Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-02-25
The Anaover Letter to Plymouth Church.


council to investigate the charges against
Mr. Beecher, is as follows
ANDoyER, Mass. Feb. 10, 1916
The CONGREGATIONAL Church an Andorer
Theological Seminary TO Plymouth Charer'
Brooklyn. ~ Y:
Dear Brethren In addressing you upon
one of the most painful and perplexing SUD
iects which ever stirred the sympathies OF
awakened the solicitude OF Christian hearts
we desire first of all, humbly to acknowl-
edge our need, and fervently to implore the
illumination of that wisdom which Is from
above
As members, with you. Of the body OF
Christ. aud. particularly, as joined with
YOU in the fellowship OF the Congregation
al Churches of our land we feel the truth OF
the words. W neither one member suifer.
all the members suffer with it, or one mem
Der be honored. all the members reJolce
with it," We have rejOlced IN your pros
perity we have been rrJrt OF the good
naufr and world wide influence OF your pas
tor; we have had unquestioning faith IN
his purity [and Christian earnestness we
nave admired his fervor and holiness IN the
defence of his convictions OF truth All
the more, thereby, have we suffered, when
accusations of immortality have been made
against him with dsfniteness and persist
ency which have by degrees shaken IN the
minds of multitudes, not only of lrreligious
men, but also of many in our churches, thar
confidence in his integrity which once was
universal. When those charges were no
more than vague aspersions, We. together
with other Christians. deemed them wor-
thy only OF contempt. Even long after
they assumed a more definite form, il was
enough. and more than enough. that APP
parently they awakened in your minds no
misgivings. and that they were directed
against one whose established reputation
raised him above such assaults. No real
solictudo arose until, while accusation
grew holder. he remained silent; and when,
at length, tina. silence was broken and de-
NAL uttered the relief was well nigh a. unIVer-
sal as it was Instantaneous. W hen, alter
ward, Mr.. Beecher was represented As hav-
ing himself acknowledged some great
offence, and at his request You instituted an
investigation. it was hoped that the exact
and whole truth would be developed. and
that in consequence every cause of suspl-
cion would be removed. But the result of
that inquiry. though powerfully reinforced
By your unanimous adoption OF 1t. failed to
salty large portion. at least, CT the pub
lie. including many members OF our
churches, partly because the evidence
against him. as elected from his own letters
and conduct. was Unexpectedly welghty.
and partly because that 1t was believed that
important witnesses had not appeared.
Then followed the long legal investigation,
ineonelusiye as respects the verdict OF the
jury, and unsatisfactory. in that there re-
manned in the public mind the sense OF
something still unexplained. and the belief
that important testimony had not yet been
heard Since the legal trial closed, allu-
sions TO this unproduced evidence have
abounded in the public journals. Names
have been given, and without c0ntratic-
ton, of responsible witnesses. members Of
various Christian churches, who, it Is affirm
ed, have something to say which Is essen
tial to I correct judgment in the case. Ia
view of this We have looked to see you de-
mand the most searching public inyestiga-
ton. We have waited 10 hear from YOU a
challenge for everybody who can testify oi
his or her own knowledge anything against
Mr.. Beeoher' integrity or purity 10 come
before you and bear witness. But this our
reasonable hope has thus far been disap-
pointed, and the painful impression has been
produced on many minds that you desire 10
avoid, rather than to secure, that exhaust
i've examination which IS needed. This
impression has been deepened by the fact
that, when, at length. You have called from
various pats of the land an ecclesiastical
council to advise you respecting your dis
cipline. we find no indications IN that letter
missIye Of purpose on your part TO insti-
tute that investigation which most vitality !
concerns your usefulness and prosperity as
q church OF Christ. and Is absolutely essen !
tial TO the yindieatiOn Of the good name OF |
your pastor We can readily believe that, Z
with your firm conviction Of his innocence, |
YOU may naturally shrink from even aiding /
in subjecting him to further trial. But, /
brethren, he i. and must be, On trial in 4
some form or other, until the evidence in /
the case Is fully brought out. Nothing less |
than this can permanently satisfy the TeG-
sonable demands of the public mind. 1t /
should not be overlooked by you that Mr. !
