The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-02-17
ADVISORY COUNCIL!
Beecher's Guilt or Innocence
Not to be Investigated.

NEW YORK, February lev hen DR..
Leonard Bacon, Moderator, called the
Advisory Council to order this morning,
not more than half the members were in
their seats. When the business hour ar
rived there was q good attendance.
Rey. DR.. Bell, OF Mansfed, Ohio, offer
ed thse resolutions:
Resolued, That it is our firm belief that
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher is innocent of
the sins and crimes laid to his charge.
Rev. Bell was interrupted by a point
of order that the subject of resolutions
was not german to the business of the
Council. The Moderator decided the
point well taken and the decision wss
sustained i'll an appeal by DR.. Bell, who
alone voted in the negative,
Mr.. Shearman protested against being
called upon to present the case of Ply
mouth Church in the absence of the
committee, and then was read ex-Dea-
con Vests protest, presented Yesterday,
against the submission to council of any
other questions than the guilt or inno-
cence of Beecher, asserting the whole
course is contained in the extraordinary
conduct of Plymouth Church in dropping
from the rolls the names of Mrs. Tilton
and Mrs. Moulton. The protest
was referred to the special COM
mittee. Mr. Beecher announced
that Mr.. Shearman would present the
case for the Church, and, said he,
he and |, either OF US, will be subject to
such inquiries as may suggest themselves
to the members ofthe Council.
Mr.. Shearman made an exhaustive
statement of the case Of Plymouth
Church, traversing all the ground gone
over yesterday by the pastor and DR..
Edward Beccher, and taking up In sddi-
ton, the subject of the mutual council
arraigning Mrs. Moulton for her action
throughout.
The argument of Mr.. Shearman was
interrupted by recess being taken to
give the Committee an opportunity of
getting through with the vast amount Of
work they have upon their hands.
Afternoon Session.
The Advisory Council lreassembied at2
o'clock. Great numbers Of Spectators
were present. The session opened with
prayer, after which Mr.. Shearman re-
sumed, giving the details of the matter
of opposition offered by the Plymouth
Committee to mutual council, in which
certain delegates should sit as members.
Plymouth Church was not ruled
by one man nor by ten men. Those who
supported the rule were most frequently
overruled. He denied that Plymouth
Church had gone beyond lis rights as
the Church of Christ, so as to Justly for
felt its claim to the confidence and fel
lowship of Congregational Churches.
Never was more prepOsterous case.
He read long report of the investiga-
tion which was had in the matter by the
appointed by the chuach.
Although they had done everything
asked of them, it was demanded that they
go before the Courts. He cited the trial
and verdict, and said there was no new
evidence; it WAS only what somebody
had told somebody else.
When Mr.. Sherman concluded, a
lengthy examination of the different
members of the committee was gone
through with relative to the questions
contained in the letter missive,.
during which Mr.. Shearman ex-
planned the motives of the committee
in obiecting to the churches of Storrs and
Buddlngton being represented in the
council. He said that supposing Judge
Vancott had accepted the objection and
agreed to withdraw the churches he
could have represented the case to these
churches so that there would not
be any apparent discourtesy. Replying
to Mr.. Shaw, of Illinois, Mr.. Shearman
said that the Plymouth Church Commit
tee never agreed TO withdraw the pro-
test against the churches named. After
once putting it in number of questions
were asked by different delegates to ascer-
tain the letters were written, as from the
church or from individuals, and it was
satisfactorily shown that they were writ
ten by Judge Vancott and Mr.. Shearman
as individuals.
DR.. Bacon was examined at great
length, as to the meaning of the phraze,
"Roll ofthe Church, and the course pur.
sued when members names were dropped.
Adjourned till 7:40.