The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-19
CALLING GOD ASA WITNESS
uENRY Ward BEECHER'S EXTR1-
ORDINARY DECLiMITION.

The two hundred ana nity uclcgatcS "
Mr. Beecher's select council yesterday reentered
into their work with relish-the hospitality OF
the church. the apparent ffankness Of Mfr.
peecher on all OF the scandal topics the press
inc invitations TO turn everything inside out
having SO. we'd to dispel doubt, disarm suspicion'
and TO mako toleraby loyal adhercnts Of the
pastor OF nearly every member Of the council
This confidence gave birth q desire TO help
the ffllictcd church, and the proceedings Wero
marked with less desire to investigate aud more
OF wish to strip the church Of all obciructions
90 peace and prosperity.
Deacon Capen Of Boston. VINO had tried Mr..
Beecher with the question whether he had not
been shielding the crime Of another, opened
day Of excitement by resolution inviting Drs.
storrs and Burlington before the council to ex-
plain II they knew why Plymouth Church had
forfeited the confidence and fellowship of 9th er
churches. Deacon Capon held that they ought
to go to the bottom Of everything, in spite OF
difficulties. "when see," said he, how Ply
mouth Church has suffered, how i,s pastor has
suffered. how MIR. Shearman has suffered. we
ought not to be afraid OF the time We spend here"
The discussion was interrupted by the Bust
ness Committee, who reported on Mr.. owens
letter. published yesterday. The letter was ro-
celved in solemn silence. The Business Com
mitteo then Introduced Mr. Shearman, who said
hnW MI D1Wtu Hdu kpnt ouN VI MS NhJ W hot
these choice words OF adultery, perjury, and
hypOrrisv. the last word being added by Mr.
BOwen's natural sense OF the significance Of tho
term. MI. Shearmans criticism Vas that Mr.
Bowen onefed to testify TO Mr.. Beecner's periu-
~ in 1874, before Mr; Beecher had ever taken an
appear before this council TO face the Inyesti-
gating Committee" lApplause.l
DIR. Woolcoit offered a resolution calling on
Mr. Bowen to iuake known to the council at
once his reasons for believing the Rev Henry
Ward Bee cher guilty OF adultery. perjury. and
hypocrisy, and to allow Mr.. Bowen to meet the
que tioi raised between himself and the lnves-
tgiting Committee.
Dr. Bacon. the Rev. 5. n. Pettiueill. and others
thought that the scandal nfora alton In Mt.
BOvcn's possession ought npt To- he demanded.
TEere was prolonged discussion, ana mo-
tion To lay tie whole sut iect on the table was
lost. TIE resolution as amended aud I'D pted
invited Mr.. Bowen 10 appear, and the scrioe was
seut after Nr. Bowsn. Deacon Capen's resolu-
ton to invite Drs. Storrs and Burlington 10 the
council h wing been taken up. Mr. Winslnw was
recalled - the pulpit TO he asked hy Nr Warren
whether Dr. Siorrs had been invited to the In
yestigating Committee. Mr.. Wiu-lOw said that
Dr. Stoiis was invited. and that Nr. sage re-
cevel letter from him In reply (which was
rcadl, In which Dr. Storrs said that he never had
the lesst personal knowledge about the case
that he had seen but ono ducun"nt-tnat writ
ten by Mrs liltOn IN lS,2-ard that he had not
taken copy Of It,. some conf ieniill state
vice. which he was reluctant Ia make known, as
4 must violate every rule Of ihs professional
life. lie offered. h wevor. 10 answer any ques-
tons that the committee thought that he could
probably answer. MIR. Niusiuw said that nr.
huntington was not invited because the commit
tee thought that he knew nothing.
Judge wiihe, the "clear minded delegate
from the Northwest" moved to lay the whole
down. he resolutions were AZ length referred
TO tue Committee on Section VI. Of the letter
missiye. who were instructed to report at once.
The council voted then to re peat to Mr. BeeCher
the questlon asked by the Rev. :. B. Fessenden
In the midst OF the excitement on thursday
afternoon 1t the close OF the session. The ques-
tion was; Is Mr: Bcecher willing that Dr. Storrs
should state, II he would, the facts Of the inter
he had In his mr.. naeehpr'-l
and that DR.. Budington and Dr. Stoirs might
state any facts Ia their knowledge affecting him2
NURSING his SECRET.
