The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-23
BLAMING BEECHER.
The Republican Members Of Plymouth Church
Anxious for Revenge-Dissatisfied with
His Political Course.

Tuesday in January, writes the New
York correspondent of The ST. Louis
Post Dispatch, and as the time ap-
proaches considerable anxiety has been
developed on the part of the church
members, on account of rumor that
several of the wealthy men of the con-
gregation have entered into combi-
nation, by way of administering a
singing rebuke to Mr.. Beecher for his
course in the late presidential election.
They intend to absent themselves at
renting, and, as they suppose, permit
the revenues of the church to drop so
low that the salary of the pastor will
have to be reduced. Inquiry among
the members developed the fact that,
while it was true that many of the
wealthy members had, from dissatis-
faction with Mr.. Beecher's political
course, absented themselves from the
church services, and would undoubt-
edly be absent from the annual auc-
! ton, there had been no combination
among thom to reduce the revenues OF
the church. One of them said to your
correspondent: 81 did not like MIR.
| Beecher's course in the presidential
contest, and 1 made up my mind for
the future, / had rather listen to some
other preacher. That is all there is of
it. l have entered into no combina-
tions. l don't know of any man who
has, or of any combination that has
been formed, but do know, and can
name at least thirty men, heads of fam
lilies, who, heretofore, have bid high
prices for pews, who are acting as l
have been acting. There is no combi-
nation between us, any more than,
when riding down on the cars of a
morning, may, and probably have,
said dozen times: We'll, I've done
with Mr. Beecher. Anybody that likes
may go and hear him, but l don't
want to hear him. My acquaintance,
who, for the past ten years, has had a
pew alongside of mine, has, perhaps,
said That's just what told my wife;
| said if she wanted to go and hear
Mr.. Beecher she could hire seat and
go. l won't go. 1 don't want to hear
him, and 1 never will go to his church
again; nor will ever hire pew again
in his church. Now, if that is COM
bination against Mr.. Beecher, then we
have combined; but that is the only
too well to enter into anything that
might seem like combination against
him, but we feel ourselves free to ex-
ercise our individual liberty. 1 do, at
all events, and as / don't like Mr..
Beecher's course, and feel that l can't
listen to him with pleasure or profit,
go elsewhere.
Had not Mr.. Beecher right to ex-
press his individual political opin-
ionsP"
Certainly. 1t is not that, but did
not like his expressions in his speeches.
They were, thought, coarse and un-
dignitied-not becoming minister of
the gospel. L did not think Mr..
Beecher did right in becoming such a
violent partisan against the republican
candidate. He had right to his opin-
ion. He had right to vote as he
choose; but he went much further
than that-he persuaded others to vote,
and it is not too much to say, and is
indeed but the strict truth, to say that
but for Mr.. Beecher Mr.. Cleveland
could not have been elected. We
don't object to his exercising his indi-
vidual freedom of opinion, but when
u
personal influence in favor of or
against any particular measure, it
amounts to more than an expression
of an individual opinion. Now" said
the gentleman in conclusion, "these,
are simply my own individual opin-
ions. If there has been a combination
l am not in it. can go further than
that. l can say of the principal men
who are disposed to Mr.. Beecher's
course, that they are too manly to en-
ter into such. They act as do, indi-
vidually, and if this action results in
great falling off in the pew rentals, as
it doubtless will, we can only say we
are sorry for it. For myself l can
truthfully say that l hope there may
come in to take our places as pew
renters men who are so well pleased
with Mr.. Beecher's late course that
they will be willing to manifest it finan-
cally, and pay for our vacant pews
double what we have been paying"
A gentleman very near to Mr..
Beecher said, in relation to this rumor:
81 don't think there has been any COM
bination in this matter. | know there
arc few who are dissatisfied and who
have absented themselves from the
church services since The canvass and
will not reoccupy their pews, but l
know others who have never hired
pews in the church who are gong to
do so next year. One thing do know,
and had it directly from Mr.. Beecher
himself, if it shall appear that any
considerable number of the congrega-
ton of Plymouth church are dissatis-
fed with him from any cause, and that
this is manifested by a decrease in the
revenue at the coming pew renting,
his resignation will be in the hands of
the trustees the week after the annual
renting, and notice will be issued to
such as have bid off pews with the
understanding that Mr.. Beecher was
to be the pastor that they need not |
pay the prices which they had bid"
'What will be the result of this ac-
tionP"
"Either such of us who justify Mr..
Beecher will found for him new
church, or he will come to this city,
wbare there are churches that will re-