The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-09-29

Annual convention OF the protestant Epis-
copal Church Of the Eastern Diocese OF
New York-The Puseyite Controversy be-
gun-Bishop and Clergy versus Clergy and
Laity--The Right Rev. Bishop Onder-
donk's Heterodoxy and the Right Rev
James Watsoa Webb's Orthodoxy-(ireat
Excitement now, and much Christian
Damnation OF Dissenting Brethren by
both parties I'm expectancy.
As We stated yesterday, the Fifty-ninh Annual
Convention OF The Protestant Episcopal Church,
Tor the Eastern Diocese of New York, has be-
gun, and Is the most interesting that we have on
record. The flame of Puseyism, which Tor
some time previous had been burning brightly and
hotlyi in Europe, has burst forth in America in this
diocese, and here now are assembled the clergy
the laity-the ordainer and the ordained-Ihe
Puseyite and the -Puseyite-and each rank has
It's chosen champions. The representatives, sent
from among the laymen of the churches Of the
State, are distinguished among their fellow men
tor high moral and intellectual ability-men who
have the mind to think, the power to reason, and
the disposition to guard the rights OF their church
against every clerical innovation and doctIinal
heresy. We noticed in their seats some of the
proudest ornaments of the Bench-the Chief u.s.
tice Jones, Judges Oakley and Kent, Messrs. John
Duer, John Anthem, William Jay, David B. Ogden,
Stephen Cambreling, Thomas Adds Emmett, d d.
Barnard, James Stephenson, James Fennimore
Cooper, and host of others of equal talent and
high responsibility. The clergy number many
bright and distinguished Doctors, whose deep theo-
logical researches and acknowledged learning will
render them antagonists OF no doubtful strength
when the moment has arrived when the so-called
heresy shall light up the torch of dissent, and call
into the polemical arena the champions of the two
great parties. The grand topic is, whether b shop
Onderdonk will be supported in the stand which he
has taken in the ordination OF young divine, whose
principles on the doctrines of the church, as re-
cognised by the great body of the laity and
clergy OF the American Episcopalians, were cons-
dered as Improperly based, and inclining to the
discarded tenets OF the Church OF Rome. Among
the clergy, the Bishop has many friends; but the
mass OF the lay delegates supposed to be hostile
to the course of the Diocesan. The great tug will
be in the election for officers, and every effort is
making on beth sides to secure victory. The
proceedings of the first day of the convention (Wed
nesday) were not OF marked character. In the
annual charge of Bishop Onderdonk, which occu
pied very nearly an hour, no allusion to the ques-
ton was made. The charge was listened to with
the most eager anxiety by all present, and many
felt relieved as it ended. The subject was of itself
OF deep interest to every Protestant, it treated of
the history OF the Church in Europe, both prior to,
and consequent upon the Reformation and trans
planting of that Church to America and its growth
and importance. The unhappy influences of the
converts from the schools of philosophy, upon the
pure and simple elements of Christianity, as taught
BY the Saviour, and spread throughout the nations
OF that day by the humble apostle and the meek
disciple-the wild speculative theories on Church
government, and acquisitions on doctrines simple
IN themselves, but involved In doubt and cunnngly
devised cavls, hurried along the curious and the
presunptous, until error filled the place of truth
and Christianity became bye-word among the ma
tons of the word-until the cleansing broom Of the
Reformation swept from the arches OF the church
the cObwebs OF superstition and prestcraft, reveal
ing them bright and unsulied based in truth and gos
pei purity, supporting the dome of the Christian re-
religion il mistaken security.
He reviewed the unhallowed connection of the
Church and State, which was founded and marked
by corruption and blood-temporal kings employed
the power of the church TO further their grasping
ambition. and too often was the cross subjected TO
the unholy keeping of men whose God was the
world and whose religion was temporal dominion.
The sin OF worldliness in every age the great
stumbling block of the Christian religion, and he
took occasion here to impress upon his psesbyters
the imperious necessity which existed why they
should labor more necessarily to restore the cha
racter OF the church in the present day-to bring
back from that contact with worldly motives and
store il to the influence OF that spirituality,
ness and gentleness, which were its original cha
racteIstics This should be done with frnness
and decision-by steady effort on the part of the
clergy TO Undue their focks with spin uality and
the true faith given to his church by It's founder.
He then discussed the position the Protestant
Church occupies in reference to the Catholiciiy Of
It's basis He commended That it was not, as too
many are apt to do, based in Professionalism, but
upon Its evangelical character; and this was the
very stronghold OF the komanist, and from which
position Is the duty and obligation Of Protestant
ism to drive her, and to show her that she has for
felted, by her abuses, the right TO It's occupation
10 show her and TO covnce the world that il is
church that truly deserves this name by its protest.
Ing against those errors that deprived Rome OF It's
enjoyment. And then the Bishop went on to show
that but for those errors, ONE was right and Ca
thoic, and that it was not true that mere Profess
tantsm was true Christianity as taught by Chris.
and his apostles.
Another of the errors of Pro,estants of the pre-.
sent day was the belief that every thing in the
church OF Rome was wrong There was time
when she, well as the rest of the eai!y church,
was evangelical and catholic in her teachings and
her practice. II was by the addition, for worldly
purposes, of unworthy and merely human append.
ages, that she became impure and corrupt, and il
was these abuses that the Protestant Episcopal
Church protested against
The concluding portion Of the charge was re-
vlselng the embarrassing circumstances under
which the church, in its struggles with the purtans
the papists and the followers OF Fox, met in the
early history of this country and in connection
with this, dwelt upon the tendency 10 indifference
IN religious matters which was superinduced by the
division OF Chrstendom into SO many different
sects. He availed himself of this ausion to enforce
upon the clergy the Importance OF zeal, firlnness
and energy, in the fulhImen OF the great work they
had assumed to perform. To this end he invoked
the blessing of Almighty God upon their efforts, in
dlvidualy and as a church
The sacrament was administered after the charge,
nd mi surp riSey ms est
and lalty, the Bishop directed that the consecra-
ted elements remaining after the communicates hac
partaken thereof, should be received and eaten by
the persons present, according to the rule laid down
give rise to further protests is uncertain, though il
was done In perfect strlcfness with ecclesiastical!
requirement.
The Right Reverend DR.. Doane, Bishop of New
Jersey, was, by special invitation, seated on the
right hand OF the Bishop. The Rev. Benjamin /.
Halght was elected secretary. by a ring aace vote