The Washington times., 1911-11-05
REV. Y. +. SCHM|TT
FOREGO[S SERMON
| TO DENY CHARGES
81. Joseph's Pastor, From
Pulpit, Lashes Mantle Said
Il Spread Falsehood.

Fhe Rev. Valentine r. Schmitt, paste,
Of st. Joseph's Catholic Church, pub
hely denied from his pulpit this morning
that he had In any way procured the
bequest to st. Joseph's Church OF a
portion of the estate of the late Bernard
Clark. Father Schmitt made this denial
I'M lieu Of sermon, and he took occa-
sibn to charge Bernard Clark's brother
J9Seph Clark, of Washington. with in
stigating newspaper articles about the
request, which Father Schmitt declared
ware cruel ISLANDERS.
1lr. Clark, who had heard by letter
from Father Schmitt that this public
3 utterance would be made, was himself
In he congregation, accompanied by his
wife.
Father schmitt announced as his text
the commandment "Thou shalt: not bear
false witness against thy neighbor,'' and
followed this with the quotation Lying
lips are an abomination In the sight of
God"
VI am making an exception today"
said the priest. .,'and instead of COM
menting upon the Gospel shall discuss
q matter which concerns me personally.
There have been various reports in the
Washington and Buffalo newspapers
) concerning will which the late Ber-
nsrd Clarke made, in which he left a
small amount Of property to st. Joseph's
parish; not to me personally, but to
FMr. Clark grew lonely as he grew
olderi n life. He had no child. He had
feeble he determined to enter home.
and SO he did, paying the sisters for his
keep.
hnv MT hp,A hat 1,u
had left Washington. I never corre-
spcnded with him directly nor indirect
~. never had a letter. of any sort
from him nor ever wrote him.
capped my memory. 1t. was ave OF
six years ago that he left this city
Consequently was greatly surprised
: to hear from Buffalo that he had left
small sum.
CLARK was not wealthy. though he
paid his pew rent here years ago with
great regularity. but he never gave q
can remember of. He has beaueathed
two lots lying in Brookland, which are
not worth much. In tact do not be-
lieve they are worth as much as they
twenty years ago.
sT have. been q priest forty-four
years and never have I received
Never have l directly or indirectly
been charged with any sort of dis
! pnesty and now these charges are
n,Ade against me and publicly bruited
about. 3
eIt is to set myself right with MY
parishioners that / am discussing this
matter for I owe 1t to you and to my
telf so to do. I know that non-Cath-
oftcs. some of them, believe thai
Priests haunt the chambers Of the dy-
Ing, trying to get them to make be.
quests, and because this erroneous be-
lief Is held by some. 1t Is peculiarly
unfortunate that I a priest Of tine
church, should he now so slandered,'
Father Schmitt then went on t.
charge that Joseph Clark, the brother
OF Bernard Clark, is responsible fol-
these cruel, malicious ISLANDERS which
have been printed in the Washington
and Buffalo papers"
Father Schmitt announced that he in
tends to sue Mr.. Clark for libel unless
the latter makes retraction, and In or.
der that his congregation should make
no mistake about whom he was re
ferring, the priest said, "I mean, Jo
seph Clark. Of 1104 B street northeast.
~ bear no malice toward Mr.. Clark,
he concluded. II preach and try tc
practice that we must forgive the tres
phsses of others If we are to have oul
trespasses forgiven us. But ! owe 1
to myself as well as to others, to cleal
MY name Of these SANDERS" ..A