The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-03-21

charge has been sifted by minds determ.
ined to follow the truth wherever it might
lead. Insinuations, idle stories, mysteri-
GUS hints from every source, reputable
and disreputable, have been privately
and tenaciously followed and found
false. Meantime, Mr.. Beocher has be.
come not only more emphatic in his deni.
ais of guilt-which, if not true, add lie
upon lie upon his soul-but also more
tender and faithful and powerful as
preacher Of Gods truth. Conversions
reward his labors. Christians are quick.
ened in their spiritual life and the en-.
tire work of the church is being carried
on with success never before surpassed.
While Mr.. Beecher's people seek to pal.
liate no weakness justly chargeable upon
him, yet of the cruelty and injustice of
turning against him while convinced Of
of his innocence they will not be guilty !;
and the more steadily and fercely the
rain of vituperation descends upon, from
without, the more united, emphatic and
indignant will be their response.
1t is impossible not to respect them in
this devotion, and also not to be i'm
pressed with the conviction that, after
all, they may be right. Certainly, if a
shameless adulterer can so preach the
real word of God as not only to witness
frequent conversions, but also to promote
the spiritual growth Of Christians right in
the face Of their suspicious of his crime,
it is the most astounding fact on record.
We have recently been advised that the
psychological argument in favor Of Mr..
Beecher would better be yielded but,
in fact that argument weighs in his favor
with daily augmenting strength.
But if the bearing of the Church Com.
mittec toward the council conveyed the
impression that Plymouth Church had
nothing to conceal, much more did that
Of Mr.. Bcecner himself. IF q guilty
man, his guilt is known to not very
narrow circle, aud it was certainly peril.
GUS for him, before audiences Of two
thousand people, among whom we're not
only scores of reporters who would pub.
lish his words all over the land, but per.
sonal enemies who, if they could, would
crush him, to utter such bold, defiant
heaven.d daring challenges. Guilty men
are defiant in narrow circles sometimes
but guilty men, when. for aught they
know, witness may rise against them on
the spot, do not hurl their challenges in
the face of thousands. Moreover, his in.
vitations to the council to put to him the
sharpest questions they could invent con.
cerning his life and associations did moi
indicate guilt. Like prayers coming from
crushed heart were his requests to bis
brethren to probe him with questions
"Make them just as sharp as you can
the sharper the better" said he. He
seemed, by every turn Of expression and
every undersigned cadence Of his voice, tt
be willing that every thing in his hear,
and life should be known. Every re-
sponse to questions was made with the
openness and emphasis Of conscious limo
cence. There was no buster in his man
ner. As growing years have silvered hi.
hair, so the weight OF difficulty has mel
lowed his whole bearing. He had no de-
nunciations for hi, enemies; there wal
nothing of severity in his terrific challen
ges; there was only gentleDess in hi.
childlike, yet bold, appeals to God Ev
cry word and every motion declared tha
he was q subdued man but by no word
by no motion, did he indicate that he wal
guilty man ; and never will those wht
heard him on those event!ul days believe
him guilty till proof becomes certainty
The daily record Of failures. wearyin(
US by its persisteDcy, only repeats tht
story OF Beknap over again. Jay Cooke
failing for thirteen millions of dollars
leaves his creditors palace too costly
tor any honest man to live in Lock
wood has million dollar house at Nor
walk, which no one will pay hundred
thousand for; Willie Duncan has 10 sell
thirty private carriages to pay his credi
tors thirty cents on the dollar the onl,
memory that ex-senator Sprague leave
of his public career is that his wife wa
the best dressed lady 10 Washington
The lesson is everywhere the same
the moral the same the cause leads t,
the same results. 1t is easy to make
scapegoat Of Delknap, to load him will
the sins of society and chase him ou
into the unknown wilderness of privat
obscurity; but the vicarious atonemen
will hardly suffice unless we turn fror
the habits which ruined him, and lear
from his downfall that there is q deepe
disgrace than being poor.-St Loui
Globe. Democrat.