The New York herald., 1876-02-22
Reports of the Committees on the
Six Questions.
Conclusions Favorable to
the Church.
Protestaticns from Both Mcul-
ton and Bowen.
THE LATTER NOT AFRAID

Council gathered again at Plymouth church. In accord
ance with the adjournment and about TO open with
religious services when 1t was discovered that two
men had burglariously secreted themselves in the
building Some delay occurred in ejecting them
When the services about to be renewed the same
interiopers discovered the upper floor OF par
tton Of the building, and another delay was occa'
stoned by their second ejectment The session wns
opened with prayer and song Before any Of the com
mittees had reported Dr. Bacon announced that ne had
received letters, noted Saturday, and also one
from Francis d. Moulton, which was read as folows:-
LETTER PROM MoULToS
40 RExsHS STREET BRooKLYs,
Feb 81, 1916
Raw IxorARp BACON D. D. Moderator, Sci
REvEREsD SIR-From the terms of the letter mssive
had not supposed your reverend body was competent
consider determine the question OF the gullt or
innocence OF Henry Ward Beecher The proceedings
of the Council show however, that may possibly be
mistaken In my CONSTRUCTION ol the Charter OF your
authority since Mr. Beecher allowed TO Introduce
his own protestaons of innocence and some corro0o-
rative declarations by his adherents
Mr. Beechef invoked the Deity and challenged man.
kind 10 deny dsprove his Innocence which defiant
declaration the Council accepted with applause.
send this communication to the Council simply 10 say
that i am prepared TO prove henry Waro beecher
guilty OF adultery and perjury by evidence both oral
nno aoeumeEry ana .nSh mowea ss 1n1 opPoTtSn sa
make good this assurance, then am willing to be DIS
credited and denounced by mankind as wretch devoid
OF truth and honor, ana unworthy Of human associa-
FRANCIS D. MoULroN
The session had been largely engaged in discussing
Mr. Moulton's letter This however, was, excellent
authority declared to be utterly untrue the statement
being that the letter simply read because Plymouth
church had requested that nothing from any
one should be hidden from the Council
The following
LETTER HENRY c. BOWEN
was then read -
No 90 Willow STREET BRooKLyN,(
Feb Fl, 1870
Rev. LEONARD BAcoS, D. D., Moderator
SIR--There some statements made TO the Coun-
Gil Saturday reported the papers, incorrect
that am compelled to contradict them.
l. Mr. Beecher is reported as saying, "Mr Bowen is
man Of courage, but he has not courage enough to
look IN the tace-and never had-aDd intimate any
moral impurity in me, and he never did"
Ii 10 false that have dared 10 meet HIM in this
way, as the following facts viii show0n May % 1873,
Mr. Beecher had learned that il was reported, as COM
ing from Mr. Carpenter that 'had reasserted him
charges made against Mr.. Beecher"-charges Of moral
impurity."
Mr. Beecher wrote 10 Mr. Moulton in a letter which
has been Published, that he had Mr. Cleveland
later Of the Investigating Committeewh his Beech
er's) horse and buggy, TO hunt Carpenter and
him to be careful about repeating such statement
Mr.. Cleveland brought Mr.. Carpenter Mr.. Moultons
house, and Mr.. Moulton took him and Mr.. Clanin
90 my house The matter was talked over, and the
result is thus gwen by Mr. Carpenter, as published
July %, 1874
''Mr. Claain 81 think we had better have Mr.
Beecher here TO night
II (Carpsnterl said would be glad to have Mr..
Beecher present
''Mr Bowen said ~ am willing to have Mr.. Beecher
come here, and win confront him.
