OCR Text |
Show ! lit: i:t isi:k. 1 Bowpii IS d ure ihe Church-lie rro-niM's t;; Icli it All, i iUTitlcd oloCy Can ' lieur li. 'Vim S'.i.-,t;(r .'.uiit.s 22iiu to' N;e:iU al. ! New York, 1. Members of Plymouth Ply-mouth chureh, t xclusive-ly, were ads ; milled to the adjourned busines 1 meeting this evening to hear Henry ; C. liuwen's answers lo the question ; before tiie church by the examining I committee as to bis charges against 1 Peecher, A letter in reply to the in-1 in-1 vitaiionof Audui'tr 'l'heolopical gemi-' gemi-' nary was reed by Peccher and I a.l ptetl. K !g- rton, moderator, then called up the resolution requiring Poweu to answer, orally, questions ! relative to his insinuations against the paL'tor. A resolution by Beecher I that the examining committee con-: con-: duct the questions was missed. The : clerk of tiie church tnen asked Powen when did any facts first come to your knowledge allecting the moral character char-acter ol lhe pastor? Bowen The essential facts are already in the hands uf lhe examining examin-ing committee. All the church has to do is to demand them from the committee. As long as the church refuses to hear what it has in its ! own hands it is mere bravado to ask more. Tilney, clerk, in reply I would say wo have not received a single fact from Bowen. (Applause.) Bowon hero took off his overcoat and said he was before the examining examin-ing committee. He had enough to convince him of Bcccher's guilt, but he could not lie and was compelled to be silent. (Laughter.) The consequences conse-quences fell on him and Beecher on Beccher as a penally, and on him for bringing bis confidences to a leaky vessel. (Laughter.) A member here called attention to tho lact that Bowen was reading from a paper, whereas he was summoned to answer orally. Bowen (angrily) I have the floor. The member Bowen knows what the invitation is, he is not to be compelled com-pelled to auswer orally. Kaymond moved aa this was prob- rtbk- Ihfi L.SI. I.i.lio ,vl. k beard that he be allowed lo rend. (Laughter.) Beecher interposed and said the church was a housebuld. They had no judicial power, When a man has been so long a member as Brother Bowen, he ought to have his own way. (Applause.) Bowen was then allowed to proceed. pro-ceed. Hi. said from his written statement state-ment that he knew what, was sufficient suffi-cient to convince him of Beecher's guilt, let the consequences be what they might, ami let them fall oa him and Bjccher on 1dm for his indiscretion indis-cretion in pouring his confidence into a Ipftky vessel, raid on Beecher for his guilt. The church ex imiuing committee com-mittee compelled him agVmst his will to tell the rcasjii3 for his silence. He told them he had reasons lor believing be-lieving Beecher ta be an impure man; licit he cou'd tell iho reasons before a proper tribunal, but that he would never give names. Taking advantage ol this the church commit" tee demanded all names anil narticn- j lars. Ho then oficrod to go before a j secret tribunal, wnich was refused. ; H'j then wont before the committee, I giving the facts, but wi hholdhig the 1 nainc-s, theiugh force was u.'ed, and j sue tug how .Mrs. Moulton suffered I they might demand eternally, but he ! would re.'use. A member heru queried whether Bowen still refund tu give names and (acts. Bowen (csoitedly) I do. and that is my -full answer. Silence will not benefit me, but I will protect those names, but if you still demand ail nnmes and particulars, Mr. Beecher, when you have gut thrr-ub. nim jujr questions vmi answer. Mr. Boweu then oflr-red to go before Mr. McKay, Mr. Garbell, Sir. S. V. White, and fcivu them Lie lacts that very moment, which convinced him that Uoeciie-r was au adulterer, the names tu bo kept secret. Beecher objected to teci.-cy. Giving Giv-ing the names of wunicn so long dead 1 lelt other names open to sur-piciun. (Applause.) He protested against ! secrecy. IE? had no reason for it. j (Applause.) j S. V. White- objected to receiving I i gross accusaiions against the pastor! :aud keeping them tecret. (Apnhuue. ) Brother McKay urged that Mr. Beecher ha as mueh interest as anyone- in tho facts, mid that Brother Bowen should tell what ho knew or take back all tho accusations against the pastor. Shearman proposed to accept Mr. Bowen's proposition, the committee to keep all names eret except from B weh it. licechcr objected to the star chamber proceed ing-i. His tongue was not tied. He had lain under that thing about as long aj ho cared to. Bowen here handed up a note to tho cllect that he would meet the three gentlemen named arid give j them tnc fact which convinced him long ago lhat Beecher was an adulterer. adult-erer. Beecher It is too bad for a man that eat fifteen years at the communion commu-nion (able, taking iho bread, and wine, knowing I was an adulterer. I AppiausH. Tne report of tho examining committee com-mittee charging Bowen with slander, etc., was adopted, and 11 committee nf three wero authorizt d to summon Mr. Bowen before lliem. Bowen was Ihon requested to retire with the committee com-mittee of three. '1 he examination T"oiniiiiUee then report etj serious charges of unchristian eonduet, etc., acainst Bowen. The matter was reierre-d to Mes.-rs. li. W. Pope.. C. O. Christiansen, JI. L. Pratt, JO. C. Le-Cumpto, Le-Cumpto, and Samuel Belcher, to repoit next Friday evening, various motions tu expel Bowen being voted down. |