The Republican journal., 1876-02-17
Brother Bowen's Proposition.

The committee OF Plymouth church hay
ing treated Bowen's letter in cavalier
manner. he now makes the following pro-
position
] therefore now appear before you to make IA
proposition which will, trust, please you, as
providing for a more complete investigation
than could be made before Il committee consti-
tuted As yours is. You will remember that in
referring to Il portion OF the evidence, which
had led me o an unfavorabe Judgment of the
pastor of Plymouth Church, | said: II never
can or will be base enough to allow single
name to be bruted before the world.' 1t is al
most certain that the questions which might be
asked before your Committee would lead 10 the
identification of the names referred TO and TO
their being ultimately brought before the pub
lic To this cannot consent. whatever may be
the consequences to me personally. Fearing,
therefore, lest an investigation before your
Committee should be inevitably incomplete and
unsatisfactory, propose that three men within
the Congregational body be selected, dlstln-
guished for their wisdom and impartiality-
such, for example, as President Woolsey, prasi-
dent Asa d. Smith President Farchild, Judge
Lafayette 5. Foster the Hon. Alpheus Hardy
or the Hon Julius II. Seeiye, men in whose de-
cslon the world will feel confidence, who shall
be pledged to keep all such evidence secret be-
fore whom Mr.. Beecher and myself shall ap-
pear, with our witnesses, and before whom
as they can meet. to give III full the evidence
which has led me to say that | have no doubt
Mr.. Beecher Is guilty OF adultery, hypocrisy
and perjury. | ask nothing more than that
they shall fully consider the questions which
YOU seem TO have before you. whether deserve
ecclesiastical censure for my previous silence
in reference to Mr.. BCecher and whether | am
now Justified by the facts in my possession in
making what you call my infamous allegations
and in>nuations about him. made in response
to YOUR own demand for reply to Mr.. Whites
grievances. | am willing to abide by the cen
sure of approval of such a body Of men if Mr.
Beecher and Plymouth will also submit to their
decision. | reathrm everything | have stated
about Henry Ward Beecher in my previous
communication to you, and | am ready to sub
stantlate il before such Il tribunal
HENRY c. BOWEN.
The church voted to take nc notice Of
this proposition, and to continue the III
yestigation, by inviting Bowen to appear
and tell all he knew. The following re-
markable scene occurred at the same meet
ing
Mr.. Beacher said he was far from feeling in q
spirited humor. \ controversy between Il pas
tor and a member of church was a very sad
thing. To have quarrel was 10 him in the na-
ture OF a funeral service. Mr.. Bowen was one
must not forget that Mr.. Bowers threshold was
the first he crossed i'll coming to Brooklyn. He
could not think of anything more sad than to
find a man with whom he had walked arm and
arm, and with whom he had taken sweet coun-
sci, and in whose hospitality he had shared
turned against him.
Mr. Reecher had thus far spoken very quietly
and sadly, but now he burst forth in numbering
tones, throwing into his words all the vehemence
possible to him. He said that If for the last ti-
teen years or more Mr.. Bowen had been in pos
session of these facts and never brought them
before him or before an officer Of the church, ,
he WAS guilty of breaking his covenant with
the church, and he ought to be expelled. II
he tthe speaker was what he was alleged to
be, he should have been out of the church long
ago. He was not guilty, and NE allegations
made by MIR. Bowen Were false. lie would pro-
nounce them 50.
He referred s:rcastically to the fact that Mr..
Bowen had not had time TO answer the Ques-
tons. but said that lie had time to charge him
with being criminal, the badness of which the
three epithets Csed by him could hardly com
pass. There should be no se"rcsy in the mailer
If he could help it, everything should he sifted
to the very bottom.
Mr. Beecher had now allowed his voice to die
down to one i'll which Were expressed mingled
sadness and reproach, when suddenly bursting
forth, with his loudest and most vehement
tones. he said
A. for my self. pronounce this allegation as
false, and with Almighty God before me and
the Judgment arraign him as a Sanderer and
a liar.
Then is he sat down was enacted Il scene
which has never but twice before taken place
in the Plymouth Church lecture room-capping
OF hands, stamping Of feet and men halloong
plaudits at their pastor, while his wife bowed
her head upon her hands and wept bitterly for
some moments. The meeting then adjourned at
the call of the Chair.
The examining Committee met Immediately
after the adjournment and decided to summon
Mr.. Bowen to appear before them on the eve
ming of the 23d inst. ut the residence of Assist
ant Pastor Halliday, and give proof of the aIe-
cations contained in his communication of the
4th inst.