New-York tribune., 1879-05-07
MIR. TALMAGE'S CHARACTER.
OPINIONS OF HIS JUDGES.


THE BROOKLYN PREsBYTERY-SIX FAVORABLE
TO MR.. TALMAGE AND TWO OPPOSED TO HIN.
The Talmage trial will probably come to a
close to-day, and the verdict Will be acqutta of the
accused clergyman by majority comprising nearly
quite twohlrds OF the members Of the Brooklyn Pres
bytery. The consultation was continued yesterday
afternoon only eight members of the Court expressing
opinions. Several Of the arguments were long and had
been carefully prepared. That OF DR.. Rockwell in
some respects the abest defence of Mr. Tamage which
has been presented before the Presbytcr and as some
Of his points made Dr. Spears counenance lighted
up with a smile Of agreeable surprise Dr. Sherwood
confessed that he had into the Court strongly
iudced in Mr.. Tamage's favor but that the facts
they had been presented before him, compelled him TO
vote TO sustain OF the charges Or. Van Dyke
spoke only the first specification the Court adjourn
ing when he had about half finished his argument. He
maintained that in the matter covered by that specca
on Mr. Tamage had been guilty Of five separate acts OF
deception. Six Of the eight who spoke yesterday de-
clared In favor of not sustaining the charges.
The Rev. John Neander was first called on, and spoke
at some length English which strongly marked
by German accent. lie said Mr. Talmage was not ac-
guilty OF lying on that account He had listened to the
Of the associate Sr the Tgs6 Win t
Importance of doing justice wish 10 do justice, and
shall vote not to sustain these charges"
The Rev. Is. G. Benedict. whose place taken on
Monday by Mr.. Peck said that in his opinion Mr.. Tai
ae1r Tne HaihaWay matter had been Settled pri
vatey, the Bible commanded that personal msunder-
standings suould be settled, and it had not become
matter Of " common fame until made so by the prose
cution in preparing the charges. In my opinion Mr.
Moderator" he sad you never did n0ber act than
when brought these brothers face 10 face and heart
heart and TINS is what the counsel calls disgrace
full act How going to witness for the truth by
cOnylctng Mr. Talmage when nine-enths OF the people
say there has been no violation OF The truth Tney Will
say we are Influenced by malice. cannot, for what
| consider trfug offence, If any, LAP my hand on him.
Let the Lord do IT,"
Dr. Rockwell said that he had refrained from taking
any part in the trial. because there to whom
bias might more naturally have been attributed than
10 him. He had been pastor OF MI Talmage's church.
and treatment Of some OF the members had been such
az make difficult sometimes Tor him to pray for the
forgiveness OF his enemies lie had Deen spoken OF III
their meetings i'll that made him feel very uncom
Portable 81 have" he said, - expressed my disap-
prova OF some OF Mr. Talmage's methods, and don't
expect to change my opinion. | have been surprised
that q clergyman who could preach with such power
should resort TO such tricks. Ihat' however, mas
nothing 10 do with this matter The specification about
the pew rents not proved wish The counsel had
frankly admitted IT, IL was noble thng for Mr. Tai
mage TO refuse a salary Of 10000 conditioned the
| He said that the Hathaway matter had probably
originated from TumOrs which Mr. Ialmage believed and
repeated but which he retraced as soon as he found
mo one" said he needs to have lived in Brooklyn
twenty-five years TO know that It's chief peculiarly
one that il retains from its village days, when every
body knew everybody else. 1t Is great place for gos
tinued was "A thing in which Nj. Ialmage never ought
| to have been mixed up but nothing had been esab-
did not think thar he could !ndoTse Mr. Talmages action
in regard 70 the teegrams but he did not believe that
| J,
sion, send Brother Ialmago out with brand and a
stain upon him."
| Talmage, and had watched hls course with interest
ne first came to Brooklyn He had found much
was doing much good service for his Master. When he
heard that Mr.. Iamage to be tred by the Presby
terry he determined to do yhat ho could to AID IN his
| culpatOD The conclusions lie had reached in the
course OF the trial had been worked out by his own
reasoning, and In opposition to his strongest wishes
all his previous expectations IL IL not" he said,
merely the conduct OF Mr. Talmege called upon
| to justify bui the principles which uudere II.
cannot excuse tine moral oDiquty Of his acts on
OF the ecceutrty OF his nature. There kind
degree of moral wrong IN this which cannot
explain excuse. Tue witnesses Tor the prose
| cuti0n impressed me men who were attempting to
| tell the truth. Major Corwln, ON the contrary. I'M
pressed me very unayOrabiy Mr.. Ia!mage himself on
bis eroseXamnatlon seemed to me not far nor can
did, and his manner wa, hlgmy dsrcsprctful 10 the
Court" DR.. Sherwood argued the case at some length
| and said he should vote that the first second and
third specifications were sustained, the 1th sustained
| in part, ana the fourth not sustained.
The Rev. Oliver : -. John sad trat his family had
been members Of tie Tabernacle congregation for
eral years and ne had attended that church when
bad been ~ Brooklyn until recently. III confessed that
| he influenced very much by sympathy and senti-
mentIu this matter, aud hs voice. trembling with emo
tiOn, gave force TO his words. am uaded" be
said, that his minstrat0us have been blessed of God
and when you come To NE and say smlte him down
liar and hypocrite,' think you make "a mistake Ny
heart and my soul say No. MIR. -. John sld that
lie lie called upon Mr. RemiG gtOn and Others In the Office
and they had assured him tnat Mr.. Tamage had done
nothing which reelected upon his character clergy
me Rev Alfred TAYLOR said he nad no speech to make
Mr. Nef elder, said that he compelled TO leave
and wished his vote recorded against sustaining the
charges.
Dr. Henry j Van Dyke began TO read a carefully pre-
pared argument To show why the Specifications had
been sustained by the evidence. He reviewed the evil
deuco relating 10 the first specification and SAID " /
inI five distinct OF deception ia the conduct
statements that he knew TO be false.
Tue hour OF O'CLOCK having arrived, the PresbyteTy
- IN.