Dr. Bacon On Mr. Beecher

JJr. Jjeonard Bacnn delivered a leoture, Thursday, before the Yale Theological School upon the recent Congregational Couucil, giving his viewa upon the resulta acoompliahed, with his onstoinary clearness uud power. The lecture concluded with the following admirable tribute to Mr. Beecher : " And now some of you may think that what has been said has been dictated by siispicion of Mr. Beecher's purity. My theory of all these transactions and troubles proceeds on a belief in the highest Christian integrity of Mr. Beecher. I believe that the infainous women who have started this scandal have no basis for it. (Applause.) If it was their testimony alone, it would not be worth kicking a dog for. But I doubt not that he haa his infirinity, which is to let unprincipled men know too much of him. I object not to his being a friend to publica ns and sinuere. Our Lord was. But the harlot who washed His foét with her tears, and wiped them witn her tresses, was a repentant harlot. Soono must hcdge himself in a little. And you, as you go out to preaoh, be on your guard, lest in your anxiety to do good to the low, you be come liable to be charged with their sins. " Another part of niy theory is that Mr Beecher's magnanimity is unspeakable. I never knew a man of a larger and more generous miud. One who was in relations to him the most iutimate posgible, said to me, ' If I wauted to seoure his highest love, I would go into a church meeting and acense him of crimes.' This is hia spirit. But I think he may carry it too iar. A man whose life is atreasure to the church universal, to his country, to his age, has no risht. to subiect the faith in it to such a struin. Souie one has said that Plyuiouth Church's dealing with offenders is like Dogberry's. The comparison was apt : ' If anyone will not stand, let him go, and gather the guard and thank God that you are rid of sueh a knave.' So oí' Lance, who went into the stocks, and the piüory to save his dog from execution tor stealing puddings and geese. I think he would have done better to let the dog die. And I think Mr. Beecher would have done better to have let vengeance come oh the heads of his slanderers. "But he stands before his Master, and not before men. I hope ever to feel the fullest confidence in his character, and to see his inÜuence enlarged and round out more and more. No one could give such a course of lectures as this last one of his here - which was the best- and show unconsoiously such a reach of spiritual experience and growth, without being pure and noble. (Applause.) Andin this feeling the council shared. Dr. himself said to me, as he went out of the church after Dr. Storr's address, in which he paid his high tribute to Mr. Beecher's character and work, ' That passage should be saved to be Mr. Beecher's funeral eulogy, for it could never be exceUed.' "