Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-04
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Bowen Summoned BefJre q
Special Committee.
charges to be Preferred Against
Him.
HIS EXPULSION PROBABLE.
New YORK, March 3. The Brooklyn Eagl

New YORK, March 3. The Brooklyn Eagle
SAYS
'There appears no reason to doubt that Henry
c. Bowen will be expelled from Plymouth Church
at an early date. The feeling against him among
the memoer. OF the congregation Is At flood TIDE.
and the denunciations of the patriarch are numer-
Gus and vehement. Many of the brethren are
dissatisfied because Of the delay at what they CON
slider the duty of the church. They hold that de-
cl>ive It p, snould be taken at once.
The special committee of five appointed Wednes-
dav 10 present the charges OF the examining com
mittee to Bowen and to listen to any evidence he
has to submit in suostanti4tion of his allegations
against Mr. Beecher. Will appoint next Wednes-
cav evening the time and The church parlors
the place, at which Bowen shall appear to prove
his charges practically snow cause why he
should not be expelled for slandcring the pastor
and abusing the confidence of the members OF the
church
The charges of the examining committee and
summons to appear before a special committee OF
five will probably be served on Bowen tomorrow
by rilney, the clerk OF the church. The charges
are as follows
The examining committee of Plymouth Church
prefer the following against Henry Z. Bowen,
member of the church:
Ist-We charge Henry c. Bowen with viola
ton of his covenant with this church, IN that While
common rumor and report charged him with beng
in possession of facts inconsistent with the lnteg-
rity and purity OF the pastor, and with having
made statements damaging to the pastors charac-
ter he refused either to deny or affirm that he
knew such facts or that he had made such state
mentS.
Specifications lst-That at an interview had
between Henry c. Bowen and stephen V. White,
a member of this church. held in the latter part
of November, 1879, the said White, privately and
in christian and friendly manner, called the at
tention of said Bowen to the fact that common ru-
NOR had accrt dled to him (Bowen) the author
| ship of statements, reputation and insinuations
against the pastor of gross mmoralites and that
he (Bowen) vas understood neither to affirm nor
| TO deny haalng made such statements or that he
possessed such knowledge. And in the tire of
peace and the purity of the church, the said White
dem nded that ne the said Bowen, should make
such affirmation or denial, which the said Bowen
failed ami refused to do.
(Witness) STEPHEN V. WHITE,
2l0 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn.
Witnesses. V. White, Edward Beecher, 5.
b. Halliday, w. w. Robinson, II. NJ. Cleveland,
Thomas G, shearman, Benz. F Blair.
2dWe charge Henry Z. Bowen with unchrs-
tan di,repntable and dishonorable conduct in the
matter OF his answering to the examining COM
m,ttee of this church, before whom he had been
summoned at the request of stephen " W hlte.
Specifications:
lst-That having appeared before the committee
and having listened to the grievance of stephen
V. White, said Bowen requested time to answer
said grievance, which having been granted, he
availed himself of his privilege 10 again appear
before the examining committee, by sending on
the fourth of February, 1876, an infamous sccusa-
ton or insnuatons against the PASTOR conta ning
neither facts names of any witnesses, and that
said Bowen caused this account to be published in
the newspapers on the following day without any
knowledge or consent OF the committee.
2d-rhat at private interview had between
Henry c. Bowen, Stephen V. White, Moses II.
Moody and Elmer ii. Gan bull, all members Of this
church, the said White again presented the same
N alter OF grievance t, the said Bywen in substan-
tia " the same manner with the expressed cou-
cure nee of the other brethren present, aud the
said Bowen did again fail and refuse either TO af
firm or deny that he had made statement deroG-
atory the moral character of the pastor or that
he knew of any facts injurious to him.
| (Wtnesses.) Signed Stephen V. White, 2l0
Columbus Heights; Moses X. Moody, $50 Wilton
Street; Elmer IL. Garbull, l0l ST. James place.
3d-Said Bowen having been at the request of
said White invited to appear before the examining
committee of the church TO listen to a statement
of the said grievance and to listen to the advice OF
the committee, and hay, ing in conformity with
such information appeared before the committee
and listened TO sand grievance and having been
admonished by the committee either to admit or
DENY that he was the author of such statements,
imputa,ions insinuatons, and to state fully all
the facts withinths knowledge injuriously affect
ing the character of the PASTOR failed and refused
to heed such admonition
(Same Witnesses)
4th-We charge Henry c. Bowen with equivo-
cation and fal,ehood.
pecifcation-That having at his own request
Attained from the church ten DAYS further time in
which to consult witnesses and refer to dates, doc
uments and memoranda, in order that he might
answer any and all questions that might be put to
him by the examining committee, and having
been summoned to appear before that committee,
pursuant to express instructions of the church, to
state any and every fact within his own knowledge
tending to support the insinuations or charges
contained in his communication of February 4th,
together with the names of all witnesses, and to
answer such questions as might be put to him, and
having promised to appear and answer, he did APP
pear on February o. 1876. but refused and failed
to answer any such question, and precipitately
withdrew from the room without allowing the
committee an opportunity to ask single ques-
ton.
(Same Witnesses.)
4lh-We charge Bowen with SANDER.
| Specfcation-That having appeared before the
examining committee and made certain malicious
and false charges derogatory of the moral char
acter of the pastor, he failed to substantiate such
charges by any proof whatever, and failed and