The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-05


OPPOSED TO ARGUMENT.
when Mr.. e. v. white called uoon me At my
once in business bours-once alone and after
ward with tw1 , others-to talk on the " Deecher
scandal" I confes. that I felt he had chosen an
an improper suhjsct He, however, Expressed
auch friendly Interest In me and ,..y family
that I allowed him 10 proceed, as he stated.
neither te time nor the inclination to nrRue
with him at length on that subject. said to
him, decidedly, could not converse with MIN
Or any other party on the topic he had pre-
eepted: that I had my own views and convio-
tions In regard to tho matter that must 10
allowed to act on my own JUDGMENT, or, IN other
words, to decide for myself what was my duty.
told him slso Oh { did no. believe 10 tree
others did and In a word, must beg to tie ex-
cused from disclneing to MIN my views. feelings,
or opinions on the surject In question. Mr..
white pr, esed me vii h various 'guments, oc-
cupying perbeos an hour OF moro, when he
3 ID he must harry hack to his once 10 make
up his bank account. Hts remarks wero surD-
q NIL lly the came as hoth OF the interviews
In my onice referred to by him. but he did
not say on either occasion that ho desired me to
unoer-tand that he was then taking stepe, 10 n
formal way, 10 bring me before the church, al
though he intimated that ne might do so at
some future time. when received tho sum
mons the other day To meet the Examining
Committee OF Plymouth Church, had not the
slightest suspicion OF what was wanted OF me.
No hint or intimation was gwen In that sum
mons as to the nature OF the grievances em-
braced in the complaint, and must saw that,
under the circumstances, am utterly amazed
that Nr. White should take up my time. or that
Of the committee, with euch rambling and trv-
iel complaints. | felt ut FIST, as do now. that
MIR. White, tho Examining Committee, and Ply
mouth Churoh could he bette emploved In In
vesiigailns the direct onrrees az inst the ,stor,
made In the plaineat languaRe-charges nbrac-
ing the crimes Of adultery and perlnrv-rather
than In ekirmishinR about In new nelds, tn see
N few more persons could not be sc,red orin
some way orawn driven into the difhoulty.
A CONSCIENTIOUS DUTY.
Other mep. far better and wiser than ] am,
hava A. frataf II N MT fhaeI la 81
zone so. and perh !ps In this very case But
d olaro to you. and througn YOU to Plymouth
Church, that have honestly and concieO OtiOusly
thod in this whole affair to do my duty faith
fully to God, 70 Mr. Beecher. and to the church
with which / am connected. could not do
more, and have not for one instant desired TO
The sttempt at this time tn revive the prao-
startling development. Has the time come
again when men are to be tried and punished
for their thoughts2 Are those who are accepted
a. sound and orthodox IN their faith to he per-
secuted, put upon this cK, and then thumb
limos, aouii Has IL come to this that II Is not
safe In this free country to lsten to the coniden-
tial st.tements OF our Christian brethren who
seriously and with trembling steps come to our
doors. asking not for bread. but Tor hello snd ad =:
vice In troube1 Shall wo saw TO such Begono |
We are afraid TO listen u your
In INV more than twenty 1ve years connection
with PlymoIth Church nave heard manv a sad
story from many a sad heart-some for the loss
OF property, come for the loss OF their dearest
earthly friends, and some for the lues of charac-
tor-A greater loss than all. May Goa forgive
me II have ever done wrong In listening to one
single case thus presented. But for thus doing,
ana that only, ASSERT, have been unr reremo-
niou-ly SUMMONED to appear before this com
mi,tee. And here and now most -olen,nly de-
clare that there is no other basis for Mr. Whites
grievances against M. Whether he will have
Otber grievances against me after hearing me at
this time remains to be seen.
