The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-04-12
NYADTNq VIZ ToRB.

ReY. DR.. Blanchard, who will be well
remembered by many of our readers in
connection with the meeting OF the
Anti-Secret Association held in this
city some months ago, has distinguished
himself 10 very uDsavory manner, as
the following statement from the Chi
cago Inter Ocean will show:
The Rev Mr. Blanchard, president of
Wheaton college. must be no little of q
monomanic on the subject Of secret So
cIeties. There is something grotesquely
revolving IN his breaking of in the
midst of funeral service because his
remarks denunciatorY of secret orders
we're objected To by friends OF the dead
man. The incident is remarkable as an
instance OF religious intolerance I'M
expected in these times. Mr.. Blan-
chard, at the time in Washing
ton, WAS invited II preach the
funeral sermon of young man who in
his life had been a member of the
secret order that had taken upon itself
the sad duty of his burial. The solemn
ceremony was conducted in the Metho-
dist church, the Rev T. E. Morgan. the
regular pastor, being listener. Sud-
denly diverging from the course of re-
marks usual on such occasions, Mr.
Blanchard delivered himself of a series
of invectives against secret societies with
all the yehemence aud hatred thatehar-
acterized his lectures on the subject OF
Masonry, etc, some years ago. This
startling disregard of the sorrowful ma
turc OF the occasion produced such a
shock on the sensibIlitIes OF the sister
of the dead Thai she Was thrown into
violent Mysteries, aud finally faint
ed. PausiDg merely 10 say, "Open
the windows, some of you," Mr..
Blanchard was about TO proceed when a
brOther-in-law of the stricken lady
begged him to desist. This Mr.. Blanch-
ard declined to do, declaring: "Milton
Ford. the dead mans father. asked me
to offlciate. Isn't that so, Mr.. Ford 90
The father, an old man, deeply affected
by the distressful scene, arose and said
that it would be better that the sermon
stop. Even tins protest against his
course did not produce the desired effect
and il was not until some very decisive
and perhaps threatening expressions
came from various parts of the church
that Mr.. Blanchard gathered up his
manuscript and in an offended manner
walked out of the church. Mr. Morgan
finished the services.
1t seems incredible that a clergyman
could liaYe so far forgotten his functions
and his profession. To fetish the preju
dices of the platform and pour them
over the sacred shrine where sorrow
weeps for it, dead, and To there insult
the friends WHO as Brotherhood are
met TO pay mortality its final tribute,
was not only offensive To decency. but
was a violation of the holy principles the
stiender assumed To represent on earth,
| For years Mr.. Blanchard has lectured
against secret societies, and has al times
created some sensation by his
utteranccs, facts well known
to the frienGs of the de
ceased. But il was thought that in his
heart there was enough of charity and in
his soul enough of forbearance to bid
him respect the solemnity of an Occs'
sion where he was chosen as CONSIDER
and comforter. The shadow. of tue black
angel is supposed to obliterate all hu
man faults, condoDe all human frailties
and it is rarely that one has bitterness to
fling into the grave where even crime is
buried; never before, since the white
light of civilization flooded the Christian
Church, has one of its servants profaned
the rites of burial by opening phials OF
hate above the peaceful dead.