The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-18
TNE lNQUISITIVE COUNCIL,
orrsrroVS THtT Eif'ITED LITTLE
rJryiNFNT TNyOEv fTTON.

III ~ ~ -
ny. Becchcr and Brothers ~nr"rm"n ana
,.xwoud nr the witness S'hhu Nv I'VE
s.mrr..,r 1hr rluvestisni'ns commuters
.u,L ,trvicwcd \ Iru,rtsom hr. bOwen
Ina, b,foro the business OF Mr. Becchers
..,oc, copr.lvfs he .un ,esterday' a short time
.. So, 10. .i,.t prayer for 'iyinc guidance
.,.,.,nI' llcc smell In the approaching
,,. IN tncit deliberations. DR.. Bacon on
Wedne.d, ,, evening had aroused the body by
,o,poslnr that cx-Judgo Nsn G 10 he called on
10 s,pl,ln h. View ~ the neg tlations for
rutual council for Mrs. Mou'1n's case. the
opDosition tp thl. project wh' :he meeting ad'
icnfned was 50 strong that 1t threatened to
divido the council.
pre.idert Sturtevant offered the following;
g,,oy,d rna, the ccutc cl invite Joshua NJ. Van Colt
sr,v.pe,s svpg,s ,s f. the r@g5itioas Tor mutual council
Stvesn Lim' as NJ M9u'ons COUNSEL ""u '''
Dr woolcot SAID that Mr. ' an Cott had been
invited that morning to meet the committee
vtLh Mr. Shparman. DIR. Sturtevant and others
s,ked to have Mr.. Van Cou appear before the
oouncll.
Dr Parker u Hartford announced the
death OF the Rev. Dr. Horace Bushnell
o. Hartford, ard Dr. Bacon spoke In
sulogy Of the distinguished clergyman and
offered A resolution expressing the coun-
C1la sense fll regret Wnlf0 tnc 'oun'hshNNf'VNs
Then Mir Beechcr was asked to pray. lie ut
tered fervent petition In the midst Of which
ais voice choked with tenrs, and for a few mo-
aients he WIS silent. " MAY none be impatient"
be prayed. with tromulous voice. and unwlH-
ing TO wait aud bear what Christ wants him to
bear" There was not dry eye in the council.
Debate was resumed. Mr.. Beecher said that
he church wanted Just what the council
wanted and the committee were not only will
"a -.
ssiled
The Rev = c. Fessenden texult tlntly) That's
good and no'le.
unanimous vote adopted the motion in
uung Mr. Van Cott.
Tho Council voted to hear the report Of the
various committees. whom they were reAdv in
private session, and that the report should be
heard In Committee OF the whole. The Busl.
ness Committee reported In f,vor " a commit
Zee OF nine to take the deliberations Of the Com
tnittee OF the Whole. and frame them into "A re-
port for nnal consider zion. The question was
passed with the intmRtion that the action - To
She Comrii'tce of the Whole might be recon
adhered IN secret session.
QuEsrIONISa BEGUN
In the afternoon session Mr.. sherman. Mr.
Beecher. and d" Ross" RAYMOND were put On the
Stand to answer questions.
The Rev. MIR. Susulding O. ked whether Deacon
West, at any time, called q mutual council to
consider Mr. Beccher's ca-e and Mr. Raymon !
enswered that he had. but that TO accusations
we're made. Mr.. Shearman, when asked whether
Mrs.. MOuliOn ever made any accusations. said
that she might have had some vague idea that
she had sue bad tried to cover up her own
case by this mode, and the committee hardly
knew whether they were to consider that she
had made charges or not. They sometimes
thought Oae way and sometimes another.
D.. Deane asked whether Mrs. Moulton had
Mr. Shearman evasvelv replied that she at irsl
nfused TO answer any further questions al that
due, but that she "a ofer to produce proof at
Mr.. sherman ana Mr.. Beecher in reply to
questions relative to Mrs. Mouton's case, said
that she had made no formal charges against
the pastor. There had been no attempt to labor
Nth her 90 return to the church, because II was
understood that she stayed away for home rea-
sons. In 1874 she waa out ~ the city from July
toOctober In Ausu.i her husband was hostile
10 thechurch. Alter that time II would not have
heen Cour eOus to sk her Jack 10 tue COM
munion OF the church.
