The New York herald., 1876-01-15
BEECHER ON STORRS AND BURLINGTON
lie Will Not Put His Life in Peril al a Tribunal
in Which They Are Judges and Jury.
AN APPEAL TO A HIGHER COURT.
Mr.. Van Colts Argument on the Exclusion
of the Brooklyn Churches

last night there air OF expectation and evi
hent anxiety depicted the faces OF the assemblage
hat crowded to the platform that betrayed the intense
Interest felt In the anticipated proceedings Mr..
Beecher's short speech the end OF the prayer
meeting announcing the failure Of the mutual
council project received with good d-natured
laughter and applause. Mr. Shearman's reading of
the correspondence the subject including the
long letter OF Judge Van Colt, evoked cynical smiles
and sarcastic nterjectons but there seemed to be
prevailing impression that all these but the pre-
Iminares the important event Of the evening. The
equel proved that the impression was well founded;
br when Mr.. Beecher arose and commenced, deber~
rely at first his references to the troubles through
which he has passed within the last few years, the
Attention OF all grew more and more profound
As he grew fervent in his remarks the audience
became excited and sympathetic, and his speech was
times checked by the uncomfortable applause OF his
hearers Toward the close nearly all the female por
ton OF the congregation In tears and many of the
sterner sex hid their countenances behind their
venlent handkerchiefs. When the last faliering
tence pronounced Mr.. Beecher was surrounded by
his parshioners and friends and shaken by the hand,
until he at last succeeded in releasing himself from
their rather Manifestations OF love
and esteem.
BRRcHERs SPEECH.
Mr.. Beeeher and said:-I think 1t wrong
70 speak of persons and churches Mr.. Raymond
las done. In the first place, ! don't think it
tight TO say that the Church of the Pilgrims
Ihe Clinton avenue church have done so and so, be-
don't think the voice OF those churches fairly
Expressed has ever been taken from 1874
10 this hour. The first letter from those
churches was prepared without the knowledge
more than dftieth part of their members They
concocted all the steps that led to the council OF 1874
They amended II and fixed 1t themselves in commit
tee Of ten sixteen and there was general know
ado Pm fhAr Oaphnra ahAc lhaf anU Cnnhdn
ment existed or any such measures were
TO be taken were taken. At COM
mon Friday night prayer meeting, no notice
having been given from the pulpit of any such
Invention and the attendance being about fifty at Dr.
other in which notice given by the pastor that
there would be 4 church meeting As church meetings
not interesting most OF the fifty left and there
but about twenty remaining, of whom eight
those who had been getting up the letters without the
knowledge OF the church at all In this rem
stated that something irregular had been
done in Plymouth church for which she should be
monstrated with and committee OF eight was APP
pointed to draw up the letter. That committee went
into the PASTORS study think 1t was, and signed that
letter, and by eight O'Clock next morning was in the
hands of the clerk of Plymouth church, and that
has been called the letter OF Clinton ave-
nre church, This is called Congregauonalisml
From that day this there has never been
IN either OF those churches tul and fair expression
of opinion by the whole church Therefore 1t is not
fair to say that the Church of the Pilgrims the Clin
ton avenue church opposed to us or our measures
of families these churches which lament much
we do the steps that have been taken by their commit
tees.
In regard to their pastors they are above all men who
should come under the old Scotch advice :-"It is
necessary" says old Scotchman, 'lor Scotchmsn
10 behoove hm TO beware how he makes up his mind,
Ior when he has made 1t up
NEVER CHANGES IT.
Both men belong to that category, and measuring
them 20 and ministers, l think
they measure amply well viii not un-
hey have had to strive against in their own cases but
his will say, that l believe both those have
nways acted with their own consciences just as Saul
cied with his own conscience when he went down to
Damascus breathing out threatenings and blood
tont therefore, say that these men have desgnedly
lone wrong; that they have done wrong am sure as
Am Of the Judgment Day, as am sure that therc is
principle OF honor, q principle OF fellowship
principle OF good neighborhood. l have doubt
they thought they right but that did not make
them right. Is there any intelligent man who be-
Eeve that those who drew the controversy be-
their churches and this church, and then be-
tween themselves and me- and then in March, 1874
threatened TO the council that they would apostatize
Into Preshyteranism II they were not relieved from
fellowship with such church as Plymouth, and who
have been watching this church since to see
which would give them pretext to ask for
> Withdrawals II possible to make any
believe that these gentlemen whose churches have been
ihe refuge Of the discoutcnted members of own
church, could SIT IN impartial judgment upon af
Ersi DR.. Storrs on New Years Day received calls |
hom Frank Moulton and Theodore Tton with his other
guests they feeling that they were perfectly welcome
the world tnat they hold their minds totally un-
bassedf think not (Appause.l
Mr.. Beecher proceeded to that Drs. Budngton
and Sorrs had, by their conduct placed themselves in
she attitude of adversaries Plymouth church For
hose who bad originated the scandal join in the
Council would DO for the advocate in legal trial 10
state his clients and then go upon the Bench to
decide upon it. and then take In the jury box to
bring in verdict He referred the fact that OF
these two men had charged that while Mr.. Bcecher
had been most intimate in the family OF
Begun appear, he had withdrawn aud never crossed
DS Storrs' threshhold for two years. He explained
bhat during those two DR. Sorrs had been absent
nd had lad lis hon
He had letter from Dr. Storrs dated Nov. 1872 just
lfter the Woodruff scandal had appeared which read
H follows:
MY DEAR BrEcHxR-I hear from different quarters that
scandals and annoying publications have been made about
time be Of service you know, course that you
fort that can give you in any Yours aeeonatey,
p Shave to-day got Mary and the girls into our own
house Aer almost two years absence and they desire
bssessr Bee ssS" -''-'' ''"'"O-'''' 70 you and ArA
Mr. Beecher said that letter had come to him on a
day when two three legal gentlemen were coseted
with hm In regard TO the scandal and they had advised
him 10 smother IL He had determined TO adopt that
policy because he knew its dissemination would bc
INJURIOUS TO MORALS
IL falHe TO the truth. tAppiausel That policy
would have succeeded II there had not been on the
otner side treacherous men who did not want IL
ceed maintain 10 this Lour tAt the breaking Of
such thing this and the attempt TO iost Il again
ana again INTO life. and the documents that spread.
Ing IL is outrage upon morals and decency for
which there can be no pardon bave had nothing To
10 with IL have been bombarded and assailed Win
n but you my witness that have not stirred
In respect Mr. Van Cots statement that the civil
law always looked TO jury OF the vcinage having
much 20 do with character hr. Boecer eaid.'I have
had jury OF the vicinage. ! stand to-day amidst
10 600 people the most assallabe position that any
man ever stood In the earth l am not connected
nith any public body Ia such way Is
that they would attempt TO shield me.
almost alone am man that was
irumpeted up and down throughout the land
sloltionist when thai odiOuS | am the man
whose name is familiar all over tue land; whose name
has been up a lightning rod for every storm 20
strike-from the North 20 the South; my every word
printed, my sermons, lecture talks home CONVERSE
ions everything printed. have been stripped bare
nd naked before the public for nearly thirty years;
for the last i've have been hunted by the women Of
the church sourt hunted through civil courts hunted
by newspapers that have nothing 10 do but 10 make
common Of themselves for the Transmission OF
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