Beecher Is not amply member Of your /
church, nor even merely it. appointed lead /
eT and ensample. bat the most widely known |
and conspicuous minister OF Christ in our |
communion. This eminence brings with il |
proportionate responsibility. That he should |
be widely and Increasingly believed to be /
guilty OF shameful. srille when his limo
cence nigh. be fully established, mob o,lv
also brings reproaeh Oh - C,ristia5 min
istIy and the CHI, AN cbnrcb Indeed We
- 800 "' lat more grleyous calamity
III beiall Christian effort to bring men
under the renewing and elevating influences
Of the Gospel of Christ than that they
should be led TO suspect that the Christian
church shrinks from investigating charges
of guilt, responsibly and publicly affirmed
against any of its members.
Brethren, do not suppose Us to imputc
this to your intention. We desire only to
remind you Of what must inevitably result
If Christian men shall in any wise seem TO
oppose an open, direct, free AMI full investi-
CATION Of this subject by tribunal which
can command the respect Of all upright
men. In view, then, Of these public facts,
the recognized eminence OF your pastor the
dehnlteness and gravity Of the accusations
made against him. the responsible eharac-
ter OF the persons making them, the gen
eral conviction that these charges impera-
tiv ely require q thorough examination, the
open taunt thrown out by the world that a
gross offence exists which neither You nor
your brethren of other churches are able or
willing to remove. the suspicion thus awak-
ened that our polity has no effective method
OF procedure IN eases Of such magnitude,
the daily Increasing aggravatiOn ct this
evl! by your prolonged delay 10 sOlicita de-
Unite and exhaustive examination, through
the agency of an ecclesiastical council.
your seeming unwillIngness to admit that
there IS even pr1DlG facIs case against your
pastor requiring an investigation. the dis
honor which is consequently left resting
upon him and upon tine cause of Christ-in
view OF all this we are constrained in Chris
tan iaithfnlness and by conviction Of duty
to cur Congregational brotherhood and 10
the kingdom Of Christ. to advise you OF the
burden Of reproach which rests upon and
upon the Christian name, and which must
remain so long as this great public scandal
shall seem to be tolerated by sister church
Although usually. in cases Of accusations
OF ministerial offence. tribunal Is created
according to our polity by the conyocation
OF the mutual council selected one-half by
the church and the other half by the ac-
cused party yet 1t Is plain that such a
remedy does not meet the present exigencv
through your failure to use this remedy
when accusation first seemed to YOU 10 de-
mand attention, and through your subSe-
quent unanimous and unvarying attrma-
ton OF your pastors innocence, Won are so
Identified with him in the public estimation
that any council OF investigation called
solely by you and him must encOunter dis
trust from the outset. embarrassments in
ITS Investigations, and the suspicion and
uahger OF lncompieteness IN ITS result. |
Hence. the necessity of different method
oil investigation. We ask YOU, therefore, TO
unite with US in calling an ecclesiastical
council empowered to make thorough in
yestlgatlon OF this painful. case. " e pro-
pose that the council meet a. soon as the
preliminary arrangements can be cOnye-
nlently made, IN some suitable church or
hall III Brooklyn. n. Y, or the vicinity. |
said council to be composed of the repre-
seniatiyes of not less than twelve nor more |
than twenty churches, together with not |
less than six nor more than ten individuals |
OF recognized standing in our denomination,
selected. one-half by you and one-half by |
us. Before this tribunal let every one who |
knews anything respecting the truth of the |
charges OF adultery and perjury. or any |
thing whatever OF kindred nature against !
Mr.. Beeeher, or who can by testifying help |
IN such an investigation. be invited and /