Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-06-04

you to give my article the same pub
1icity in your daily and weekly as yor
gave that which so maligns my char
acter.
"Misstatement No. 1. when Mabel
gave promise of having an unusually
fine voice the Rev. Mr.. Blake under
took to give her instruction in the cul-
tivation of her voice. These lessons
naturally brought Miss Hull and the
clergyman very much in each others
society," The facts are the Rev. Mr..
Blake never undertook to give Miss
| Hull lessons in the cultivation of her
| voice as everyone who knows will
| testify. So the lessons which never
materialized could not naturally bring
Miss Hull and the clergyman very
much in each others company
"Misstatement No.2 'In the mean
| time (while Miss Hull was in Burling-
ton taking lessons of Prof. Reed and I
was at Highgate serving the Methodist
church) the relations between the
reverend gentleman and Miss Hull
had become such that he was obliged
to give up his charge and has since by
the action of the Methodist conference
been without one.' It was many
months after left Fairfax before Miss
Hull began taking lessons of Prof.
Reed, in the meantime had scarcely
seen her at all; consequently our
relations could not have been very
intimate.
'EI preached two years in Fairfax
and three years ago was appointed to
the Highgate charge. Nor was I
obliged to give up the Fairfax charge
on account of immoral conduct as
Rev. L. Q. Sherburne, my presiding
elder will affirm.
''Misstatement No. 8. Your CORES
pondent continues, and since by the
action of the Methodist conference
has been without one.' The last state
ment is so manifestly false that it
needs little explanation from me.
Every Methodist minister in the Ver-
mont conference and hundreds of
other people know that I have been
regularly appointed by the bishops Of
the Methodist church for three years
since closing my work at Fairfax, and
at my request to be near my friends
at Barton Presiding Elder J. O. Sher
burne succeeded in finding me place
on the St. Johnsbury district. This
year 7 desired a change of my confer
off 70
numerary, that I might occupy my
home at Barton, and the conference
granted it.
"After preaching for nearly quar-
ter of century the health of my wife
and myself demanded rest. 1t is a
little humiliating in justice to myself,
my friends and my conference to an
swer such malicious article as some
unknown enemy has prevailed upon
you to print. Especially is this true
my whole ministry has there been an
investigation of my conduct, never a
hearing for any wrong done, never
charge has been brought against me
for immoral conduct, nothing of the
kind has ever happened.
"Never in any quarterly conference
where I have lived has word been
said against my character. Every
year at the annual conference the
character of every Methodist minister
in good standing is passed.; each year
the presiding bishop calls the name of
each member and enquiries if there is
against the man, and his
presiding elder answers, nothing
against the BROTHER if this is true, and
if not an investigation follows.
1'To-day I am a member in good
standing of the Vermont conference
and the Vermont conference has
never taken any action which reflects
aught against my character.
eff any parties arenot satisfied with |
these statements I would refer them |
to my former and present presiding |
elders, namely, Rev. o. M. Boutwell,,
Rev.W. r. Puffer, Rev.W. D. Malcom,
Rev. P. N. Granger, Rev. S. Donald
son, Rev. L. 0. Sherburne and Rev.
J. 0. Sherburne.''
REV. A. B. BLAKE.
THE FAIRFAX SCANDAL.
The Fairfax people as community