Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-06-21

BrsHop HOPKINS. ON THE SUBJECT OF
NATIONAL EDUcATIoN. We have cut
from an English paper, the Standard. the
following speech. reported 10 have been
delivered by the Bishop of Vermont, at The
anniversary Of the National Education
Society Of England. We are quite Ger
tam that the Bishop was either misunder,
stood or mlsrepresented, on the subject {
m established church. In the EnglIsh
sense OF an establishment. the sentiments
ascrbed to him are not, as stated IN the
speech, "the sentiments of all Episcopalan
in this country" None in this country
have ever proved themselves more deter
mined opponents TO ecclesiastical encroach
men's upon civil liberty than the members
Of their own communion Southern Church
man.
The speech is thus reported:
"The Chairman begged leave 10 introduce to the
meeting prelae of the Episcopal Church in The
Unied States, who had honoreh the meeting bv his
presence, and on whom I've had the liberty nf ca ling
| to express his views on the present occasion.
| "Ihe Bishop Of Vermont said. as allusion had
been made 10 The voluntary system in America, lie
! felt himself bound 10 stale what he true opinions
Of the Episcopaians in that country were. The
| Episcopalian Church was thrown by war loose Of
all parties, and in that state Of Independence the
voluntary system introduced by necessity /; but
the sentiments Of all Epscopalians were that every
government SHOULD be connected with the Church
| Of God an union not needed BY The Church, but
bv HE Stale (chrer.); and that. excep, the favor
Of God wete secured. all exertions Of legislative
wisdom would I've speculative and vain. The U.
STATES had no establishment, not from objection,
hut from necessity, and consequently nigh he ex.
! i,p iuk, ina pl,.,r IN
Of the education Of the people, he begged 10 inform
the meeting that AT The last Convention il was
agreed that the Church should take as much was
practicable Of The education of The counir, on itself,
particularly Of all those protesting its faith. The
CoM enlion arrived al This conclusion from he grea,
influence Of The Church Of Rome IN America.
Education the ghi arm Of strength, and
monasreries daily increased There no proc
lama'ion, there was no trumpet sounded bv The
Catholics, but their schools flled with children,
the majority Of whom were Pro,estanis. The
sentiments of the people Of the Unied States were
in harmony with the main principles of the day
proceedings. The Americans, when they looked at
The establishment Of The Church Of England in.
Qured whether The Reformation was right or
wrong If right, it followed ,ha, The Establish.
ment must be part Of The Constitution OF the
country, and they believed that The English nation
owed 10 the Church the proud distinction of being
the greatest people in The world. (Cheers
We copy the above-- which we observe
is going The rounds OF the papers--for the
purpose Of expressing the conviction that
it is downright Libel on The Rev. Gentle.
man alluded to. The "Standard," from
which the report emana'es. belongs to The
penny class of English periodicals, sort
If ao fovt ,;,h ,..I =
the paramount object, even at the expense
of truth and justice. Bishop Hopk ms en-.
ierlatns no such sentiments himself. aud
he is assuredly man Of too much int H..
gence and observation to have thus gross
" mistaken the real sentiments Of his
countrymen. We have no hesitation in
saying hat he never made the declarations
attributed to hlm