The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-03
MR.. BOWENSTHUNDERB0LT
WHY NE BELTEvEs mrs PASTOR TO
ne GUILTY or ADULTERY.
TIE Confessions Of one Of Deccher's Victims
-Fortifyi ina his Proofs with Letters hr.
Richnrl- Asserting that mrs. Triton Com
fe sol to nina Third Woman Mentioned.

% wniow sinrlr lrooKlys. Feb. "a 1870.

ftem ne Bro0tiyn fdge.
m WILLOW stRHLT. IrooKLyN. Feb ~ 1870.
" NJ, h,dDmug tomDiuee N Pg.tun ctWch.
GENTLEMEN: The reply which / now
make to your requirements 81 me is Of such a
nature that do not feel at liberty to give it to
the publ pres.
Before proceeding 10 state some Of the essen
tal fncts which have convinced me that Henry
Ward Bccchor Is an adulicrcr pc'Jircr, aud
bypocrite, l will hri,ny stnte the 20 iton In
which have been placed. and the circunsi1nces
which have compete me 10 take ths position
ofantagonism TO the pastor Of rlymou'h Church
under which now speak.
] have litldcd to no one In admiration ara
love for Henry ward Becchcr have been in
times rast very Intimate with him. and have not
only felt lis Influence az public man, but have
experienced the puwcr Of hs personal IN gnct-
Ism. M Intense. may say ny clannish love fer
aud pride IN Plymouth Church have made me
very tender toward the fauis Of Its pastor and
very slow TO do any hing to njure his reputa-
ton. II u now more than ten years since came
to the knowledge Of Mr.. Beecher's edultery
committed some years previous. | had, "a
thought, reason TO believe that MIR. Is secher was
arefofmcd ana penitent man. and although |
could not thenreiorth look upon him ~ | did
before, vet DIT not suppose that was justified
In publishing his sir. have many tines been
denounced for not dong In this I do not
tllnk l nave uNnc wrong. IT ulus tnen every
one else does wrong who is privy to any sin Of
another when he regards as cred confidence.
I am confirmed by the fact that the Holy spirit
chose one WHO bad sluncd ia The me Wv to
be tie teacher 81 the church throu IN all suisse
uuent axes In tue emotional eemen Of Chril-
tian life and worship. IL IL no. 10 'Oried
thst y than f.. bad ID ,ii o lead the
worship in the temple, and who am ! that
should b We forbidden the nohlc-t preacher Of
l a ha q fI,ns
OF Tho 5ist Psalu, TO preach rcniteuce and faith
In Christi
My knowledge Of my pastors gull kept for
Tsars sacredy confined In my own breast. did
MT utter it to my wife or to IN, brother The
st to whom told the fact that was aware OF
Mr.. Beecher's adultery was Mr.. Theo orc Tilton,
though never mentioned to him any mares.
Mr.. ltton had lcsn for many yeats w su 90 IN
Innate tud cOnndtIta relations to me Us editor
had been in tee habit Of = Caking to aim freely
on all other subjects ON Christmas Day. $50.
he came 10 ~, house, ami in the most passinn-
ate manner accused Nh BcecGcr OF having se-
duced his vito. Ills rcy"l lions convinced
me ana h denunriltiJl,s SO wrought upon me.
and ~, astuui.nmrut was such al Mr. Bee -he,'s
Repeated CUNT after his supposed repent nee,
tod MIR. Elton thsi also knew IN It ,lr Rec her
demand OF Mr.. Hecchcr To leave Plymouth
Church. aud l asreed TO his request to carry his
demand TO Mr. J., echer, IS Mr. Iilton SAD lie
afr al he III uld Kill him. lie rrle1 that demand
to Mr. Beecher and asked MIN What re had to
and revelations a. convinced me That / mad bet
ter NOT ne concerneI IN the mat,er any further,
and Withdrew.
The mex. person 70 whom stated that knew
snyihins against 'ir. btsener's moral char cter
wears been exceedingly intimate. and h d
talked often cpnhdential!y IN reference to The
rumors that had been In circulation about Mr..
Doecher's IN orel character. / at last concluded
70 tell Dim what was weighing on my own mind,
thai might get from hun the counsel 50 much
u.
Ieecher in winch he says that Mr.. CI Mn refused
10 answer ms quest whether had told him
the bottom facts" M B,ccuer says "a tn.
- asked lin CClahin, Il u. Giowenl had ever
made him statements "i ,he very u't;' m facts
lClrnim evadou and intina'cd that If he tIIowen)
had he would h.idh he rsht 49, telling me"
tor his kluoncfr ana counsel 10th tei IRE and
after that umc ! am under lnsieak a. le O li.a-
ton to INN Ii the more ns my cor ndence, 20
him must have often put HIM in position that
vs. awkward and uirom iortabl-. / visa 10
testtis thDt kinder n.cnd ~ man eyer need
wish for.
rnE ExrFNT OF BEyCurR's ENMrrY.
