Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-24

\ correspondent of the Boston TrIsiler,
who was u member Of the recent Advisory
| Council, writes Is follows.
1t Is said that Plymouth Church, as
| a whole, has such pride 10 Mr. Beecher that
1t will sustain him while doubling his inno-
cenee, or even convinced Of his guilt. No
one who has ever looked the people Of that
| church in the face feels Inclined 10 say thai:
glimpse at them stamps the suspicion as
| attended with the grossest injustice. They
| claim, and are the loudest TO claim, that, If
he is what suspicious make him, they have
more at stake than any other people, In dis
covering and making known the fact.
would We Willingly" they ask, "0pen our
doors and admit To our families an impure
man ~ Are We sunken so low in the
| opinion Of our Christian brethren thar thew
deem US Indifferent to the bases. violations
both Of divine and human law? o. With Mr..
Beecher they have been familiar for'i many
years. They have not found him perfect
man but they haze, as they declare, found
him sincere man. Cpen hearted, above
board, manly, noble and Christian. Re
Gently, among themselves, thousands Of eyes,
made sharp not only hv the taunts Of man
kind, bat by the sacred Interests os their
own homes and Of religion, have been upon
him. Every charge has bcen sifted BY minds
determined 10 follow the truth wherever it
might lead lnsiauations, idle stories, mys-
terious hints from every source, reputable
and disreputa0ie, have been privately and
tenaciously followed and found false Mean
time, Mr.. Beecher has become not only
more emphatic in bis denials Of guilt
trl Il
his sOul-bCt also more tender and faithful
AMI powerful as preacher Of Gods truth.
Conversions reward his lahl7s CHRISTMAS
are quickened in their spiritual life and
the entire work OF the church is being carried
on with success never before surpassed,
While Mr.. Beeeher' people seek to palliate
% weakness justly chargol5.e upon him, yet
OF the cruelty ald IT, justice of turning against
him while convinced Of his Innocence, they
viii not be guilty: and the more steadily
and iercely the rain OF yitupeTa;ion iescends
Ipon him from without, the more united
emphatic and Indignant viii be their res
ponse.
1t IS impossible not % respect them IN ta.s
devotion, and also not to be impressed with
the conviction that, after all, they nGy b
right. Certainly, if 4 shameless adrl.erer
can 50 preach the zeal word Of God as nos
only to witness frequent conversions. tut
also - promote the spiritual growth OF
Christians right in the face % their susUi-
cions Of his crime. i; Is the most astounding
fact on record. We have recently been ad-
vised that the psychological argument in
favor of Mr.. Beecher would better be Weld
ed but, in fact. that argumeG, weighs in
,rssI
But If the bearing u the Church Commit
tee toward the council conveyed the iapres-
sion that Plymouth Church had nothing TO
conceal. much more did that Of Nj Bescher
himself. IF 2 guilty man, bis guilt : Known
to not very narrow circle, ami !. was car-
tainly periious for him, before audiences ct
two thousand people, among whom were
not only scores Of reporters who would
publish his words all over the lani,
bat personal enemies vino, if taey could,
would crush him, to utter such bold, def
ant, heayen-daring challenges. Guilty men
are Defiant in narrow ciscleS sometimes,
but guilty men, when, lor aught .hey know.
a witness may rise asaiast them OF the
spot, do not hurl their challenges in the
face Of thousands Moreover, n, invita-
tons to the council - put 10 h.u the
,harpest questions they could in,ae, con
cerning his life eud associations lii uot
indicate guilt. Like prayers eomia.s from a
crushed heart were bis requests - his
brethren to probe him with questions.
''Make them Just As sharp as You can-the
sharper the bette" >" saii he he seeiaed,
by every turn of expression and every unde-
signed cadence OF his voice, 10 be willing
that everything in his heart and life sho9ld
he known. Every response TO questions wGs
made with the openness and emphasis Of
conscious innocence. There was no buster
in his manner. As growing years have si!-
vered his hair, 80 the Weight Of officially
has mellowed his whole bearing. He had
no denunciations for his enemies there was
nothing of severity in his terrific crallen-
ges there was only gendeness 10 bis
ehildlike, yet bold, appeals To God. EFery
word and every motion declared that he
was subdued man; but by no VOID, BY
no motion, did he indicate that he was
guilty man and never viii those who
heard him on those eFeut;ul days, beieye
him guilty, till proof becomes certainty.