Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-02-11
plymouth Church Matters.
Dr.. Leonard Bacon has published n letter
in regard to the Advisory Council in which
he saws

Dr.. Leonard Bacon has published II letter
in regard to the Advisory Council in which
he says
may say, after looking over the long
catalogue Of churches and Of "a ministers
without charge that the selection seems
to have been made with n commendable in
tention not to have merely partisan coun-
ell. Yet there is way in which that Coun-
ell may be made thoroughly partisan. Let
those who have disapproved, in one degree
or another. the course heretofore taken by
that church in relation to the scandal. and
who find themselves invited to this = Ad-
yisory Council" reject the invitation, and
the Council will become inevitably and help
lessly one-sided. The advice given by such
n council will be lightly esteemed by the
public, and its proceedings and result will
have 2 dangerous tendency.
Let no church, then. AMI no = minister
without charge" say The Council will
be large enough without us" Let none
say, 1--WE are weary Of this scandal. and
will have nothing 10 do with it, Above
all, let none say. " We have lost our con-
fidence in Mr. Beecher, and will have moth
ing to do with such Council as Is called for
by this letter-missive.
Prof. 5. c. Bartlett. Of Caicago, says, in
the CongrcgatioHdlsf
1t is a great mistake to suppose that Con
gregationalists, lay OF. clerical-or any con-
siderable body Of them-desire to drive the
paster Of Plymouth church to the wall.
There is. on the contrary. 81 far as | have
the means OF knowing, Il unanimous and
eager desire TO have him cleared. Mr.
Beecher's fame, at home and abroad, has
been one of our national and denOminational
Jewels which we have been slow to surrender
Many Of his best friends, outside of Brook
Ign, most keenly feel the need Of his yindi-
cation.
Nor has there been any prevailing preju-
dice against him in the matter now iunda-
mentallyat issue. Quite the contrary. Those
of his brethren who, as he says, differ from
him ''in theology, in polity, and in private
and church peculiarities,' had unbounded
confidence in his personal integrity, and re-
garded him as even blunderingly honest and
true. On the other hand his prosecutor in the
civil suit had lost the sympathy and confidence
of a large portion Of the so-called eyangeli-
cal Christians. The present writer watched
that trial for considerable time, holding
and defending the theory that an effort to
intimidate Mr. Beecher into lending aid and
influence was driven by successive stages
into desperate plot to ruin him. When
ceased to defend that theory. | still suspend
ed forming any positive opinion till further
light should come. So did multtudcs Of
Others. stand in that position, to-day.
But one cannot remain there always
1t Is now proper TO say-and great body
of candid and cautious men will e my Wit
nesses-that Mr. Beecher's own writings
his speeches, and all the course Of Plymouth
church. have done, and are doing, more TO
raise and 10 deepen suspicion 10 regard 10 the
fundamental facts Of his case then, perhaps,
all other influences. II i time that this
should be distinctly and emphatically said.
1t i also necessary 10 say-and here,
again. have evidence that express the
sentiment Of many of the wi,esl men, and
strongest. in our communicate the one
question to be now considered Is the funda-
mental one concerning Mr.. Beecher person
ally. All questions concerning the mere
techniealities Of church procedure, submit
ted in the place Of this are now brushed I'M
patiently aside by the church and the world
Any council now called solely, or chiefly, on
those minor issues, viii not attain II the
dignity Of solemn farce 1t viii be a
waste Of time. money and patience.
Tic investigation now indicated Is &C.
manded imperatiyoiy hy many other inter-
e>ts. private and public-but all sufficiently
public now. This matter has long ceased to
be of local or private concern /, ], ma
tional, and more than that
\ friend Of Mr. Beccher writes To me
thus There Is only one thing known 70
me that Plymouth church can do in her en-
barrassmeutS. That one thing is - throw
herself irl>tlu.lg upon the advice %. a coun-
ell, composed Of men Of established and na-
tional reputation ilr impartality wisdom
and Justice, not in reference to tuis or thar
side issue, but in respect TO the whole case.
including their pastors guilt innocence. '
Apparently the calm Judgment of the Chris
tan public is coming steadily e. the same
solemn conviction.