Year: 1876

could not then believe this but il appears that
Others had better information than myself For more
than wear past has been evident to and others
that this serious threat would later be put
into execution But how was this 10 be donef The
following tells the whole story that day to this
have been wickedly and Indignantly assaied In my
business affairs all sorts OF crimes and misdemeaDOrs
have been charged or hlnted at and have been held
up the world as a totally unworthy Of either
respect public confidence Every OF these
charges or insnuations pronounce 10 be totally
false, their authors slanderers, and hereby challenge
Plymouth church TO appoint its own committee TO in
vestgate openly and vigorously my words and my
deeds either in out OF The church. from the day of
trial


Let Inc here recall one fact One bright sunny Sab
bath afternoon during the trial between Theodore
Titon and Rev Henry Ward Beecher / was waited
upon by OF the leading members Of Plymouth
church and most earnestly urged 10 come forward ana
say something, II II was IN my power 10 relieve hr;
Beecher and end the controversy. ! was told II
would do this 1.-THE arms OF Plymouth church would be
thrown about me, and that 'by doing / would be
the greatest man, almost In the country" Ny in
slant roply that there WAS not power enough,
wealth enough or influence enough in Plymouth church
in Brooklyn to induce me even 70 consider the mat
ter for one moment" That remark ended the inter-
view ! cannot help remembering, however, how
easily, by simply violating my own conscience and
telling lie, could have been appauded then and to-
day as one Of the most worthy members OF Plymouth
church.


do not propose now TO give in detail the facts
which have come TO my knowledge or the incidents,
disclosures and confidential communications which
have from time to time been presented or commun
Gated to In regard TO the character of Henry Ward
Beecher; to his dishonorable conduct in business ar
fairs TO his treacherous OF friends; TO his
breaking OF written covenants; to his untrutnful
statements IN court 20 his lodging all thorough in
vestgations into his conduct and character; TO his
stolId indifference when unjust charges and malicious
ISLANDERS have against particular members OF
his church. to his recent contradictory utterances in
regard to what he characterized as 'hodge-podge
council - composed of evolves and foxes like Drs
Storrs and Budngton) which council at one time he
said he had never positively opJected TO- out IN regard
81 won't won't have anything 10 do with ~"
and finally at his abuse and sanderous charges
OF perjury uttered boldly and publicly, In his own
lecture ROOM against an honest Christian who
had dared she alleged to speak the truth concern
ing him


influence in forming my Judgment will now hasten
to tell you frankly what my conclusions in regard
TO the character of the pastor of Plymouth church
have Known Mr. Beecher quite intimately since the
day OF his arrival Brooklyn l have been
quanted with him socially and privately IN the church
and in the family in business matters and in religious
matters have heard attentivey, but with profound
gref, what has been said TO me conhdentiay against
him.


have felt my heart stirred to its depths for dear
friends who years before the present scandal pub
lshed, sorrowfuy begged my counsel they
sured that their pastor and mine had craitily be-
trayed the sanctity of home-the very charge long
after presented to by Theodore Tton in regard TO
his own home. / never can or will be base enough to
allow single name to be bruited before the world,
although am ready to testify TO the essential
facts before any proper tribunal These disclosures
heard with a sad heart and tried TO accept the evil
dence brought to me that Mr. Beecher was grief
stricken and pcnitent.


have read much that has been said for and against
Mr. Beecher in the public press / have with utter
read and reread and pondered over his pub


shed letters and confessions in regard to the
serious accusations made against him. have tried to
weigh all the evidence which has come before me with
judicial fairness and Christian honesty. | have read
the withering charges which have been published to
the world against him. have seen those charges again
and again hurled at him. and he calmly and boldly
challenged TO appear before any impartial tribunal to
meet them | have him, with all this cloud of
darkness gathering about him, apparently de-
flying public opinion, defying the advice of
his old, lifelong friends, embracing the
soundest ables aud best cergymen in the country and
seemingly deiying again and again the very God OF
heaven himself 10 cast him down. Now, being sum-
moned here TO speak, and 10 speak the TRUTH the whole
truth, and nothing but the TRUTH solemnly give 1t
my unwaverng opinion, in view of all the facts and
evidence presented to me, that the Rev Henry Ward
Beecher, without the shadow of doubt in my
mind guilty of awful crimes of adultery perjury
and hypocrisy. This say again and before the bar OF
this committee is my deliberate opinion and may be
permitted to affirm that give II calmly, without malice
and with other than sincere desire TO do my duty
faithfully to God and to man, TO the church and to the
world. HENRY 9. BOWEN.


BROOKLYN, Feb. 4, 1915