Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-02-16
CLEARFIELD, Pa. "WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY

out OF all patience with the pastor Of
Plymouth Church and with the church
He said, IN substance, that he wonder
cd God did not strike Mr. Bcccher
down for blasphemy, as he stood in the
pulpit and went through his prayers
10 this remark of the son, Mr.. Bowen
made no reply or comment. After an
interview OF perhaps an hour and a hall
left him, again calling his attention
to the fact that what ! complained Of
wds that he did not quiet those ru mors
by exposing the facts, if he knew any
NH, BowEN's REPLY TO MR.. WHITE.
TO the Erqmining Committee of Ply
mouth Church:
More than two years ago the Exam.
lining Committee Of Plymouth Church
was told that l had been slandering
its pastor, the Rev. Henry Ward Beech,
or; that was probably the cause Of
all the trouble and mischief that had
occurred in the church; that / must
be promptly looked after, my conduct
carefully investigated, and if found
guilty, be condemned and cast out from
tho church as wicked offender. After
months of most searching inquiry, q
report was made to the church by the
committee that the charge against me
was groundless; that, so far as they
could learn, / had not slandcred the
pastor and that in their Judgment no
evidence could be found for the serious
complaint against me. The report of
the committee was presented to the
church at q very crowded meeting, and
| was unanimously acquitted OF any
wrong doing in the premises. All this
was done, remember, because Twas
charged with talking too much.
After these faithful and vipilant ef.
forts to learn something against me
had most sipnally failed. il soon BEGAN
to be said in the church that | was
now actually talking too little; that,
instead of opening wide my mouth. 10
the great damage Of Mr. Bcecbcr, |
was guilty of the grave offence of shut
ting it and saving positively nothing.
10 talk was at first said to be wrong
and now to be silent wasequally wrong.
1t seemed to me quito plain all this
time that Plymouth Church believed
storm was gathering, and that. lust by
way of experiment, and in order to di.
vert public attention. some one must
be found. if possible. who could be
thrown overheard. The storm still
kept raging. and every effort TO find
some big mischief maker. inimical to
Mr.. Beecher had been fruitless Dur
ing all this excitement, my convictions
as to what was my own personal duty
grew stronger every hour. did not
desire 70 ,alk Win anyoody ! deter,
mlned 10 keep silent, 10 40 Just what l
hau aono IN the past ana ana not Tor
gel 'hat ! hau MADE u solemn covenant,
IN what mas since peen called the trl.
part',c agrselnen., 10 onry the past
anu keep sient III tne iuture HOW
wen l nad kept that promise y does
NOT become me now 10 say but know
TINS mueh, 'hat lew men nave ever
oeen more soreiy tried IN regard TO the
duty Oh mouth-opening ana mouth
ootb AZ the same mo
l nave IN tnis case, The
pest oil men ana women have Piled me
win advice ana arguments on both
sides i nave received thanks and con
gratuiatlons ior keeping silent and sol
emn threats TO induce me to speak. l
have peen ADVISED eonhdentially and
even poldiy 10 smother my own con-
science 'iet the past go, ana cry
peace, peace, when there is no peace"
OPPOSED TO ARGUMENT.
When Mr.. s. V. White called upon
me at my Office hours-oncc alone and
with two others-to. talk
on the aBeecbcr Acandaln | confess
that | felt he had chosen an improper
place and an improper bour 10 discuss
an improper subject. He. however
expressed such a friendly interest in
me and my family that | allowed him
TO proceed, as he stated. But | tbinl,
soon convinced him that had neither
the time nor inclination to argue with
him at length on that subject. | said
TO him, decidedly, l could not conversc
with him or any other party on the
topic he had presented; that | had nv
own views and convictions in regard
to the matter: that | must be allowed
10 act on my own Judgment. or in
other words, TO decide for myself what
was my duty. told him also that
lid not believe in the practice of break.
NO written agreements even IL Others
lid and, in a word must beg 10 be ex.
used from disclosing to him nv views
ceilings, or opinions on the subject in
question. Mr. White pressed me with
;arious arguments, occupying perhaps
IN hour or more. when he said he must
,urry back to his office TO make up his
,ank account His remarks were sub.
tantially the same at both of the in
erviews in my Office referred TO bv
,im. But he did not saw on either oc.
,asiop that he desired me to understand
hat he was then taking stems in
ormal way. TO bring me before the
hurcb, although he intimated that he
night dose at some future time. When
received the summons the other day
o meet the Examining Committee OF
'lymouth Church, hadn the slight