Show RIVER AND HARBOR The President and the Alleged Ten Das of Grace in Bill Signing The Redemption of the Trade Dollar 12000 Acres of Land Restored to the Public Domain Ranchmen Murdered for Money Extraordinary Ex-traordinary Scene at a Meeting of Chicago Clergymen A KcUcion Discussion CHICAGO March 8 An extraordinary scene took place at the weekly meeting of Congregational ministers this morning The topic which camo up was the sickness from which Henry Ward Beecher is believed to be dying and the statement of some of the pastors present took the shape of resolutions of condolence which were proposed to be sent to Mrs Beeoher by telegraph This was opposed by a number of ministers their opposition being based on the alleged heterodoxy heter-odoxy of Beechers views regarding future salvation and punishment An acrimonious debate ensued and finally a motion to accept the resolutions was lost Great excitement prevailed and the utmost efforts were made to keep the affair from the newspapers The resolutions were offered by Rev E F Williams Wil-liams of South Church The principal ground for the opposition was Beechers views on the future state and Dr E P Goodwin among others contended that if the meeting as a body sent resolutions of condolence to the dying preacher their action might be construed into an expression expres-sion of opinion favorable to his theological sentiments This was not the only attack made however One minister arose and stated that he would not extend sympathy to a man who was charged with immorality im-morality and had never cleared himself him-self of it He said that he doubted that Mr Beeoher had established his I innocence of the offence of which he was accused by Tilton years ago The friends of Mr Beecher hotly attacked the speaker who had alluded to the scandal I The resolutions when put to an informal vote received a majority but were withdrawn with-drawn by the proposer who asserted that it would be in bad taste to send resolutions not made unanimous Rev V S Goodwin who opposed the resolutions refused to make public his reasons further than that he did not coincide with Mr Beeeher in matters of theology It wont do to make this matter public Mr Goodwin said wish the resolutions re-solutions had never been published or that I had never been there but once they were proposed and I was present it was my duty to speak against them Mr Beeoher and the majority of Congregational ministers did not agree on certain questions and those of us who opposed the resolutions feel that if passed they would place us before the public pub-lic in the light of sympathizers with Beeohers views If necessary I will make public at a future time all my reasons for opposing the message but cant tell now I know too much and many facts have come into my family Mr Beeohers brother is a member of my church Prof G B Wiloox who favored the resolutions reso-lutions said HI was deeply chagrined and mortified by the talk of certain ministers Mr Beeoher is member of the Congregational Congrega-tional body in good standing and there was no reason for withholding sympathy to his wife in her bereavement |