The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-25

horiant testimony not previously giyerl which might
throw light upon charges which have hitherto been
ttcd q, AZ shYgd Be heard G mis- committee The result
ported to the ESamining, Committee Of Plymouth
rof Timothy ea Dwsh Sf s9G New H Haven wee PSs conn.,
the Rey ! ". wlliman, D., r, Of aalden, Massi thc
appointed by this council a, tie committee Of three
Th9 shal create this commission from among the fol-
/ Theodore .. weolscy, New nayen Conn.
s. Jules il geeiyc. Amherst Mass. .''''
4 \. shlrmsn, Hartford. Conn
!. :; fS,,gr; SNs,sES SorSlfh, Nafls,,s cong oio
( j b. Angel, Am &r6cr MlSS,
o. 4. G. Barst9w, rrovdence IT,
II e J. WaRdT SWn1SS.'sin bdIroi in1Sn.S,ck McS Me-
lis. Jacob Brlpkerhon. Mansfield, ohio.
Il. Ashaei Fnch XiiiwauEcc, VIA
q. 5. 2. Godkins. ferre llaute, IND.
Ig. I9 W,,B TpcRiSEd 4 Rdssi5, cnSssO SsS VIZ
IS. jonathan Il. sargent, New Hampshire.
80 Henry r haven, IS'' New London. aTES Conn.
SYMPATHY.
In communicating this result to the church which has
summOned Us. we desire to assure s members OF
tracted tra to which they nave been subjected ii re-
81 sp9nsS 10 yos, W. we hsye e9me from sveIy part
OF our counsel We have desrcdinrsof of ali be loyal
deshts:io wear as It's robe Of beauty and
& sTqGF a Sa 70 a9 ea4us & ys s N G94
and to show your Loyalty to your pastor seeding
Byne Maiet Which, has been set of6 IN yoa Ssa9s "a G
often IN words ofmatcess cloquence ana power In
you are called because Christ also suffered Tor u.s. ieay
We mold The pastor Of this c6urc as We ana ali others
are 0ound TO mold HIM. innocent Of the charges reported
Crciorc We continue ~ extend to him our Christian
of s sou In nal ence snu rnst and wheroyS he nt,ss
cuesh work to Illustrate IN lis dcmcanor the mceSnes
The pastors and churches associated with US In all
with us Ia the desire to yndicae completely me honor
OF Plymouth Church ani its pastor VIII ion their
enectIs establish his nnoccnce in the ia igncn Of
common faith Of Whatever name viii do the zane Thcy
Wi! AT Us witness that our ministry hitherto has been
cncc'ua in bringing, 70 light deeds of dshonor and
shame, and cas- lug from the temple the altar OF
God brethren who nave been iahcss TO their master.
or who have disaoaored bin ey tneir lives We have
o. have NOT forgotten that when one me ber suffers all
% re mcm9,ri 'asr anG % a. ,ime when ne honor OF
any who ar h' name to rejoice over the calamity OF
ny tnc dSah Of b. Horace BaEae aa Goaored ser
en o, cnrst VINO was peeres, 10 ogr fellowship for
OF hi services in toe defence and Illustration of our
70 sweety and charscterstIcaliy human, while they
Mgfg 80 ana m n snd S Sgs me- s ny & dg
divine master mas brought to many OF US that
VIII be aas @aaife and the S stres II Shd eaoasie. Of
S @a nn c 3s rSS %nGI s ey S99sf 9 N e qe
Chrss shall be perfected by that VISION OF his and
glory WHICH shah transform them into perfect likeness
kTG.e9 ETGs,EP DIsSfs4l. Ras2sl Moaer4,or,.
ERAsrus n. BArEs,D
BACKING VI THF REPORT.
Dr. Bacon then introduced In behalf Of the
VINO said that the council regarded its result as
wise one, because they had been unusually
earnest, tender. and prayerful.
The Rev. DIR. Sturtevant Of Illinois was then
asked TO speak by DR.. Bacon. DR.. Sturtevaut
said It had been alleged that the object Of the
that were so he thought very poor
whitewwashers had been employed.
