Year: 1875

ever confronted ajudge both sides, with an unpar-
alecd accumulation OF sitting and argument There ls
not on the records Of American lurispruoence sucn
nine out Of the twelve jurors believed that was
inuoceRI (Appause And now hear Il said all the
time this church Is afraid OF trying me. Laugh
teri Men say I'VE want another trial, taking up
let me sce-six months and two months make eight
months. why threequarters OF year has been spent
IN doing nothing else and that too, with searching
ness on the part Of this church that cannot be sur
nassed THIS church has more interest in knowing who
their pastor is than any other body OF people on
this earth. Appause The pastor Of this church Is the
man the children that inspires the morals of
the family that leads men to God that baptizes, that
buries that councils, that advises The history the
fath-noi Of the church. but OF every vital interest ol
every househoiu ~ lhls great congregauoh-s ~
and TO the very quick by the man that STANDS = ne
pastor Of this church. And IL there ls aholneI
body on this earth that has an Interest that
equals the interest of this church ! don't know
whore you will look for 1.-THE interest OF this church
IN the purity ana integrity Of ts leader Ana ~ iaI
then, from the intlmations that are 80 ceaseiessD
given N


that this church wants TO hide lt-woala man "n,
70 hide from his physician plague spot y ne haa
oneY Would man want TO hide nom his
physician deadly disease II he had onef
There none so interested ~ ripping opon the
secret IL there is one as the members OF this church.
There none that need so much TO have confidence
and absolute conddence-in their pastor as the mem
bers OF the church itself And, after all men say am
unwilling to be tried and that this church don't mean
TO have another trial If you will find tribunal that
~ better fitted than a civil court TO Judge
OF evidence and sift IT. II you will bring together
body Of that are wiser, that have more leisure
through long time TO try the case again. whoever
else shall oppose the trial shall not But when men
that are my avowed enemies; when men that nave
been in warfare with this church for years,
are suggesting another trial. in which they,
perhaps, would like to sit in judgment;
when asked reopen all this ISSUE the record Of
the former proceedings in which fills four large octave
volumes; when am asked to take the measure OF this
continental mass, this tangled and obscure mess
of inquity, and ask IL 10 be brought into the
hands of council Of ministers, gathered TO-
gether from all parts of the country, that
must Tuesday and must get home by
Sunday again then do object But | say to you
and to the world am not afraid OF being tried but
will be tried by men that have wisdom, and who will
try by rule and by caprice aud who will unite to
do that which must needs be done 10 compress the
OF matter that must needs come with any
new new trial And II any man, therefore, say says
il is far the pastor OF this church is
concerned tell you, and tell you again, that any
legitimate method OF judgment, in regular tribunal
am willing to face them as am willing TO face the
greater tribunal where my God sits as the judge And
everything less than that


NOT


] viii not sit before jury OF foxes and wolves loud
appause II therefore, that council should come to-
gether aud should make such inquiries into the history
Of this church they think and they should say
1--WE advise this church again 10 investigate the church
and the pastor for one should say do IT! do I'll"


Cries OF Good - ''Good ~


But if they should say 'srhe church has acted regu-
ary and should be satisfied with It's own action they
should say DO nothing should not say anything
] should submit to that.


After finishing his address Mr.. Beecher moved that
the committee nave discretionary power IN Select
ing the churches that should be invited TO form the
council He said he had long list of churches
his pocket but the labor OF sitting them and deter
mining such available would be considerable,
and he desired that the matter should be put IN hand
at He did not think 1t necessary that another
meeting OF the church should DC called Ihe motlon
adopted.


Mr. shearman begged to tender his resignation
Clerk Of the church. saying that for the past two years
he had given his the church TO that extent
that he had sacrificed considerable share
Of his business. He nominated as his
successor Mr. Thomas J. Tney hIr. Tllney is
lawyer and resident OF BROOKLYN The
rules suspended and Mr. Tilney elected by accla
nation Mr.. Beecher proposed vote Of thanks TO the
retiring clerk Professor Raymond objected, saying
was a bad precedent SET and that Mr Shearman only
did his duty as a member OF the church MI Beecher,
with little asperity in his tome stood up and


VOTE THANKS,


because this entirely exceptional and that
Mr. Shearman had been held up TO obloquy; besides,
whispers had gone around the congregation owing TO
The attacks upon him by the press. that II was i'm
polite and unwse to retain him in the church as clerk
The vote Of thanks was given, nearly the whole con-
gregation rising TO their feet


Augustus Storrs and Thomas G. Shearman were then
elected members OF the Examining Committee Other
offices OF minor character we're filed


Amendments TO the church rules proposed at a
former meeting, were read ana adopted. Notice OF
further proposed changes given Assistant Pastor
Haliday's annual report OF the work done by him
during the year was read and approved.


Letters Of dismisson asked for by the following
members Mrs. Agnes B. Barber, TO the First Presoy
terian church, Pattsburg, N. Y; F. H. Benedict, TO
the Central Congregational church, Brooklyn; Samuel
M Patt, TO the Madison square Presbyterian church,
New York. George A. Bell Isabella Z. Bell and Arthur
Bell to any church; Charles II. Murray, 70 Plymouth
church. Chicago.


Mr. Beecher read letter from Mr. George A. Bell in
which the latter expressed the kindest feeling toward
Plymouth church and Mr.. Beecher. The meeting then