The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-30
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
A W1ap OR TWO FROM THE BROOK.
LYN PASTOR.
He Talks Right Out in Meeting and Says
he Has Nothing to Take Rack
Remarks of Members show
Dissatisfaction.

NEW YORK, Dee. 31.--The Rev. Henry
Ward Beeehar surprised his congregation
after delivering hisresular sermon. Sunday,
by speaking of his lats connection with poll
ties. lie sad trouble had visited the church,
and ne would ask for counsel in deep, dead,
honest earnest. He had heard the names OF
six or eigiit members who are not contented,
and teere We're from thirty TO sixty pew
holiefS IN TIE sam condition The trouble
was createt a5nut a certain speech Of Mr..
B. hor's He did not say but he hal done
some unwlSe thing, and had made some
speeches winch he might now regret
on'i'erlng tha5 had been with you for
nigh. forty years. think you should have
had confidence iii your pastor and that you
shonid nor have made one spesch Of his the
subject o. on unfair criticism. 1t was q
Shame for yoa to have done It; and now, for
myself, 1t was'a shame for me to have said
anything foShich men rs wise as you and
women aS gadN as yen could possibly take
exc P.ite. FOR myself | am heartily
ashamed, and'l sincerely hope you, toe, arc
ASHAMED forSour part" The pa tor then
reviewed his work and said he looked back
upon the stand he had taken in the late can
vass with unfeigned appreciation. He said
if the pew rents were cut down because of
his relntrk upon certain occasion that he
would ask the trustees to cut his salary
down TOO. II the majority OF an important
minority felt that they could no longer de-
rive benefit from his preaching he would re-
sign He hoped, however, that the misun-
derstauding would be the means of binding
all together stronger than they were before.
A few Of the members remained to speak
with Mr. Reecher after the sermon. There
seemed to be a general feeling of dissatisfac-
tioa with what he said. Tile Republicans
who supported Blaine seemed to feel enou ,i
had not herl said, and while Nh Btecher re-
tracted one offensive iniputatian ha had
evaled the real point at ne. I" $50 who
Sidea with Mr.. Beecher felt that he
had placed himself AMI church in a
humil!atinS position without need for
it. ard it appeared in trying tc
plea e all lie succeeded in pleasing none.
Deacon Pratt, after the service when asked
what he thought of what Mr. Boecher said,
and il it wo,lid prove satisfactory, said: 81
think not. The mugaump3 tried to get NJ
an applause, but it was not general. The
feeling against Mr. Beecher was largely be
cause he opposed Mr.. Blaine, and he doesn't
say one word about that lie didn't tolch
the real point in this spesch and it won't If
feet the manner OF pew-renting"
Another prominent member said: Mr..
Beecher has taken back his assertions on the
chastity of the people in this state just a,
he retracted all his reflections on the chas
tity of the public school teachers of Brook
Ign few years ago; then, as now, he fell
the force of an outraged public opinion.
But it won't do The barled shaft has done
its deadly work, and Mr.. Boecher can't undo
what he has done. He made the great.s
mistake of his life in the late campaign, and
lie will always regret it, The church is GO
ing down-hill and he can't stop it.