National Republican., 1883-04-06
DIR. BIanchard ana the Ford Funeral.

10 HC fuUOT
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN of April Cd
contains an article of column length, which
contains msstatements Of facts injurious to
myself and to those whom / represent as
president of "Thc National Christian asso-
Ciation," which has auxiliary associations in
nineteen states, and which last September
unveiled a monument to William Morgan
which cost So $50, which sum was paid by
more than two thousand persons living in
twenty different states. The letter of MIR.
Thurlow Weed was addressed to and read in
the convention which unveiled that monu-
ment. do not accuse the misstatements of
which ! complain as necessarily malicious;
but | ask their correction. l declare: L.
| That did not "assail secret societies over
Il corpse" .. That IL is not true, as stated,
that / was reading n Chicago paper when
your reporter came into my bed room on sun
day night. | was reading the Bible, but arose
and took u paper to answer his questions ..
| | did not say that Mr.. John A. COnant, of
Connecticut, and myself were nominated by
the National Christian association. We were
nominated by national convention of the
| American party. /. My statement concern
ing ex-senator PomcrOy is inaccurately re-
ported 3. Not Mr.. GODDARD but Mr. Stoddard
purchased our property ON Four-and-half
| street q. 1t is not true, Mr.. Ford informs
me, that members of secret societies or So
| cety visited and nursCd his son.
| The statement that | assalcd secret So
cieties over a corpse is the only one l care
| to explain:
Mr.. Milton Ford, member Of DR.. Sunder
| lands church. an old citizen and property
| holder of Washington, asked me to preach at
| the funeral of his son. Knowing that secret
societies wished to bury him, / consented
only on condition that there was no objection.
On my arrival at the house Mr.. Ford said to
\ me: THE way is open; the pastor cheerfully
! consents, and the friends are expecting you to
| preach"
-Four upright and worthy men have lately
| lectured here against the lodge, viz: Stod-
dard, Hinman, Starry, and Michael and they
have found or made disciples. Since my
coming | have preached in the First (Dr.
| Sunderland's) and spoken twice in the Sixth
| Presbyterian church, have taken part in
temperance meetings in Masonic and Odd
| Fellows halls, and also in the Fruit Growers
and the reception of Bessie Beach," In all
this speaking l have never once alluded to
secret societies, near or remote. And some
honest people began to think i rcfraned
from cowardicc or policy, and not from mo-
| tives of decency and propriety. And at the
| funeral several urged me vehemently not to
| discuss secret societies,
TO quiet the anxiety of these two classes,
before taking my text, | said my respected
| friends, several persons have manifested
| great anxiety AS to what am about to say.
| This church has not been engaged and %
| funeral is not the place to discuss secret So
cieties. ] shall therefore say not one word on
that subject" My brief allusion to Gen.
Pike and to future discussion was intended
to quiet those who began to think | was
afraid or ashamed to discuss question in
which every American citizen is vitality in
terested. 1t was just, becoming and right
| that | should make that brief preliminary
statements and The REPUBLICANS correct
report of the sermon shows that it contained
not the remotest allusion to secret orders.
/ Therefore the statement that " assaled Sc
cret societies over a corpse" is not only
wholly untrue, but the exact opposite of the
truth, as all those who were present know.
|. BLANCHARD.
| President Wheaton college, Illinois.