Mr.. Beecher said calmly that no member Of
Ne council could make que ton too sharp, or
aimed to rohc too deeply. He would answer
any question that could throw any HIGHT on the
matter. lie never knew OF any interview on
which the question could be based. He looked
upon his Intercourse with Dr. Storrs and fam
lily as one uf the brightest spots IN his life. He
looked b cs upon 1t AS seGsick man tossed
on troubled seas looks back upon the islands
he LETT; but he had met DR.. Stoirs only once
since the silver wedding. Two or three weeks
sfterword the Infamous scandal burst out. Then
be resolved 10 MAINTAIN silence under the ad-
wee OF counsel, aud under TINS ADVICE he did
not answer friendly letter from DIR. Storrs. IL
you will remember the interior history of 1Ssl-2.
he said, the great burden l was tearing the
touble ! endured. the effort was making to
maintain my ministry, YOU VIII understand me
when say had no place but nv home. went
Into no cor pany which not ofncal.
J waited until God should Bring day
light. | went TO no minister. nor to my
brother. nor 10 my sisters, nor TO Gods best
riit, NY wife, nor to my chiidten. / maintained
absolute Hence, and my experience rolled within
NY own soul. rs Isolated and rs dark as II II had
been irdis tcted in q cave, IN the very centre Of
the earth, and therefore II ANYBODY had occa-
zion to r. l;iet my want Of frauSuess or OF cont
uence, IL was those who were AZ nay tOard, or In
ny bosom' who never complaineu, ana Il there
had bsed need outside ana felt from the
knowledpo Of the Circumstances that | could
have derived succor, there would haye been no
place where would have sought II sooner than
within tho threshold Of Dr. StorIs's house; but
i felt that only God could help me.
Mr.. EoCchsr spoke Of the letters from DIR.
slolrss ana Dr. Bnddington's churches that
came 90 Plymouth Church after the dropping Of
Nj. iili -, ihe diplomatic correspondence that
PISSED And "i meeting which was held In DR..
Sious's study, which tue three attended. lie
net Dr. stufrs in fliendiy way. They joined
nleyer iheS arranged CORE. Ondencc in
W.ch vi. u, cher was TO say that his cnurcl's
action 10 The re cent cases WIS exceptional The
cores gonIcuce did not prove satisfactory, and
Interviews. If there were any, ho YVES willing
t. nave y6odi state all the facts, lie bad
but tl,ir conversation was casual there.
d. husinsLon sald that II Nj. Beecher
ttrsned from conhding Ia him from reasons
VI del acY, Dr. sturis would be very much
Relieved ia mind. Mr.. Beechcr replied that he
to br. st.ri.. As TO the otner part OF the quos-
i,on' Wio;nor he was wiling tnat Dr. SlorIs and
knew, any facts Mr. Deechcr said, II should
hhe 10 know bow much lon-e. man need be
bt tne lp- us ol y lar hllscroseope, with the
sun ia tie heavens concentrated on hlm for six
ponths, and everything that cuuld be rolled
Hom the north pole 10 the south pole and
rourd the oarth, forty times circuted, raked up
Snd tIsN- ht iu-hON mucl longer does "a man
want u IA We hi, Willingness t. have the truth
colhe out NhllcAttd To De put NJ thdt point
CALLING OS GOp.
II there Is any mla on earth that has anything
to say 10 my detrment. am hcte, and now
challenge hln TO Say IT,. lluud applause, and
cries Of GOOD" and Hear " 90 further
than that," thundeied Mr. BeechCr; "if there
DO any angel Of God semi -prescent and ON
nisceht, challenge him to say aught, and"
Continued he, dramatically turning his hands
and his CO toward the ceiling, 81 challenge
the truth from God bimself" Applause IN the
galleries; silence in the cOunClLl
Mr.. Beecher came down from his height with
amazing swiftness. Ia a twinkling ol an eye he
wore careless air, saying in every look and
motion, whats The useT He said that the
next day IL would DO said" Well, Mr.. Beecher
theioricay managed the matter; and they will
Say 1t was very usiule-but-but-"" am in
Judgment" he added, "bctween two devils
out ana IL / know perfectly well that this
ie Whoie process Is a continuous trial and cruci-
NIXON ot every sentiment Of honor ana every
seusibilty Of my soul. / am questioned on the
supposton that the truth has not been got at
ana suppose that II will not be to the end of nv
me. don't look for hny great hope from tno
Lesult OF this council. don 10 * Tor any hone
from tho result Of any council or tribunal itnink
IA l. hrH. la. N.a