The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-22
INDICfTIONS THAT SHEfRhhN
CO.'S HORK ~ TO BE DONE

It'd hv tho church. Others met with the |
xs,,ous committees In the houses Of members |
Of Plymouth Church, making strong ehort TO |
get everything ready for the afternoon. The |
al1th committee indica'ed their readiness on |
saturday to report fret, but the interim between
the sessions had enabled the other commit ees |
20 prepare their reports and at the opening OF
ye.terday's session everything was ready for
smooth work.
DR. Hlcon called the council to ord at
o',ock. The first half hour was scent In prayer,
the burden Of the petition being as In tn o other
devotional exercises, for grace, mercy, and
peace The hymns were sung from the
plymouth collection There was no instru-
mental accompaniment. At half.plst o'clock,
pr bacon opened the session Tor business. lie
referred to the announcement that he made on
Saturday tha, he had received numer Gus anony-
nous letters, and one on which tn g writer's
nAme was written, though not as a signature,
accusing Mr. Beccher OF having once been
driven In carriage to a house OF bad repute.
white he was on his way 10 call on some families
ofhis congregation. The letter was given to the
T,mouth Church Committee and they reported
back To- the council. through him "a moderator,
that the most thorough Investigation had
read and then DESTROYED. Dr. Bacon passed
over TO Lyman Abbott. the Crarman Of the
Busiuess Committee, tho following
CHALLENGE FROM MR. MoULroS.
TIN REV. LEoNARp BAcoN, D.D., MODERATOR.
s.. l.,r, Sir: From the terms Of the irtier ms
etve had not su posed your reverend body was
CYnu"tent to consider or determine the ques.
iion Of the guilt or Innocence of Henry ward
B,e'ner The proceedings ot the council snow
..i,.,n r. ii.2 '..- st.l- . in.s.4.... ~ 49,
construction OF the ch racter OF your authority
since Nj. Bcecher was allowed to introduce his
own prot stations ut innocence. and some cor
rohNfal itc g. clar ttion- bN hi- aiherents.
Nr. Bccrncr Invoked 90 u .ity. and challenged
which defiant declaration the council accepted
with APPLAUSE. nd tins c,mmuneatlon -
prove Henry Ward lIeecher guilty II .dultey
and pc jury, 10y evid,n both ur and docu.
producing surh proof Def re the council fail
to make Good TINS assu ance, tnen am willing
IA a wretch, devoid OF truth and honor, and un-
worthy Of human associ 4tion. Respectfully,
40 REMsEN STREET. Brooklsn. Feb. u, 1875.
Tne Moderator also handed to the Bust
ness Com Inlttee. without pubhc reaulng' the
following from Mr.. Bowen;
GINING BEECHER THE LIE.
81 WILLOW STREET BROOKLYN
Feb. Il, 1870.
rEy LEONARD BACON. d. D., Moderator-Str:
There we're some statements made TO the coun-
correct that am compelled to contradict them.
l. Mr. Beecher Is Reported as saying; " Mr.
age enough to look me IN the iacs-ani never
mad land intimate any moral impurity In me-
IL is false that have never dared to meet him
In this way, as the following facts wlli sho"
On May -. 1873, MIR. Beecher ntd learned that II
WAS reported a. coming from sir. Caroenter,
that | had reasserted to him charges made
against Mr Beecher'-eh'rges OF " moral I'm
Mr. Beecher wrote to Mr.. Moulton, IN a letter
which mas been published that ne had sent Mr..
Cleveland later OF the Investigating Committee
with his (lieecher's) horse and buggy. to hunt
Carpenter nd warn him to be careful about re-
peating such statemtn Mr.. Cleveland brought
Mr.. Carpenter to Mr. Moultons house, ana Mr..
Mouton took him ana Mr. Clanin 70 my mouse. ,,., e,
thus given BY Sir. Carpenter, as published July
Nj Claain said l think we had better have
hr. Beecber mere TO- night.
