The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-31
THE GRAND ARMY AND THE CHURCH
An Extraordinary Feud Between G. A. r.
Post and the Church People.
stoughton (Mass) Special.

An Extraordinary Feud Between = G. A. r.
Post and the Church People.
stoughton Mass Special.
The feud between the churches and the Grand
Army post in this town has assumed a serious
phase. The drawing of the S., 600 in prizes for
the benefit of season ticket holders at the recent
fair instead of being abandoned was an
nounced, took place privately last evening, and
the arrest of all concerned in the lottery is said
TO be sure to follow The actual drawing of the
prizes was done by several prominent citizens
not connected with tie Grand Army, who as
sumed the responsibility. The excitement and
bitterness engendered by the affair have be-
come so great that anonymous sympathizers
with the Grand Army men have descended to a
crime that will bring serious consequences upon
the authors if they can be detected. Within a
day or two the parish eommitte of the Univer-
salist Church in the center of the town received
the following letter:
Gentlemen: L am very sorry to be obliged to write
this note, but unless you instruct your minister to
stop the proceedings against the Grand Army your
church will be burned just often you fit to
rebuild it. This is not done for any scare. [ mean
every word of it. and have plenty to back up in it,
Perhaps it would be well for you to take warning be-
fore 1t is too late. Yours truly, --.
There was, of course, no signature to the
cowardly missive Rev. @. r. Tenney, pastor
OF the church, to-day read the letter from his
pulpit with appropriate comment. A similar
letter was received by Rev. G. H. Ever, pastor
of the Methodist Church. The writer threat
eHeu also 10 Durn the parsonage IN winch Mr.
Ever and his family lived Rev. Mr.. Ever
does not desire to have printed the communiea-
ton at present, as it might defeat the ends of
justice. The State police will use every eff
fort to trace the anonymous letters. Rev. Mr.
Ever states that he will at once cooperate
with others in prosecuting all in any way
connected with the prize drawing of last even
ing. To-days developments, the threatening
letters especially, have naturally created no
small sensation in town. While on the question
of interfering with the prize-drawing there is a
division of opinion, there is nothing but con
demnation of the cowardly threats of incendiar
ism and arson. The members of the Grand Army
post, of course, repudiate the crime.
The Stoughton Sentinel of Saturday contains
letter from Rev. G. III. Ever, replying to
tain reflections upon him, and charging the post
with dishonorable dealings with the several
clergymen. He asserted that his church was
practically unit in opposition to the lottery.
He writes: THE Methodist Church in Stoughton
does not exist by permission of the gambling fra
ternity and asks no favors of them for
the tn future future" Go, Continuing, he said 81
A. R., has acted disloyally dishonorably,
and with intent to deceive and to such an ex-
tent as to forfeit the confidence and support of
the community" To support this assertion he
reviewed the course pursued by the post in
arranging for the lottery after they were
warned of it's illegality He claimed that when
the post found itself foiled in its plan for lot
lottery year2 ago. IA committee of the post
waited on two of the clergymen in Stoughton,
and in the name of the post requested them to
read notices of the fair to their congregations,
with the distinct understanding that all object
lonable schemes were to be eliminated from the
programme These assurances were received by
the ministers in good faith, and the notices were
read as requested. Having done all
this the post did make use of lottery
methods, the prize tickets only excepted
The ministers found that their confidence
was gained by false pretenses, and then be-
trayed, and one of them was further insulted
when he visited the fair by being solicited to
take chance in a fve-dollar check. The G. A
r. has warmer friends than the Stoughton
elergYmen. We do not believe that the end
sanctlies the means Hence, while we approve
of all charitable purposes, we disapprove of all
illegal and immoral methods We propose to
keep the churches above reproach, if personal
influence and earnest persistent work will do it,
We mean to be true to the best moral interests of
society. believing that there can be no perma-
nent material prosperity on any other basis. If
the G, A r. post or any other organization
does right, we will be with them to the extent of
our ability in every good word and work. If
they do wrong, shall be against them every
time In very important sense the moral in
terests of the community are committed to our
keeping, and we intend to be true to the trust"