The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-25
TALMAGB UNCRUSHED.
On Trial Before the Members of
Brooklyn Presbytery.
''FALSEIIOOD AND DECEIT"
Eternal Justice" or the Grand
Jury Shall Decide.
THREE HOURS WRANGLING.

"will the clerk please read the charger
"rhat the Rev. L. De Witt Talmage d. D., stands
charged by common fame with falsehood and deceit"
1t was in the Second Presbyterian Church Brook
Ign. yesterday afternoon. The ediAce was packed
with people interested in the celebrated case of
Common Fsme versus T. De Witt Talmage" In the
front and central pews of the unostentatous struc
ture sat the members of the Brooklyn Presbytery.
under whose auspices the trial proceeded. Upon the
PLATFORM pulpit sat tho Moderator Rev. DR.. Lud-
low, the stated clerk. John Milton Greene, occu-
plying table to his left. Several tables
stood in the space before the platform, at
one OF which sat the accused pastor of the
Tabernacle with Deacon Corwin and his counsel.
Rev. Dr.. Spear and DIR. Willard. At another DR..
Arthur Crosby and DIR. Mccullough. the counsel for
the prosecution Stenographers and reporters util-
lied the remaining tables to the utmost. The sides
and rear of the main floor and the galleries
filled with spectators, many of them standing in the
asles.
OPENING SCENES.
Although the proceedings were not to begin till
three o'clock, at the hour Of two the church, for
merly the OF DR.. Ichabod Spencers labors,
half filed by members of DR.. Talmage's congrega-
ton. When he entered. accompanied by his wife, an
extended hum Of voices and faint applause could
be heard. He showed Mrs. Talmage to a
front pow lin which, by the way, sat Coun-
sellor A. w. Tenney taking occasional notos), and
then pumped himself into chair by the side of his
counsel. Other distinguished leaders of distn-
guished congregations of the city OF Brook1ynthat
is distinguished for both these things-entered the
church, while such whispers There's DR..
Cuyler," There's Hyatt Smith and Here comes
Dr.. Van Dyke" repeated themselves among the au-
dience. Though Rev. DR.. Ludlow had not been ex-
pected to act Moderator owing to the sickness Of
seat tho chair of the presiding officer. to the evil
dent qualification Of nearly everybody. The Mod
orator raped the table before him to bring the
assemblage to order. and with the Introductory
words LET us pray" briefly supplicated the Divine
assistance in all the proceedings Of tho Presbytery
Roll call followed, and the following answered to
their s:-Revs. Theodore L. Cuyler, James H.
Callen. d. D.; Arthur Crosby, Alfred H. Dashiel. D.
d.; benjamin g. Drake. Isaac S. DAWSON Thomas
J. Evans, Lewis r.. Foote, Amos N. Freeman j.
Milton Greene. Lyman Gilbert. D. d.; G. Cuthbert
Hall. Samuel p. Halscy Parsons G. Hastings, Charles
j. Jones, George G. Lucas, James NJ Ludlow u. d. /;
Archibald Mccullough. Adam AIcClelland benjamin
F. Willard, j. Z. Rockwell d. D.; Samuel r. Spear
Oliver S. St. John. James M. Sherwood. Alfred
Taylor. L. De Witt Talmage. John d. Wells. D. D.;
William Wolf, John Hathaway. Owen Peck and J. g.
Williamson.
When Dr. Talmaee's name was called he answered
Here" III such unmistakable manner to pro-
woke a smile the house. list of elders belong
ing to different churches was called and the Presby
tiers asked to occupy the pews on other side
the centre aisle.
THE CHARGES.
Said Moderator Ludlow:-"We have met. by order
of the Pesbytery to listen to certain charges against
Rev. 7; Dc Witt Talmaso- Are you ready to proceed
to trial r
volume of syeas" from the presbyters
Before We proceed let me impress upon all Of you
that we sit to-day as judges OF the court OF Jesus
us the accused PRESENT." continued the Modera-
DIR. Talmase arose from his chair. bowed and sat
down.
els the prosecution present.
Drs. Crosby and Mccullough also bowed.
will the clerk please read the charges.'
THAT the kcv. T. De Witt Talmage, d. D.. stands
charged. by common fame. with faisehood and de-
.what are the speciAcations?"
Clerk Greene read:-
1s :. he s. sst % ss ~. ad nsss
ns Nv tho nSDih t 1 e .s sd1s;' of tho ~ at
allowed be published by those closely with
him. without contradctins them statements which he
knew be false calculated give false impression in
sI1 that repeatedly made public declare
pit that the church Of which he was pastor was Tree
TO the dollar question: although he knew such dccara
Specaio lin that the matter Of 1857 he falsely
accused Hathaway Of dishonest practices and aftor
s.io. al" tina. in the early par. Of the year 1879
" a debt the m
Tor the purpose OF inducing others TO subscribe.
re tho
OF the orgAnst of tho tabernacle Presbyterian
yssia,rs- LIN tina, he publicly declared Sunday
arrairned for heercdoxy and nscd other cal
rSisned on that charge although he knew that he would
be araened IL at all the charge Of alsehood thereby
THE DEFENCE.
"How does the accused plead?" asked the Mod
erator.
DR.. Spear. man of venerable and at the same
time antagonistic appearance, rose to reply. IL
evident before he had proceeded far with his argu-
himself only ecclesiastical lawyer" understood
pretty well how to plead. He said he had been so
urgently requested 60 counsel tor the accused
tina. he had waived the consideration own poor
health aud ha! entered into the defence ut large
physical risk.
read the reply of DR.. Tamagc TO The specified
charges. 1t consisted first. OF general denial. and
then denied the jurisdiction of the Prcsbytery. be-
cause OF the limitation OF time laid down In the
rules concerning the specifications Nos. /. and 4.
charges were trivial and impossible of proof. and
that the whole was ali infection of gross injustice
upon the accused.
Mr.. Spear said he wished to submit . preliminary
motion. He asked the clerk to read Specifications
1, and 4, then argued that specification fixed
the date of the commission in October, 1876; that
specification was OF no significance except by
of it's assumed relation to the first; that No. bore
the date OF IsTC-Is77, and that the three were
ciuded by the limitation of time set forth in the
book of discipline. which declared that trials upon
charges of scandal must take place within year OF
the of onlniission lie asked for separate rul-
ings tho three motions.
f1st-That specification be erased and dismissed
for the reasons enumerated.
Second-That specification be erased and dis
missed tor the reasons; and
Tkird-That specification be erased and dismissed
for the same MS and =.
SOME LEGAL. INFORMATION.
DIR. Mccullough scrambled to the defeat of such
an iconoclastic proceeding. lis It sccondedY' he
demanded.
DIR. spear--It needs no seconding. This is court.
DR.. Mccullough Mr.. Moderator. l speak TO
point of order
DR.. Spear-A counsel may make motion before
this court without its being seconded.
Moderator TO DIR. Spear)-You are speaking out Of
order.