It Is charged that have been Graf ily vhis-
p'nug that had por,eatous knowled~e a. Inst
mr. nrc ner' ,se, ,e w,nrrins' h'ye been
your Examining Committee gave up TIA AZ Il
this vii tell YOU. My bS.'ne ,..s r.iatl "I MIN
Mr. Boecher "a Ich back for twenty years. BY
his rem 'sioss .hd unieiiapllilY he tried nay
patio' ce more than hos ever any other man.
lie acted t. ne. liter lie became aware Of my
knowledge Of his guilt, as II he wished 90 de-
stf'y NE a,u drve me IT. m Plymouth Chdicu.
a. times Was very indignant, aud sad. onls,
however, 10 MIR. Iil'on ana Mr. johnson. with
whom my relations we're such rs t. IN
vite t7pecial confidence, that | knew facts
which Would Give me- power to re,aliats #
tuch were my desire. The ONLY way In
which my name ever came TO ia used rs
sutnority for chtrges against r. Beecher, be-
Tore tie signing II the tripatito covenant, WAS
through reports, not Away accurate made by
NJ ilt9 Idl OF my interview win hin on Christ.:
ma, OF 1917. II " a Eivat tfiOi ~ IudguloNt
that SAID ore WORD To bun IN way Of confidence
nj that time But ! do not seriously blame my
sell. lspo"e under peculiar circum,t ,nces AID
great excitement to one with wnom had every
flgnt 10 80 al conhdtniidlly, and from whom
had received promise oi utter secrecy. L. was
hts threat 10 publish what had thus told him
that led me 70 discharge him summary. II was
70 prevent us reporting these tnih!s that the
tripartiie cOytn mt wa, signed. hut single
otner case has ever been charged against
bseeheg prey'ons to ne iroqTd,e treaty ana
the reconciliation IN $50 Nr. Howard met
ms, and asked that our families might az IN lie
intimate: IL tAi5 did not consent. and he was
pr yuked. nd one tilug led To nuo'hrr. until he
told TIE that lac did not beieNe that knew any
,nhini .raihst Ar; hescnrr. Ia rsrli, tod mn
,Aei INN - We such lAgua.e. th.t lac I'D
n' "vHi,l le"ih th~t WIS not hpeMAng without
ku wl,d-o Il .sron, iict+. Iuis ,.ii w'h oct
mnlce not t. INC inst conner, tut rnN John
i, Howard hr. liercher's most intimate friend,
WI, wuNid report ~ To- no ono Out MI Beechcr,
Atter the signature To the tfipariite cOVer mt
Wa pul lu Iustttuu IN Mhicn ~ va. "a. pos D.
Die Tor me 10 HNulu giving the lmUressl) On mat
knew something against Nr irecuer 1 pre-
served a'solgte seer. cy about mat document,
but the o-her PARTIES 10 itspoke of constantly,
ana finally 1t Wa pa li-heI by Vt BE-, cher or
his friends. / had signed IL only alter IL h d
been altered by Mr.. CG,iliu and Myself, 90 ihat 10
should rot denymy kh""lense of Ar. Ierchci' =
hdul ies. IL WIS cun~t ihty quoted IN much
broader sens, and was sometimes so definitely
and shi r9y 4 ltst!onrd tnnt could only hold
my tutg"r, even Nhcn situ,e must be inter-
lreted adversely u MIR. BeCcher / could not
keep II without fUschood.
WHY nOWEN SIGNED THE COVENANT
When signed The tupaTiltc coyria g 10 wat agsns
my Nl ana erfuse was lrrsu4 lru tnlt Wuu smut
MI Ittuus uDuth and Saw 20. Ectclcr Iy uNUth
Church shr!nA from law q the lc.pnu ipIiN trrti
upon me by MI. lutun Of dcftruiIny a man VITO mad
1rt believed. aud stli brIeN", no NiWstanding iis
perJurcs TOO muct Of good Wu Ia him to be utterly
CO. a"hf ca NJ even yr HqIer the tcnderurss 81
my IT, Do rs t9Narl MN, ard Il has Oeea after long
at am nnc pressure nom friends md enemies tAat
nave nr % ht east com elcd TO take his uiNc
cone pos non 81 anita junsn. II /. only afer have
bttn I" uHNrN Mr Ercchcrs fnllpNtfs, been
hru W A. htHudNrr and l1r of The toulU,t ypt un.
ml iAfgt'r lash on lllokrncd b. Inc WORT inv T..
Nhh hNu hI'fr. fs"n .tl.s. tIlt at tUc
You, g.llirmru' A'n' .i Wh1n .ehtsr nm InDoc .nt
bt'h 'fN = p.ui. uucr hl cunt. IL ID ynut acton
ana tic hipNiritF I tnn Mlcu nave Iufcra mo INTO
o f. MO g. HFfYH