Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-04-26
The Methodist Book Concern.

MViO bhol 1eui aSo NhO Shai Sc
was boldly made that the officers and
employees in and around the "Book
Concern" were robbing the Society
that somebody had pocketed large
amount of profits belonging to the
Concern.
Tho attempt to investigate the
fraud exceeds even that OF a Con-
gressional or Legislative corruption
committee, who usually exhaust their
time and talents to cover up frauds,
or, chow not to discover them"
1t is bad enough when one politi.
clan charges another with corruption
and their aiders and abettors attempt
to conceal and cover up the fraud and
deceive the public, but when Chris
tians attempt to shield evil doors on
the congressional plan il is time for a
revolution.
In order TO treat the question fairly
we publish an extract taken from
Hdrpsr'S Weekly and another from the
New York Sun, tho publishers of
which are warm friends of and mem
bcrs in high standing in the NJ. Il.
church, and know whereof they speak.
If the charges Of DR.. Lanaban arc truc,
somebody should be serving his term
in the Penitentiary instead of in the
Concern and if false, ho should be
expelled, disgraced and prosecuted
for libel Now, is there backbone and
moral honesty enough in the NJ. Il.
churcn to probe and expose fraud or
falsehood, or has the otllciary fallen
into the gutter of Congressional and
Legislative wrongs The editor Of
Hdrper's Weekly says
awe call attention TO the very i'm.
portant and suggestive letter of Judge
Reynolds 1t sets forth very clearly
the extraordinary conduct of the op-
ponents of DR. Lanahan in the matter
of the alleged Irregularities in the
Methodist Book Concern. Since the
trial of Dr. Lanahan was suddenly in.
terrupted he has been the object of a
series of most offensive articles, and
the attempt TO prejudice public opin-
ion against him Is manifest. Such a
course is as impoitic as II is scanda.
lous. From the first moment that
DIR. Lanahan presented his charges
the conduct Of the managers of the
Book Concern has certainly been sus.
picivus. His statements were simple
and direct. He was right, or be was
wrong. He took the full responsible.
ty OF tho disclosure, and II he were
shown TO have been wrong, the conse.
qucnccs would have fallen heavily,
and only upon himself.
"What then, was tho obvious and
honorable coursel What would any
honest man, conscious of unjust accu.
sation, have donel He would have
challenged the most prompt, prcmp.
tory, aud thorough investigation. lie
would have said, "Hore are my books
scrutinize them" And he would,
above all things, have protested against
evasion and oquivocation of every
kind. DR.. Lanahan has been always
ready TO substantiato his charges
and if to day nothing has been def.
nitoly asceriained-if now, toward
the close of the second year since his
statement was made, the inquiry has
been postponed, and the whole subject
confused in the public mind, il is not
his fault; nor is he to blame for the
general impression in the country that
the subject will not bear honest IN
vestigalion.
"As we said when the first publica-
ton was made, the honor and interest
of the denomination imperat,vely re
Quiro the most public aud conclusive
action-and II the confidence Of many
of the most faithful Methodists has
been shaken, if many OF them to-day
reflect sadly upon all the circumstances
Of this affair, it is not because DR.
Lanahan has mado charges, but bo
cause those charges nave not beer
disproved, and because thero is evi
dcntly moro disposition to abose bin
than to show that his charges ar
unfounded.
"Thc present difficulty is the choic
of accountants to examine tho books
aud Judge Reynolds truly says in hi
letter "lf there is nothing wrong II
the Book Concern, any number Q
men of our selection can not find i
b especially when under the control Q
chief in whom the other party ha
such confidence. II is much easier !
conceal than to create. Truly Di
Curry was right when he said that I
> outsiders 1T looks very much like
I gamo how not TO do it, That y
unquestionably, the general verdlr'