Year: 1875




IN any way injured by his church; Il q very akeiy,
known 20 all OF you that late As june SI ne wrote
about me 20 my husband words when a. Ina. sne
thought were sincere and which gave me pleasure,
though l knew they were extravagant ana iar beyond
my merits your noble wife has been 20 me one Of
Gods comfOrters Is such she that renew waning
faith IN womanh0odn This was amer be knew as well
as he knows now Of my long absence from church SER
vices on his account II does not seem 70 me IN the
least right thai you should accuse me before the
public II ave years voluntary absence from the church
and entire disuse Of Christian ordinances when, IN
point or nct dsuse did not continue 50 long, and
was compelled by my conscience on the one hand re.
aid about Mr. Beecher by my nnwilngness, on the
other hand expose and harm him BY going elsewhere.
really do not sec how sIr Beecher knowing a. well as
he does the perfect truth of what say. knowing


now u


at our house, and heap shame upon himself for his
great sim aud how often lie spoke 70 my husband and
myself Of the utter despair IN which he would be ex
cept for comfort and help cannot see how II
possible for him stand up and read this letter to
me your presence without his very soui giving way
As TO the other parts Of the letter there are great
many things in il which are incorrect and injurious,
all Of which is not worth while 70 refer 10 buI some
OF which may mention


You say thai might have brought charge against
the pastor in consequence OF my knowledge Of his
wickedness with Mrs Titon- Perhaps might but II
did not seem my part to do IL when there were gentle
as l did, and when the knowledge which had about
them had come 70 me in confidence. II was right for
me- felt to such knowledge when the law required
IT, sclf-deience, IN vindication Of others But
never wished TO make what he had confessed 10
OF attack upon Mr.. Beecher, cruelty ne has





do know but should have been afraid TO do IL in
any case since my husbands experience OF your
meetings showed how violent your anger might be-
come, and have not aman's strength.


You complain Of me that did not ask for trial by
the church did not know that II was my business U
do that | conscious or having done anything
70 make trial necessary or suitable. The committee
notified that they should recommend dropping my
name and appeared and protested against it what
thought sufficient grounds. at that time
certainly member the church; and 1t seems 70
Il was your business to put II you thought





Bhrunk from IL; but did not know that was under
obligation 70 ask 70 be tried or that Il would be con-
sidered that had forfeited privilege II did not.


You complain that would not answer questions In
connection with my protest against your proposed ac
tion, declined 70 answer questous at that time and
in that place. because neither OF them appeared TO me
suitable The Moderator of the meeting himself dc
clarvd the proposal TO put them out OF order. But
only did not decline, but offered at the same time
TO any questions aiterward TO be put by your
officers or committee ! think no one can Feel Ger
tanly no lady, that was wrong In my


uNwlLLINGNEss SUDDENLY AND PUBLICLY CATE





painful subject before so large an assembly.
But and ready, as then said, to answer any
questions any time which the proper committee may
wish 10 ask, and 10 which may give deliberate and
correct replies


You almost make It point against me that was rep
resented before you by counsel | q woman,
tirey unaccustomed TO reading speaking in publc
and my husband preferred not TO 60 10 your meeting
with me, asked my friend Mr.. Pryor 70 go as my
cort and read my letter for me. | never supposed
there could be any objection 70 this that needed
any stretched courtesy in you to allow it.





knew had never made any statement npugning the
purity Of Mr. Beecher except in courtof justice But
that very had stated under OATH that had made
precisely the same statement which have since made
in my protest you long ago 70. one of the leading
members and officers of your church. telling him that
Mr. Beecher's sin adultery and that he and Mrs.
Tllton had both confessed IL II the statement
slander, had declared the fact of my uttering
the slander before all the world and might months ago
have been called TO account tor it


You say that testified in the court of justice under
compulsory process Indeed | ala and nobody who
uath hay n Tagg q
trial will know how hard II for to submit
TO the compulson OF the court But that compulsory
process that compelled to tell the truth and
nothing else however reluctant might be to declare
IL. testified as did, in view of all the penalties Of
false swearing In this life and the next There no
process Of the court to compel me TO testify what dd
If ii exactly and dreadfuly true do not be-
eve that any could have made do so; much
less the Just and kind face Of Judge Nelson never
knew before that false swearing in court of justice IS
offence which the Church Of Christ IS unwilling or
unable TO punish And II you think that lied IN that
public manner, and in that solemn hour that lied IN
order 10 njure the minister whom had loved as much
as any of you, and whom | had done my very best
uphold and comfort for three dismal years through tho
time of anguish which he carefully hiding from
you you ought all more think, 10 have tried and
condemned me- instead of dropping my
You say that the rule under which my name was
dropped has been applied in about fifty cases, with
remonstrance from anybody and you try to make the
impression that these in substance similar
TO mine. | knew before that in any single
the rule had been applied when the member affected
protested against it, much less when he alleged


THE ADULTERY
the for his absence. suppose that j
these other cases there was no remonstrance and no
such accusation and that the presenting Of my protest
and the declarations made in it, which itself hor
rble wckedness If not just1able by the facts,
make my case plain exception.


will not point out other instances where you seem
10 me to state things incorrectly and unfairly But |
ought think in justice to myself to say in general
that in all the nearly FIVE years since have been ab
sent from your worship and sacraments none of you
have admonished me or demonstrated with me
sought to the slightest influence to bring me back
TO the church. unless PASTORS coming TO me in his
hacn dfsfr OI
TO be so regarded; and that If seem to you not TO
have been faithful to my covenant with you, you surely
have not been faithful TO your covenant with me- II
that had any meaning. Yet your silence toward me
for years have been the effect OF simple neglect
and indifference, while my for my course
the one have stated-socitude for one whom had
greatly loved and revered, whom loved still in spite
Of his wckedness because he seemed to me privately
penitent yet whose ministry could not continue to
attend while he showed himself 10 the public as an in
nocent and injured man. though / could not leave it
without exposing what knew Of him had heavy
burden 10 carry; and sorry say that the first
act OF Christian attention which have received from
the church in the five years past the notifying
that my to be dropped from the roll the next
evening


nv proposal to you in my previous letter was that you
should unite with me in calling council or churches,
before which you should state your reasons for your
action and should state mine and which should I'M
partially judge between That proposal under
stand you have accepted


thus coming up for decision ought, should think, to


FIrst-Have my convictions in regard to the guilty
conduct Of Mr.. Beecher been justified by the evidence
which have hadY


Seeondiy-If they have been justified ought still 70
have attended hs ministry and received the sacrament
from his hands, while kept by the reasons which have
stated, from Withdrawing from the church?


Thirdiy-Whcn had stated TO the church my
for being absent from the services and had protested
against being dropped from ts roll, ought ! 70 have
been thus dropped, without further trial, and with
neither censure nor recommendation


Fotrttiy-If was improperly removed from Ply
mouth church, will the council give certificate Of
the fact upon which can enter another church,


am not perhaps, well able 70 judge whether the sx
questions which you propose 70 me To have submitted
10 the council cover the ground with these Of
mine Yours appear TO me less distinct perhaps be-
cause do not understand them 50 we'll and mine 70
take up directly the points Of between us.
suppose IS my right TO have something to say about
the questions be submitted and accordingly pro-
pose that yours be submitted you put them and that
these OF mine be added TO them. In this way, think,
The Nhnle cnee hetNeen will and the nuna.