Or. Warren wan'ed - know whether the
ohurch's Investigation was 70 De considered a,
disciplinary. Mr.. Sho1rman answered II Vas
and had there been any doubt about the pastor
in the minds Of any three Of the Examining
Committee he would have been put on thai be
MIR. WINSTON, OF the Investigating Committee
Was called to answer ga stiols ~ o their v. RI
He said that they had c.llad all witnesses the
could hear Of Mr. Bowen was not formal,
summoned, but Mr.. Ciahin WIS 5sked to se
him, and his report was that Mr.. Bow en had no
thing TO communicate. Mr.. Jos. Richards wa
summoned, but he wouldn't say anything, ant
Mrs. Bradshaw sent a letter saying that sh,
could not respond. The committees had thei
own way In the Investigation. lie said, at tn
outset he told his associates that II the fact
showed that Mr.. Beecher w.s guilty. he shCult
say so. That seemed TO be the temper OF III,
associates. When the Investigation was over
vote was taken, and all Of the committee voteC
10 favor an acquittal.
CALLING FOR THE SUPPRESSED FACTS
Or Warren said IL Is rumored aud suspected
ssnet %s5% EneS Of no spS q
Answer 10 another question whether there wal
new evidence 70 justify another Investigation
said thst there doubtless was much that IT.,
saw would call heaIsay, but that common sens,
NJ No,,ia ~ Novv uayar .slad -rh.,ba. an,
Of the men in the committee had any financial
Interest in Plymouth Church. lie had hearC
shearnen answered that there was no scrip Vi
bonds Of the corporation, and II received NJ
money, ana could not do anything but pay out
Dr. Noble asked what became Of the $4,000 an
uulilY rereNed IN pew rents. Mr. sheeimaI
re'ito1 tl,e EXPENSES which Ia his figuring RAJ
~ ~ So mn about siApence OF the receipts.
Dr. Warren asked what Interest tn,
tae committee hid In the Christian
unpm Nr. sherman answered thil
Mr. sage held sty0 worth o. stock, and MIR
O",ri li had SlOOl, ana SIR. Dsecher held tn,
n ~ All' position OF editor az $4,000 year
hr Bet,ucr sail thar when hc minated tina
DC didu'' wWt lri. !. II WIS not TO cover ~
sn'ihins lut his pocket. My expenses" b,
added, " fur This siX months iral cost me $40,
~ and nusut 10 state thlt my brother Shear
Ian w 'uid not receive n penny for his year
s,NiDe.. nu' in addition nhinhoned his piivat,
o. rite cutting down his income about nine
irlths. .nu that though NY expenses were large
hi Wri" litivcy larger In thi, love service.
sh.nd .i-u say tn4t my d. helped me.
Mr.. l!"c.h.r WIS questioned az to why h'
chose tlc iiges of IN own csse, and Dr. Sturte
want ASK whether he dad not tulnk that IN,
World would dsirust the decision Of his owl
ludge.
Mr.. Bescher No. sir am always blunder
tn into tA.nltius tnat mon are honest aud de
cent.
Or. Stur e,ant They are not.
Mr. iie chc,- an finding that out.
Mr., We Hey Of Puwtucket, K. | asked |
Mr. Beccncr cousciuus Of ANYTHING in himself
or In the icnous ot the church, which shotl,
forfeit his cl i'm q fellow ship OF Congregations
uhufchesf Mr. Beocher with much e!uquencl
reviewed tho growth Of his church, sddinl
Therefore, when you ask me whether tim
We are Cong eEatonal say, yes. our method
may yare but the aim, the objective point Is th
lame."
uls LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN.
hr. WOuey asked Are you conscious OF AM
lhus iu yourself why you aud DIR. Storrs an
bf. buii glon should not love and fellowshi
tmh ''h. " / could say" replied Mr.. Beeche
'' gre Head bury their dead without eX
WAhVo' without apology but simply 10 dra'
sn' l.NrN nruYi "a over all that Is in the past
SUI 70 give u, hand In fellowship again. lGrea
-psA4 -.l .'Ies of" Amen.
'u answering the question stoo'
gIa FtNI G' 3, painting, perspirlng, full t
'AW.N' H Nlfh excitement. lie infu-ed int
I'D hi -Nrr he most intense fee ing, maxim
oA'h i'lI hti shtd OratOrcal effort. Their