Year: 1876




crowd gathered there, and rarely have the
proceedings of Friday evenings business
meeting elected such evidences of strong
feeling. Rarely, too, has the Plymouth
pastor had occasion to use such strong Ian
guage in defending himself from the fierce
assaults of his adversaries. After the usual
services, Mr.. Beecher rose and said


"Mr. Bowen not only was one Of the
earliest members of this church and one OF
ito founders, but don't forget that 1t was
at his house-his threshold I fret crossed
when came to Brooklyn, at his hands and
those of his now happy wife in Heaven
received hospitality which shall not for-
got. We took sweet counsel together, and
to his indefatigable zeal in that early period
of the church's history we are indebted for
much of the early prosperity OF this church;
and I cannot think of anything more SAD
than at this late day, when the man with
whom I have walked arm in arm,
whose house was as brothers house
to me, whose children grew up and
In their early days learned to love me,
almost all of whom may say grew up. at
nv knees, to find him in such antagonlsm
as that one or the other OF US Is DESTROYED
is not thing for smiles it is not thing
for cheers. Now, / don't propose to argue
| this question tonight 1t is not tit that l
should do so. only propose to say one or
two words in the matter, and one is that
for the last fifteen years and more Mr..
Bowen has been in possession OF such facts
as he now alleges in his letter, and never
mentioned themito me, nor communicated
them to an officer of this church, nor in
anywise brought them to the knowledge OF
the church itself, he deserves to be pub
licly expelled from the church for violation
Of his covenant. [Cheers.] If I am what
am alleged TO be, and have been what he
alleges that have been, and he knew 1t and
permitted It without word OF warning to
me or to the church, he has committed a
crime against this church and against mo


rality, and if 1t was not, and the allegation
is a lie-and it Is lie, and before dod


pronounce it-then he was guilty OF, Will
not say more heinous crime, but another


equally foul, both of them black and both Of


them from the pit; for ! pronounce the allie


cations absolutely false that have been made
Further, let me say that when Mr.. Bowen


being demanded by his brethern to state all


the facts and what was the evidence IN MI


possession, pleads that he is put upon trial


and that he has not had time-but he hao


time to write the letter and charge me De


fore the public of this continent-he nae
time to charge me with being crimma
that three epithets hardly belt and compass
and having had time to set me up mon
ster and publish it in TIE newspapers and Ii


asked, "What is your evidence ~ he hal


not had time. Laughter. Ought MOI


that to have been thought OF before ne pup


lished it, l have still another word to say


and that is as to the tribunal which ne pro


poses to favor it-three folks


tripartite tribunal, on the condltlol


that he might hide in their presence tn


names of those parties, and that their word


NAV not come out in the adjudication o
this matter. But no secrecy shall rest OF
this matter. [Applause. # you have any
disposition in that regerd l care not.
don't say that won't, in certain respects
20 before such committee, but this say
there shall be no secret. If this matter II


not explored to the bottom it shall De De


cause by will tits set aside, and l don't pro
pose that he shall hide himself, nor VIII
permit anything to be hidden about me q; .;
t having it referred to three gentlemen, VIII
t the understanding that they shall keep sc
t cret the process before them, ana only le
out what they think. What they tnini
won't satisfy you; what they think won,
satisfy me and since the matter mas peel
t published in the newspapers and MS nam
Is attached to it he has got to face thes
: facts and he he has got to produce MS evl
e dence. [Applause.] And as Tor mysell,
y have only this to say, pronounce an tn


insinuations and allegations that ne ma


made false, and with the Almighty ooa ,S pe


fore me, and the Judgment Day, l arralg
f him as slanderer and liar. lLoua an
| - ID