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
nut let me now ssk few questions. who
comes here TO quote the words Of slanuer which
L
savS thtt have ever once In any way. except by
slience, inj ired himr Let me ask. Has Henry
WHr1 lteecher any criev noes against me1 IL
SO. hue he ever brought them before this com
nitteef others. as YOU know. have In the p'.Ln-
est clisu c.-raad Mr., Boerher with bOtn huu..
tcry ana perjury. The, nave CHALLENGED an To-
vestigation In court or In council, AMI hardly a
whisper has been heard In reply. Where was
the vaiant Mr.. s. v White all this timef Where
Is he nowr Dare the gentleman, or any ~ YOU,
summon these accusers into a court of Istice
and there demand the evidence on which these
| chl rses OF eonliery snd perjury az lost nr,
Bsecner IRE n,adet II hr Ia absolutely iunocent,
S hn. qS pt tS an end md to e' @ "S il ss
| IL pure msn, here Is the straight mad out Of
all difficulty. You tave, unfort un4tely, in my
| opinion, chosen d iGefent course.
| lam before you Gu rged with the crime OF
"sllence," and 1t has been more IN n iniimated.
| re snd elsewhere, thst hy tins grievous silence
have actually uttered malicious siander that
by this persistent sileu"e do ectu .llv irv to
M ko oil the world believe that MIR. Boecher Is
| gully Gentlemen of the Examining Commit
| tee, once romised To keep silent. and others
| Joined with me 10 that solemn comp Ict.
| mt agreement . been cooiiy. and. l say,
Deliberately broken; not ny me, but by Henry
Mard Beecher, nd with the apparent intent t1
! inJ re- ne. just b. re permit n TO DENY, most
| empnaticailv, that l ever sought To give the
| lnpr sslon," or in any way 10 make the publlc
| believe "-as charged by Mr. White-that ever
knew ANYTHING whatever asainst the NOR char
| acter Of Henry " ara Beeeher. Whatever nav
have been the facts IN regard to nv knowledge,
| convictions. or oilnlons on that subjert IA We
| hitherto sought to Keep them locked within my
| own boast; and. except Ia taking priyate
| . a IN mr.
any other member Of Plymouth Church, To
prove the contr'ry. But whv do you ask me
fr,nt1 DO you think | can Use plsIner ar
strong r language than that mucn abused lady
sRAn~t the nastnr nave stunned II Christen-
domf think II Such language as bers remains
Iise fr IN the dead 10 spe.k, would ever roach
your ears.
ONE TOO MANY.
Mr.. White saws there Is lone too many In
P1Yn outh Ihurch-at one en1 or the Other."
He does not II de that at one end of the church
stancs man openly charged with ADULTERY,
man charged only with the mere " grievance" Of
silence. lie does not Propose to srraign and
crime OF adull cry but 10 drag before you the
m Il who, Dy his silence, has actually led people
Beecher" such evidence OF Justice, iu PARTIAL
", hrotherly love, and fair oealing / commend
to your respect ui consideration.
was long ago tol that II was the secret In
tention VI Plymouth Church 10 de stToy uIe, II
lossibie, and that | was, ia Auv event. To be
driven from its communion. could not then be-
lieye this but II now appears that others haa
better information than myself For more than
d year past II has been evident 10 me and to
Others that this serious threat would sooner or
| ter be put into execution. But how Was this
u be doue2 'fhe following tells tho whole
story; From that day to this have been wick
euly ana indignantly aasailed In my business
Affairs all sorts Of cilmes and mlsdemeanOrs
nave been charged or plated at: and have
oern held up to the world hs man tot lily un-
worthy ~ either resp rt OF public cnnhdent Q.
Every one of these charges or inaInuatiuns nuw
pronounce u be ttdallI false, their authors
slahder~Ts, and / hereby challenge Plymouth
ChurCh TO appoint Its own committee to tnveetl-
gate openly and vigorously my words and my
deeds, either Ia or Ou. Of tho church, from the
day of my birth TO the present hour. l an
reAdy for the tiial.
1t me here recall one fact. One bright, sunny
SABBATH afternoon, during the tri,l tetween
= eodOre lllton ana tue Rev. Henry Ward
IL Dtoner. | was waited upOn by one Of the
ieauing members Of Plymouth Church aud
mot earnestly urged 10 come forward and
say something. II II was 10 my power, to
relieve Mr.. Beecher and end the cOntro-
Versy. ] was told, n | would do this, The
srms OF Plymouth Church would be- thrown
about me-" ana that my 80 doing | would
be the greatest man-dlmOst-ln the ooun-
try" Ny inst mt reply WAS that there was not
power emo gh veal enOu n, or influence
enc Lgh IN llymou h Church OF Ia BROOKLYN To
Induce me even To con -luef the matter for One