The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-12
BENT IS PENITENT.
ForgivenessWit
Pending Action
Of Court.
HUNDREDS LISTEN TO LETTER.
North Brookfeld Church
Committee Have Acted
Most Thoroughly.
HUNDREDS LISTEN TO LETTER.

North Brookfeld, June 1.-THE eager
ly looked for letter which was sent by
rhe First Congregational church TO
Otis C. Bent in Worcester Jail, was
read at the regular service this morn
ing by Rev. John L. Sewall, the pastor
and was listened to with interest by
the large congregation present.
The full text of the letter as read
this morning, follows:
Mr., Otis c. Bent, Dear Brother:
Your letters of May 10 and May &c,
sent to US through our pastor, have
received the careful attention of our
church committee, and have been pre-
scented to us at a specially called meet
ing The substance and tone of these
letters, acknowledging your great sin
and asking for our forgiveness as a
church and for our prayers That you
may become a better and stronger
nan. have touched US deeply.
In our reply, We would first express
our sorrow at your sin, and our alb
horrence of the crimes following.
These have involved many Violations
of your covenant vows; they have Civ
en- a shock TO the moral sense Of tie
community; they have brought re
proach upon Christ and the church. 1t
is hard for us to find any sufficient eX-
pianation Of your wrong doing; it IS
impossible for US to see any excuse.
We are sure you cannot feel 200 deep
~ the sinfulness OF your deeds.
We are also glad that your crime has
been found out; and we believe it is
right that you should be punished. Ii
would be q wrong to the community
and a misfortune to yourself if you
were to escape such suffering.
With our present knowledge We have
To right, as we have no wish, to qucS-
tior the honesty Of your confession and
the genuineness of your plea for par
oon. Nevertheless, it seems wise 10 us
and well for you that We reserve a
portion of our action upon your re-
Quest until your confession to US has
been made before the court, and your
words of willingness to endure punish
ment proved true by your spirit Of sup-
mission to the laws sentence. We rust
you can see in such delay an opportu-
nifty to prove in part the reality Of
your penitence, as we'll as to strength
en- in our minds the conviction Of its
genuineness, and to show to all men
that you are penitent for sin and not
simply sorry for its detection.
We commend heartily your present
spirit and purposes as they are made
known to US; and so long as you con-
tinue thus, we have full faith in your
restoration to a life of truth and right
eousness. Be assured that We do now
and will continually pray that you may
faithfully follow Christ. We commend
both you and ourselves to that grace
of God which is able to save unto the
uttermost all who come to him by
faith; a grace which is the only thing
that can keep any of us from falling,
and which is able to present rs all
faultless before his presence with eX-
ceeding joy. By vote of the First Con-
gregatonal church, North Brookfleld,
Massachusetts,. this ninth day Of Jun ?,
1899. Fraternally yours,
John L. Sewall. pastor
A J. Goddard clerk
After perusing the letter with The
Spy reporter, Rev. Mr.. Sewau gave a
fun account Of the doings of the church
committee in the case, the first that
has been given out. We began TO take
action the very week Of the arrest, %
said Mr.. Sewall, and I made my first
visit 10 Mr.. Bent on May 10, four days
after he was arrested. I told him Their
that the church must take some action
and he wrote his first letter on thatyery
day.
1.-THE church committee Of IS mem
bers met May %, when the letter was
presented and talked over. Our work
then was to get at the real facts Of the
crime. and after persistent tracing W.
unearthed the facts Of the case. AS the
result Of the committee meeting q letter
Of sympathy was sent to Mr. Bent anC
he was asked to give q detailed account