81 tCarpe nterl said would be glad to have
MI Bowen said i am willing to have Mr.
Beecher come here. ana will confront him
MI Claflin volunteered TO 20 and get him
when Mr.. MOulton started up and sad MIR.
Claan, will 90
minutes lie returned without Mr. Beecher,
saving the house was closed and the wlnd3w..
dAfkened that lie rang the bell. but coulJn' I
RAISE anybody This was about half past 10
"Mr. Clafin then said We'll, think TIA very
important tnat Mr. Bowen and MIR. lieecner
SHOULD have private interview before tins mat
Mr. Bowen pledged that he would be ready
and wIllin: to see Mr.. Bcecher the next d y.
tMonds,J any time nstween o'clock In the
morning ana 10 O'Clock at night
Mr. Claim said he would see MIR. Beecher the
next morning and arr ngo sucn AN Int -fylew,
and, few minutes later We left Sir. Bowens
resdence" .
.sked Mr. DoecneT to meet me- as the following
letter will show; -. ,,o. ,s-.
FuENp BowRs-Hy Dear SIR: / called At Mr.: b Z
house IS came over 3ut he had gone to resksAih :,
so.o,oes sss eye I, he WI 50 ana Ihns ~ ne he Win IN
Without showing al, 1hs S9s1 ygT, OF w' call B. c1Ay1S
The result given below by Mr.. Carpenter, from
the same report agrees with my memory
-" few DAYS after TINS lCarpenterl saw Mr
Beecher the next dGy, and that Mr.. Beeche
said There isn't force enough In brooklyn tc
draw me Into private Interview with Henry
was no more afraid then TO meet Mr., Beech
Tns In se y"ar Stesencc ast F1dy nsnt t' or thap
would have been on the occasions On which
bavo been before the Examining Committee OF
Plymouth Church, OF which he is Chairman, haC
ne seen NJ to be present.
3 Mr.. Beecher, as reported, said to the coun
ell, spehking OF his interview with me at Mr.
tbSt being newly innrrisd he could not enduT,
that his wife should suppose that he was unue
tho ban Of the pastor" This statement is false
and ali the differences that Ar. Beecner draw
from It. The meeting at Mr. Freeand's hous
was about the first Of February, 1870. was mar
Other nisstatements were made to my preju
dics by Mr. Heecher aud MIR. Halliday, but WI
not occupy your tme with them. no...
THE COMMITTEES REPORTS
DR. Bacon then called up the reports Of tn
eomnittees, and IL was determined 10 tax
them Ia their regular order.
Just before tue committees began TO Tea
their reports, tie kev. samuel Scoyllle, MI
Beecher's s.n-in-law, e1pl ined int for per
council. he did not feel tnat he could remain
IN their secret GellueTations. No objection
having been IN de, he withdrew from actiY
membeTShip Of the nody.
Prof. Talcutt Of the committee on the hrs
question, reported In substance approving th
Course OF Plymouth Cnurch ia terminating tn
connection OF members here was little dis
russon on the reports as they were read III
council having voted TO postpone general dis
russon until evening. Ii was averred by som
that minority report was offered To the cOuuc
Oh the first question, but II was explained b
others that THIS report was made bi part OF IN
Committee on the Second Report, OF which ID
Wellman Of Maiden, Mass.,was Chairman. Tn
question was ru0 seven OF the churci
which provides for tue dropping Of member
from the rOll-with or without notice
them-On their own application or In case the
have abando ned the church by prolonged at
gcence or otherwise, on the application OF an
other person. he report on this question wa
entirely In favor OF Plymouth Church. the II
tie modification in the wording that the cou
mittee recommend was promised beforehan
by Mr. Beecher, and under the change III
church will express themselves as Withdrawn
watch. care, and fellowship for members Il
whom they cannot be responsible, Instead {
adopting Mr.. Shearman's phrase, "droppir
them from the roll" DR.. Wem an, tho Chai
pan VI the eonmiItss, is The epD wslLkno"