The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-24
BEECHER'S SELECTED MEN.
ONE CHURCH INQUIRY APPR0TED
=, AND ANOTH ORDERED.
che Councils Finsi Verde, to be Given To-

. vi,ntiou 10 Gail n Council II Rejccted-Ths
a, Mouiton nnd Butler Correspondence
The hospitality of Plymouth Church Is
proving 50 delightful to the two hundred ana
twenty.s ven delegates to the pastors selecteu
council that there Is no hurry manifested TO re-
turn home. On saturday Augustus Storrs, tho
treasurer Of the church society, paid the dele
oates their expenses In getting to the city. None
OF them are at a pennys expense, and the
promise has boen given To pay the expense
back to their homes, and In consequence thero
does not seem to be q FESTIVE brother IN tho
throng The managing memhcrs OF the counch
at first thought that they might publsh theiI
verdict on Tuesday. Next II was predicted
that the end would be reached Yesterday but at
the close ofthe days session the same preulo-
uon was made for to-day.
The delegates hurried TO their star chamber
yesterday morning to receive the favorte news
papers which are daily distributed to them, and
90 use the church pens, ink, postage stamps aud
stationery to write letters homo.
AT nlre o'clock the committee Of nine who
are to make ~ the 1nal nnding met In the lec-
ture room to put into shape the sentiment Of the
council ON the questions already passed on in
favor Of Plymouth Church. The large number
Of members IN the council made 1t almost im-
possible for the Moderator to follow the custom
Of calling upon each member FOR his opinion on
the question before the house. so that the Final
Committee could ascertain the weight ~ such
opinion. Instead OF this the votes H. I've been
taken In the ordinary way, and 1t has been left
20 the committee II nine to ueuuce tho weight
OF opinion from the speeches made and from the
vote.
Ex.Gov. Dineley presided yesterday. DIR.
Parker Of Hartford called the attention Il the
council to the almost accurate reports OF their
proceedings published in the morning newspa-
peTs. The facts could ONLY come from members
81 the Gody; he dissqufas'd ms metnod fo i Oh
Tuesday, In sreahing Of tho necessity OF a. new
ctr fr ~ NN ftr
III that house. and that persons IN Plymouth
Church and in the ycinagc and % througnoqt n, ne
covered up, said that he had m de his speech
for the coupcil and not for the public. Other
secret proceedings, and with the conclusion
that they couldn't do ANYTHING TO stop IT, the
TnE ANDovHR COUNCIL. REJECTED.
The debate resumed on the order of bust
ness. J Morgan smith Of Grand X ,pids, Mich,
W. IL. Wright OF Boston, President strong, and
others held that the members vi the committee
who had appeared before the council had been
70 frank and honest in their expressions Of in
tent to get at the truth, that whatever doubts
had existed In their minds before were cleared
away In the heat OF the discussion DR.. Bacon,
OF the special committee to whom the AndOver
letter was referred, said that they were ready to
Tue repor, said that the invitation to call
new council was Irregular, ana violating both
It, violation of comfy was in adopting IL after
the letter missive for AN advisory council had
been sent out; its violation OF pohty Was in dis
turbing the peace and work Of church, IN
endeayorlnf from the outside to revive within 1t
trouble which II had settled for Itself by the
unanimous vote OF the church. 1t questions
The Christian intent of such proceeding. The
church is accordingly. advised to reject the
The discussion on tho previous subject Of
proving Plymouth Church's packed Investigate
jng Committee course was continued until near
lynoon. vote was then taken. and a large ma
lorty voted to adopt the resolution Of approval.
meagre snow Of hands revealed how weak the
There was short conference Of the more dis
iAhp IL lpkafps tO council
npon the rest OF the body the necessity for a
new Investigation. Ex-Gov. Dingle. the Mode
tator, at o'clock, In his clesr, rich voice, an
nounced that the order Of business for the after
noon was the question, Snail thore be new in
yestigation2 At once the set speeches began.
DR.. Noah Porter, OF Yale, led the discussion
with a strong argument for a new Investigation.
While there were none there who doubted the
efficiency Of the inyestiRations already held in
the church and In the civil court, Yet from the
outside world, from every quarter Of the church
almost; there arose a cry ior more complete
unrayelling Of the whole intricatg question.
NEW INVESTIGATION ORDERED.
DR.. Bacon spoke OF the large class Of persons
IN the Christian world who could not approve
the conduct Of Plymouth Church In reference
60 the scandal, and who were ready, II the facts
5ustined to give to Mr.. Beechsr their most cor
harmony between The chnrchcs Of the vicinaSe
and Plymouth Church, and until fellowship was
restored between them the work of the church
must be hindered. A new Investigation could
not aags any ey results to tue ehu.ch:
there should be new inquiry.
Lyman Abbott opposed with yehemence any
again TO be suspended between heaven aud
earth, 20 be INSPECTED and looked into by an in
vestigating comnitteel What was IL for2 The
church was satisfied those VINO had the great
est claims on the pastor were satisfied, and the
bad said that y1 they were 2 @ ss,isaed The The only un
satisfied class was mankind at large. He moved
10 have the report on this point recommitted to
the committee, The motion war lost
MIR. 1witchell OF Cleveland favored new In;
Quiry, and others In the council, by labored
HDeprhp9 which lasted 3 sllatalnpd
bin.
Was substantially, that inasmuch as the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher aud the Committee OF
Plymouth Church have expressed desire 20
have the scandal Investigated, II the council
should 30 advise therefore. In the light OF the
mldespread feeling In favor of a reinyestigation
clared As the sense Of the council that there
should be a further Investigation. The vote on
against. A wish was EXPRESSED that the vote
might he made unanimous, and Il was thought
tbat IN the evening II might be.
THE FORM or INVESTIGATION.
At the evening session, ex-Gov Din=ley pre-
tided After considerable discussion, the form
hEed unon. The names OF twenty persons, each
one from different State of the Union, and
none OF thom members OF the council, were Sc
lected. A committee Of three, Of which eX Gov
dhsn appointed To select from the twonty name
hYe persons who are to constitute a commission
tQ all ia liroOkl}n and hear any testimony u
charges affecting tho moral character Of Henry
Ward Beecher, on the application Of any person
rlaiming u have knowledge Of facts Of that
nature.
The report u Committee No. 7, advising Plym
outh Ihuich - decline the offer of the Andove
Dh4rch 10 hold a mutual council, was adopted
without discussion. To-day the council vii
meet at 10 A. VI. In secret session 10 hear the re
port OF Committee No. v.
The council have decided to mako their delly
erance tomorrow QhursdaD evening and thi
will be done at a public meeting to be held IL
4he church.
The church will be opened (as now expected
at haf-past seven O'Clock. aud the report will b.
made at the convenience OF the council at
later hour.
MR. MOULTON md GEN DUTLER.