The Morning herald., 1876-02-18
PLYMOUTH CHUxoR.
Bowen ana Boeehor.
Hy American Press Association.

Bowen ana Beeeher.
~ American Press Association.
BsooKLYE, Feb. II.
There was fair attendance at the open
Ing session Of the Advisory Council this
morning. Ths,hrst half hour was spent in
devotional exercises. The drst business
was q motion Of Rev. Mr.. sturtsvant, of
Illinois, that Mr.. Van Cott, COUNSEL for Mrs.
Moulton, b. invited TO appear bsfors the
body and state his views in regard to nsgo.
tiations made for the mutual Council. If
he did not do this 1t would hurt the pastor |
of Plymouth Church. It would save the
APPEARANCE Of fwhite-washing. Either Mrs. |
Moulton, or her counsel, or Plymouth |
Church was wrong. Mr.. Woolcott said the |
Committee on the hfth question had this
morning resolved to invite Mr.. VanCott.
Mr.. Sturtsvant wanted Mr.. vanCott to |
appear. Il
The death of Rev. DR.. Horace Bushnell
was then announced, and several delegates
made remarks eulogistic of his life and Ia
bors. Resolutions Of sorrow and sympathy !
for his family were adopted. as7.. 4.
Rev. Mr.. Beecher offered prayer at the
close of which he became deeply affected.
praying in choking voice that none might
be impatient, that every one might be will
ing to labor to the emo, to perform whatever
Christ wanted. He then gave out the 704
hymn which was sung by oil present. There
was large attendance Of spectators IN the
galleries. :,
then began further examination OF the
Plymouth Church Committee. .:eIn answer
to the question Mr.. Rossiter Raymond, said
that Mr.. West had asked the ceurch to call
| Mutual Council, but had never preferred
charges against the pastor. 4
In reply to another delegate Mr.. Shearman
said they thought that Mrs. Mnulton wished
the church to get rid Of her ewn case, and
to take up that of the pastsr then she had
! made no definite charge agat1st the latter.
| DR.. Strong Chairman of the Conmittee on
the sixth question asked whet4ar the church
desipued that question to open8ll questions
which might properly. come before the
Council, Mr.. Shearman said in the affrma-
tive. saving It was intended to open every
case In the history of the Church, including
! an inyestigation touching the pastors char
acter in 1874. Mr.. Bsechnr had favored
making 1t as broad as possible 80 as to In
clude this point. In answer to Dr.. strong
Mr., Shearman gave the dates Of the adop-
ton of certain rules of discipline, There
had been he said no cases of ex-commuuica-
tion but q member had been restored
after his name had been dropped, because
It was believed that the church had pro-
ceeded at first on misstatement, whether
Plymouth Church would consider It as an
act of discourtesy for another Church to
receive a member who had been dropped.
Mr., Beechsr said that If proper notice
was given Plymouth Church by the ex-
Committee Of the church to which the
. member had applied, the member would not
! be considered q adiscourtesy, only under such
circumstances a. would make It appear as
. such to the public. Mr.. Shearman in answer
to another question then gave account o.
= the proceeding by which Mrs. Moulton'f
name was dropped from the rolls.
The resolution to drop her name from the
Il rolls was proposed in January 1870. She
attended the meeting with her counsel
General Pryor. She refused through hel
counsel to answer any questions but said II
e called upon in the future for any statement
e in support Of her charges she could make 1t
9 The Committees report dropping he'
name was adopted. she wa
. excommunicatsd for absence. None OF tn
/ members of the church had advised her Y
y return to the church. She had In July ~
9 denounced the church and announced sn
% was to appear as witness against Beecher
1t was decided It would be contempt .
court for suy one from the church to visi
her or attempt to bring her pack 10 IN
church.
k Ths reason sfor not retaining Mrs. Moulto
II In the church were then discussed at som
o length.
q Henry D. Bowen tonight sent the follow
e ing communication to the Advisory Council
,. 90 WILLOW st.--BaooKIYs.Feb 17,1s7e
+ Rev. Leonard Bacon, D. D. Modsrator
T. SIR The following appears in Brook
a ]yn this eveuing-Mr. Warren-Dd 20
send for Mr.. Bowen Mr.. Wlnslow-no
by any written summons we sent Mr.. Clat
lin and the answer came that he was q
woodstock and had nothing to say. NC
10 that he didn't know anything, but that b
" would not say anything. In reply to tn
D, above permit nae to say that I Wa
er twice In the city during the sessions
Y. the Plymouth Church Investigation Con
1e mittee but never was invited to be preser
nor was any hint or intimation given that
was wanted. On the contrary I was to-
BY one Of the Committee that would NJ
be called. I could have given, If sun
a moned, what propose next to give to IL
~ Examining Committee of Plymouth Churc
q nv reasons for believing Henry Wal
~ Beecher to be guilty Of adultery, perjul
- and hypocrisy. Very respectfully,
(Signed), HENRY =. BOWEN.
,a T. II. O. 4.
e The regular meeting of the Young Men
n Christian Association was held last evenin
=. President Conrad in the chair.