"Mr. Clanin volunteered 70 80 and get him, when
Mr. Moulton started up and sad:-hr Clahin, will
.sHe went out and was gone aneen or twenty min
utes He returned without Mr. Beecher saying the
house closed and the windows darkened; that he
rang the bell, but couldn't anybody. This was
about half past ten O'Clock
sMr. Cafn then said well, think it's very i'm
portant that Mr.. Bowen and Mr. Beecher should have
private interview before this matter goes any futher
'Mr. Bowen pledged that be would be ready and will
ing to see Mr.. Beecher the next day CMondayl any
time between eight O'Clock In the morning and ten
O'Clock at night
''Mr Claim said he would see Mr. Bcecher the next
morning and arrange such interview, and lew min
utes later, we len Ar. Bowen's residence
In accordance with his promise, Mr. Cafin asked
Mr.. Beecher TO meet me, the following letter Will
show
Ny DEAs sn-I called a. MI; B's house a. came over
HIM % house aeG1. eight oeSc. this eve 4 he win
yours. @ - 80 ''' '''"''' --' WV ' Il B 0LHFLiN
The result given below by Mr. Carpenter, from the
same report, agrees with my memory
"A few days after this (Carpenterl saw Mr. Clafn,
who told me that he had seen Mr.. Beechor the next
day aud that Mr.. Beecher aid:-There isn't force
enough in Brooklyn TO draw me into private inter-
view with Henry & Bowen"
was no more afraid then to. meet Mr. Beecher and
intimate moral mpurity' to him than was your
presence last Friday night or than would have been
aiming Committee of Plymouth church, OF which he
is chairman. had no seen 1T TO be present
Mr.. Beecher, as reported, said TO the Council
speaking OF his interview with me At Mr.. Freeand's s
house .'The great difficulty that being newly mar
RED he could not that his wife should suppose
ment is false and all the nferenccs that Mr Bcecher
draws from IL The meeting at Mr.. Freelands house
about the lst Of February, 1870 was married
1865
other misstatements were made to my prejudice by
MT Beecher and Mr. Halliday, but VIII not occupy
your time with them. HENRY 9. BOWEN
The Council then proceeded to the regular order Of
business The committees called as follows and
the following proceedings taken-
COMMITTEE on FIRST Question-Professor Talcott Ban
gor, Ne DR. W. W. Turner, Hartford, Conn. Rev J.
Morgan smith Grand Rapids Mich DR. W. C. Wal.
lace, Manchester, n. II. Rev W. H. Brown, Newark,
N, W. A. Russell, Lawrence Mass 5. ?. Pettin-
gull, Rutland, VT
Word of God IN allowing TO itself IN any another
mode OF terminating the connection OF members with
this church than death, letter Of dsmssio formal
excom nlunicatonf
This committee has hello repeated meetings since
Wednesday morning, aud II had long meeting on sat
urday and another this morning The report the
FIRST question is In the negative WHICH sustains the
general principle Of the ehurchn the Le.ler OF drop
ping members but which refers the two instances of
that principle those OF Mr. Tilton and Mrs Mouton
20 the hnding Of the committee the second Ques.
ton The conclusion Of the committee the drst
question that In addition 10 the enumerated
VIZ Death, letter OF admission formal excommuni.
cation there another OF terminating the connec-
tlon of members warranted by Scripture and ConRreea
tional usage, which other way Is the withdrawal Of
watch care and fellowship for members TOR whom the
church declines continue responsible but against
whom Il could not sustain charge that would earn
excommu nicaton. This other way Is equivalent to the
practice OF dropping members pursued by Plymouth
most cases.
Commiftee on Second Qu>sfion-Dr. welman Maiden.
Mass Hon. II e. Robinson, Hartford. Conn. Rev. ..
l. Dean Indianapolis, Ind Rev A. A Ellsworth Water
loo, Iowa; f. NJ Noycs Bnghamton, n r.. Rev l.
Blakeslee, Topeka Kansas Dr. w. b. De Forest, New
Haven
Second ouestion-Rule No OF this church is In the
following words -
Dropping Members-Members may be dropped from
The roll OF the church with without notice 70 them,
as may be deemed Just by a twothrds vote OF the
rhurch upon the recommendation Of the Examining
Committee, either upon their application, or, an
they have abandoned their connection with the
church by prolonged absence otherwise, upon the
application Of any other person The practice under
his rule 20 give notice when the party be found