Dr. Porter OF Yale College said that as II was
permitted In the Plymouth Church pulpit for a
man to speak OF himself, he would tell OF his
spring Of is7i when Mr.. Beecher % was dclYerins We inc
his theological lectures at Yale, he called on
HIM, and received the key OF his position;
do him good, and the occurrences of the inter
view knit them together In deep sympathy. Mr..
silence because of the hearts that must suffer
should he speak. He felt strong conndencs in
when in the summer the cloud burst, and the
lightning that slept In its bosom struck about
friend who had read them sat down ana wept
together. He spoke Of the solicitation with
which he had watched the investigation, and
how At the close he had written him congratu-
latory letter. which somehow had crept into
print. Mr.. Beecher had not sought him. yet he
continued In deep sympathy with all that af-
BROTHER nACoN's PREDICTIONS.
Some mpatience began to be expressed to
hear Mr. Beecher speak, aud this was perceived
by Dr. Bacon, who, rs soon as President Porter
sat down, said that before calling upon the
pastor Of the church he had few words
to say. lie had had bis own name involved
In the scandal discussion, he said. Z" | want
to saw" he continued, " that didn't come here
to try MIR. Beecher or TO glorify him; but did
come to affirm and maintain, what the result Of
this councils deliberations declares, that until
the pastor Of this church shall be proved to be
guilty, he shall oe held to oe an innocent man"
After referring TO the part he had taken in
curing full attendance at the council, DIR:
Bacon said that he had known Mr.. Beecher and
his father aud the whole family, and had been
ISOLATED with them in different relations and
ested, OF impartial, or unprejudiced observer OF
the progress OF the great scandal, and he re-
joced and gave thanks to God in the prospect
now opened that the scandal should be met on
earth, brought to light, and silenced forever.
MR.. BEEcHER's SPEECH.
Mr.. Beecher was called to speak in behalf of
brethren, where he had been sitting most Of the
time in tears, and slowly rounding the pulpit
stand said In voice thick with emotion:
1t has come to pass that for SO many years /
have read OF myself and heard of myself that |
cease In some moods to have any definite idea
m my own M mind MIN ike a shadow. I have Often often
read as have read In a novel Of the bad hero.
laughed and asked, Is II mo they mean Z Is Il
possible for man TO live as long as have
openly before the. world, In the midst OF
strued. To hear men talking whether l
am guilty or not guilty, 1t makes tho
very mother-thought In me blush and shiyer, for
| have that keen sensibility which Is affected
to the quick by such as this. To sit six long
months ON lfldl DetOfo jury, 10 nave rained
down on me cross-questions and professional
abuse, to feel that all over the land l was the
focal point Oh which journalism was eXpend-
ing itself not to whether l was
political leader of this party or that not that
was orthodox or heterOdOx, but whether was
an inetfable cuprit | have not been pursued
as an eagle lion. l have not
even been pursued wolves or foxes,
but l have been pursued as II l was a
maggot In rotten corpse, and do you suppose
that IL is human nature for man to go through
that for months and for years and not feel itf'
Then, with tears in his eyes, Mr.. Bcecher
added that II IL was Christ's wish he could stand
II for i've years more He concludod
At some day It may be In my power to defend myself
and with dates and circumstances to expound the rea
sou OF my conduct am the son OF noble father and
4 lovely mother AMI TO me has been glter Anature
with those qualities as to which II Is not right
to ask whether II be prudent or not TO do this
you cannot rebuke the vine for holding on 20
that which Ia next to II. You may reDhke me lor mis-
placed confidence loving where ought not 70 have
loved, but II is my Joy to say, IN looking back over my
life, thatI | am not ashamed OF It that am gla !
OF II. II | had my choice TO live over again would
rather be generous maPnAnimous, ana rustful ana TO
lean one Ven though he should step aside and
let me fail 10 the ground.
He spoke OF the associations attendant on his
home life with his mother and sisters, and of
his association with honorable women, adding,
"All that l have suffered at the hands of those
| OF another school has not blurred my sense OF
| the dignity, safety, and beauty OF womanhood.'
AS he stood on the threshold Of many homes
| a aacrtt claimant I'm IL. how n cloud