The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-08-20
"Ex-PRIEsT" EXPOSED.
A Real Priest Attends Lecture and
Captures the Audience

The unusual spectacle of an alleged
ex-priest' opening a meeting and {
real priest closing it, amid the enthusi
asm and applaudits of all present, j:
we believe, something unusual il
these days; but such an incident oc-
CURED last week at tie little village
Of Wren, Ohio, ten miles from De
catur, Ind.
1t is just the style of village where
such lecturers" ply their trade. There
! is only one Catholic in the place, but
he was wide awake, and when he saw
the flamboyant announcements in
dodger form of Father Egbert
Stephen, a convert of the Catholic
| Church" and noted tie subject of his
| lectures, our Catholic friend notified
the Decatur knights of Columbus, who
at once took the matter in hand, and
called upon their pastor, Rev. H.
Theodore Wilken. for advice. Father
| Wilken consulted Rev. Valentine
! Lehnard, c. P, of Cincinnati, VINO was
| conducting Il retreat for the sisters at
/ st. Mary's school, and who at once
| signified his desire to meet the alleged
ex-priest and answer lis charges.
With this end in view, Father Will
ken, Father Valentine and Father
Eberle of Mishawaka, accompanied by
about forty Decatur Catholics, drove
over to Wren on Thursday evening
July IA. The lecture took place in the
U. B. church, and a large crowd await
ed Mr.. Stephens startling disclosures.
His subjects were announced in large
type as:
WHY I Left the Priesthood and
What 1 Saw Therein"
"A Priest, Woman, Confession.
THE Pope in American Politics.
An Evening Behind High Walls and
Barred Doors"
Hear the Experiences of His Life
While in the Monasteries of Rome
He told the same old story that after
many years in the priesthood, Prot
estant lady gave him a present of
Bible, and he had never read one be-
fore, and he became converted. He
claimed that John Wilkes Booth. TIE
murderer of Lincoln, was a Catholic,
and that the murderer of Mckinley
had been to confession two weeks be-
fore he committed the deed, and main
tanned that the priest in the confess
sional had melted him to the murder
Gus act.
The fact that three Catholic priests
sat just in front of him somewhat dis
concerted the reverend speaker, and
it was thought inspired him to modify
some of his statements. When he had
concluded, Father Valentino arose and
asked permission of the pastor of the
church to reply to tie statements Just
made, which permission was very
courteously accorded him. He spoke
eloquently and at some length, refut-
ing every accusation against the
church made by the alleged Father
Egbert," placing the truth in such
plain and effective manner that lie
aroused the warmest of enthusiasm
among those present. His words
weighted with earnestness and the
simple truth, carried conviction to the
hearts of his hearers.
AS the Decatur Daily Democrat ex-
pressed it: He took him up in pieces
and so completely answered every ac-
cusation that it ended in a Valentine
reception more than anything else.
1t was a complete vindication of !
the fact that the fellow is a dishonest /
rogue and has no moral right 10 ap-
pear on this side of earth champion
ing any cause that on its face appears I
Just. The many Decatur people pres I
ent enjoyed the one-sided drama and
say that Father Valentine fully, fairly /
and completely put the fellow out of I
business. Many of those present rush i
ed to the front and shook the hand of .
tie young priest and congratulated !
him upon the fdignified and just tribute |
he paid to the Christian cause he !
as well as to the manner
IN which he fiayed the pretender who
got up the meeting. The pastor of the
Z. b. church was also quite indignant |
and expressed himself in no uncertain
zones about the deception that had
oeen imposed upon them and caused |