The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-16
PLYMOUTH COUNCIL AND COMMISSION
By Prof. 8. c. BARTLETT,lD. D.

The chairman of the business committee
of the late Advisory Council (the Rev. Ly.
man AbbotD afilrms to be probably true
that only those were called TO the Council
who believe Mr. Beecher innocent" He
certainly has been in position to know.
Still, there were evidently men in that body
who were not only candid and "open to
conviction" but who had previous misgiy-
iDgs. On the other hand. there were some
members whom even regard to appear
ances should have omitted. Undoubtedly,
it must be conceded, however, that the
great body of the council were ardent ad-
mirers of Mr.. Beecher.
No man was ever safely advised who
took counsel only of his applsuding friends.
This has probably been one source of the
surprising mistakes Of the Plymouth pastor
during the few years past. Under such ad-
vice he has been silent when he should have
p"ken' ana epsL"n when. where and what
he should have kept silent Tho inrinenr~
of this conucil may possibly mislead him
still further.
The members, individually, were good
and sincere men, trusted in their respective
circles wise where unbiased and earnestly
intent now on doing the best thing But,
being chosen confessedly and solely in the
interests of the Plymouth pastor, they are
liable to be supposed to represent not so
much the judicial sense Of the community
as the sentiment of that church yet once
more, and to have simply reiterated in
Brooklyn the opinion they had formed
already at home.
The size of the body was against it. The
assembly lost largely even the sembance of
the time-honored New England council,
and was obliged to do its business, like a
legislature, by committees, and its discus
sions by few voices, while, instead OF
calling for opinions all round there would
not have been time for the yeas and nays,
even on the several votes. Think of a
bench, jury, court of inquiry consisting
of three hundred and thirty-seven men,
bers! Meanwhile, the really fundamental
issue, of which all subordinate questions
were but surface symptoms, could not and
did not receive any proper Investigation,
although they received virtual decision.
No doubt the business element of the
council did its best. But the body, as a
whole, dnfted singularly away from its
proper moorings. 1t took up and acted on
the matter of the Andover letter, not even
written when the letter missive was issued;
1t gave advice for the future, not asked for
in the letter missiye; and, while protesting
dShlLbt ouppOscu INSTRUMENTATION UOluRb,
it provided for tribunal unknown to
either the history or the genius of the de-
nomination.
Meanwhile, it certainly travelled also
beyond the record into the question of
guilt, by listening to long protestations OF
innocence, severe charges against neighbor-
ing churches, personal utterances against
Mr. Bowen, and allegations against the
jurymen that tried Mr.. Beecher. The
judicial aspect was too often forgotten in
bursts of applause toward him, and, if the
paper states truly, in some Kisses and
jeering laughter for the solitary Bowen.
The council pacidly heard one important
statement of the Plymouth committee pos
itively disproved; made no searching
inquiry into the significant Withholding of
testimony by Mr.. Richards; took no notice
of the notable fact which cropped out that
Mr.. Tracy was both Mr.. Beecher's counsel
and the counsel of the Examining Com
mittee naively asked good Mr. Sage if the
committee was absolutely candid in the
investigation made, it is said, some indi.
vidual and private calls on Mrs. Moulton
and Mrs. Tilton; listened with moist eyes
to Mr.. Beecher's thrilling rhetoric and
were satisfied"
But, while that body was far too I'm.
wieldy for court, 1t was vastly too small
for a demonstration, Indeed, II all the
three Thousand Congregational ministers OF
the country and the three hundred thousand
communicates had joined in that expires.
sion of satisfaction, it would fail to carry
the outside millions who are not yet salts
fed. No progress whatever, it is believed,
was made in that direction.
am one of great company who simply
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