Year: 1876

After the adjournment OF the Advisory
| Council DR.. Bacon appealed to Prof. Smyth
as a representative of the ADdOvcr Church to
assume the responsibility of presenting charges
against Mr.. Beecher and setting in motion the
wheels of investigation in the tramway which
the Council had laid. Prof. Smyth replies that
the Andover Church cannot do this, inasmuch
as the Commission in its origin and proposed
constitution fails short OF the Judicial require
ments of the case. In his view the Commas
sion is the outgrowth Of Council winch In
its methods and results was preudiced in
favor of Plymouth Church. He has nothing
TO say against the Committee. They are
honorable and hon0red brethren" all OF
whom are above the suspicion OF Intentional
unfaiIncss." But they were appointed by a
Council that was swayed by the contagious
enthusiasm Of Plymouth Church and held
spell bound by the magnetism OF its pastor,
and hence they are not judicially competent
to name the judges in this lnNestl-
cation. At the request OF suitable
ecclesiastical council the Andovcr Church
would be willing to undertake the SER
vice of public prosecutor and to present the
evidence in an orderly way, but it cannot
assume this function before a Commission that
was sanctioned by q partisan Council. Accord
ingly he falls back upon the Andoycr letter as
ailorling the only basis for permanent ad-
iustmont of the controversy. But Prof. Smyth
oyerlooks an important fact. Plymouth Church
referred the Andoycr letter to the Council, cx-
pressed its willingness to adopt the plan, and
asked for advice. The Council after prolonged
dclijeration urged it to reject this overture
and to accept the plan of the Investigating
Commission If tie Church were to abandon
ihe Councils Commission and revert to the
Andovcr scheme, it would insult the two
hundred and eighty delegates by whose advice
il promised to he guided Can Prof Smyth
reasonably expect Plymouth Church to set ut
defiance Council representing so many Con-
srcl;a.ional Churches? His plan can be carried
ont only through the agency of an ex parte
Council, ard that body, or any Committee ap-
poilod by il, would be open to the same sus-
picion of partisanship which he himself decri2s.
My more the attempt to substitute the An
dover plan for that of the Advisory Council
may lead to a breach in the Congregational
communion just as it has ALREADY in the Con-
eregdtional Ministers Association of New-lork
and Brooklyn.


But aside from the partisanship of the COun-
ell from which it derives its authority, Prof.
Smyth holds that there Is an insupcrbie OBJ
lection to the Commission. He has conferred
with several Witnesses whose testimony has
never been heard and he has ascertaincd that
they will have nothing to do with the Com
mission. They arc ready to testify before a
Mutual Council but they will not open their
lips before tn Commission; and long as
their testimony is represscd Mr. Bcecher viii
remain unyindcated; herce Mutual Council
must be called. Let Prof. Smyth try 1t the
other way Mrs. BcechCr and Mrs 1iltcn are
witnesses who mast he heard before Mr.
Beocher can be condemned. Let lis as
sume that they viii have nothing to
do with Mutual Council, although they
are perfectly wiling to testify before the In
vestgating Commission. Hence, if Prof.
Smyth's rule is to work both ways, the plan
of the Advisory Council must he accepted.
The simple fact is that witnesses have no
riyht to dictate the form of the tribunal Let
DR.. Dexter and Prof. Dwight split hairs over
the Cambridge and Boston platforms. The
witnesses have nothing to do with ecclesiasti-
cal prccedents and Congregational po.ity.
Tiry have only 10 tell what they know. If
any man knows aught against Henry Ward
Beecher, it is bis plain duty to speak out,
whether the investigation is ordered by an
Advisory or Il Mutual Council


There is great err Of black sheep in the
Congregational Church, but there is precious
little wool. Those who are the oudcst i'll their
demand for an investigation are themselves
blocking the wheels in their anxiety 10 switch
off the machine into their own track. They
are like the brakeman who cries TO The en-
gineor to start the train and yet crowds down
the brakes with Ill his might. The Congrega
tional churches have duty which they must
not shirk. They must drcdgc this cesspool to
the bottom while tire community holds It's
nose. They must acquit or convict their lead
inc preacher The new testimony can be laid
before the Commission if charges are
made Some if not all Of the distinguished
Doctors of Divinity who have been criticsing
the action of the Council are evidently con-
yinced of Sir. Beecher's guilt. DIR. Fairfield il
rs s;.re OF it rs of his souls salvation. Let
them act on DR.. Bacon's invitation. Let them
assume the responsibility of the charges and
present the names of their witnesses, and for
aught that we can see an investigation can be
had without delay under the auspices of the
" honorable and honored brethren for whom
Prof. Smyth has such high regard and whose
integrity seems to be unchallenged. The boast
OF Congregationalism has been that it is
founded on common sense principles. 1t is
high time to vindicate the claim.


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