The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-12

New York, February 11.-At an adj
journed annual meeting OF Plymouth
Church tonight u adismiSsal was granted
Chas. A. Duncan at his own request.
The clerk then read the report OF the
Examining Committee detailing several
meetings between il and Bowen.
When the reading was concluded, ]. v.
White offered the following resolution,
which, after several amendments, was
adopted:
ResoEed, That the whole matter OF the
insinuations or accusations Of Henry G.
Bowen against the pastor Of this church
be- referred back TO the Examining Com.
mittee with instructions to continue the
investigation begun by them, and that
they be instructed to summon the said
Bowen before them having first given
him ten days notice Of the trial, OF the
place Of that meeting and to notify him
that he will be asked to state any and
every fact in his knowledge tending to
support the insinuations or charges con.
tafned in his letter OF the 4th inst, and to
give thenames Of all the witnesses known
to him by whom any Of the facts in his
possession may be proved, and to sub.
nit to such other and further examina-
tions as shall be necessary and proper to
elicit the fullest possible investigation.
Mr.. Beecher said he was far from feel
ing in spirited hupor. A controversy
between a pastor and member Of a
church was a very sad thing. To have u
quarrel was to him in the nature OF a
funeral service. Mr.. Bowen was one OF
the Oldest members OF the church, and he
must not forget that Mr.. Bowen's thresh-
old was the first he crossed in coming to
Brooklyn. He could not think Of any
thing more sad than to find man with
whom he had walked arm in arm, and
with whom he had taken counsel, and
whose hospitality he had shared, turned
against him.
Mr.. Beecher had thus far spoken very
quietly and sadly but now he burst forth
in laundering tones throwing into his
words all the vehemence possible to him.
He said that If for the last fifteen years or
more Mr.. Bowen had been in possession
Of these facts and never broached them
before him or an officer OF the church,
he was guilty Of breaking his covenant
with the Church, and he ought to be ex.
PEELED. II he (the speaker) was what he
was alleged to be, he should have been
turned out of church long ago. He was
not guilty, and the allegations made by
Mr.. Bowen were false. he would pro-
nounce them so. He referred sarcasti.
cally to the fact that Mr.. Bowen had not
time to prepare to answer the questions,
but said he had time to charge him with
being criminal, the badness Of which the
epithets used by him could hardly com.
pass. There would be no secrecy in the
matter II he could help it, and every
thing should be sifted to the very bottom.
Mr.. .Beecher had now allowed his voice
to die down to a tone in which were ex-
pressed mingled sadness and reproach,
when suddenly bursting forth in his most
vehement tones, said: As for myself, l
pronounce the allegations false, and with
Almighty God before me and tho Judg-
ment Day arraign him rs a slandcrer
and liar.
Then, as he sat down, was enacted a
scene which has never but twice before
taken place in Plymouth Church lecture
rooms. Clapping Of hands, stamping oi
feet and men halIooing plaudits at their
pastor, while his wife bowed her head on
her hands aud wept bitterly for some mo-
ments. The meeting then adjourned.