ancient
synod no modern council however constituted, no
committee OF unto, has dominion over them: nor
have they dominion one smother" or " more
authority one over another than apostle had
over auo. her" Go on. teen: the lats Council al
Brooklyn has dominion over your church, or over
any church. Cal your council. Bring your Wit
nesscs before il. Make your iHyesiigaiIon' IN youT
own way and SEQ what will cone Of il. If you can
prove that MI. Beechrr ID guilty man, SO thai there
IL ~