Litchfield enquirer., 1844-01-18
No. "a. WnoLE No. sls.

"
by defining your terms. In answering your arou.
mentssI shall have the opportunity Il deere ~
Issprove that this dogma is pregnant with
able evils, theological social and civil. and that Il
Is unscriptural, &C! &C.
beg from you three definitions, which are indis-
pensable to = right understanding Of your PROPOSE
/ /. What is the Church
2. What is the Catfolicity Of the Church
8. What is a Bishop.
With an apology for OBTAINING you and your rea-
ders so long, believe me. very respectfully,
| Your odI1't servant,
GEORGE POTTS.
| The Rev. DR.. Wainwright denies altogether that
is the challenger in the theological controversy
NOW going on between himself and the Rev. Dr..
Potts. Dr.. w. says under date Of January sth
In your first letter you throw out to me con-
tngent challenge In case uttered certain senti-
ment, and then you distinctly enunciate an afirma-
1--WE and express yourreadiness to prove
It, Let me recall to you your own words Sc Twill
hold myself ready to prove that this proposition,
VIZ. that there cannot be a church without 4
Bishop) is pregnant with innumerable evil conse-
quences, theological, social and civil land anti-re-
publican in its character" In your second letter
You confess that your attitude is that Of the chal-
Ilenger by acknowle dging that you have precluded
yourself from any right to insist upon the oral or
any other form Of discussion, this being my priyi-
lege as the challenged party. This is your lan-
guage-"i have, however, precluded myself from
any right to insist upon this, and indeed any other
form, but the object of this note is to request YOU
to meet me half way &C. And now in Your let
fer Of Saturday you coolly turn round and tell me
IN ei1ecfthat am the challenger, and call upon
7'e 70 commence the discussion.
| II YoU DrD UNDERSTAND M pHopesrrIor. = :.
WORSE THAN TRIFLING TO CALL UPON NE NOW
TO TELL you WHAT IT MEANS. IF YoU DID NOT
| UNDERSTAND, WHAT RIGHT HAD roU TO PROVE
IT TO BE s aslscsipturdl, asehGritatie, setssDtof-
seak, ard 0nts-repubhcan" Besides, as theolo-
gian You ought to know the meaning Of maxim
which has been extant in ecclesiastical language
for centuries upon Centuries and within the last
three thoroughly debatedby the ablest
| theologians.
You advert again TO my speech at the New-Eng-
Hand dinner. Presenting that you have not vet Ia
ken the pains examine an accurate report Of Il.
little as it deserves to be obtruded before the pubc
append one in order that you may have no farther
apology for misrcpresenting its bearings. 81
Now, Will You be kind enough to exanine nv
language! DO say that throw down the gaunf-
let, or wish or intend to throw it down No.-brIt
that u thrown down shall be ready to take it up.
| Yea have thrown il down, and Ihave taken ii up.
You bear on your shield motto propounded some
three centuries ago Ecclesia sine Episcopo--.a
Church ecskao',t g Bishop. bear on mine the
j OuaiC WiilSu was VII DdHHeEA OF the UNIVERSAL
Church, without dispute or challenge, for 1000
years. and which, though since challenged, is vet
borne without wagering by far the greater portion,
| Of Christendom. Natlla Ercclesio sine EpiscopO
NO Church acithosa a Bishop. These notices
we have respectively borne and gloried in since we
became teachers Of the Gospel, and we might have
continued to bear them peacefully each in his own
/ separate theological walk; but you have gone out
Of your way to challenge n-;-.. + Laye accented
f,ss.ser of csmpat, noWEyex rel uctantI ny
t. ad How GaR eks saa Sc s ssad
the rest, you stop and wish to deprive me Of the
priyeledge Of the delied. Is this knightly or, in
the language Of polished life, is it courteous? or
in the better language Of religion is it kind r.
Charity stIfereth long and is kind, Is not easily
| provoked-thinketh no evil, &c,
| As to the unchurching dogma" and the conse-
quences you so literally draw from it, shall be
mistake as to the opinions and feelings Of Church.
men, when you come, to sustain that division Of
| Your proposition, :" uncharitable."
DR.. Wainwright concludes his letter as follows:
sln conclusion, therefore, / have only to RE-
PEAT that did make the assertion, though not
meaning it as a challenge; and that if You choose
to redeem your pledge. am ready to meet you.--
Hyou do not choose, You are at liberty to recede,
and stand in the position ] occupied when you
called upon me, and from which /, shall not be
either enticed or driven"
DR.. Wainyights Speech at the ASsc England
H. Fee Dinner.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen--I cannot for a
moment doubt that the expression, !" The Clergy Of
| New England" in the sentiment Just given was
intended to embrace all of every name and shade Of
religious belief and therefore, having myself once
been an humble member of that venerated body, I
venture, in behalf ofa express to you cur thanks
for this honorable mention Of US, and for the manner
in which the uotice has been responded to.
On all suitable occasions would be the last to
shrink from avowing and maintaining the distinct
i've principles Of that Church Of which have the
gerat privilege of being minister. In such an en-
counter Isould not fear, bold and presumptuous an
the declaration may seem, to confront even the Or.
ator Of the day who has so gloriously discharged
his task, and in the presence Of many Of US this
morning has hung around the naked rock of Ply
mouth strings Of richest pearl and diamond in his
eloquent address. Isay ! should NOT fear to con-
trovert even him. In apart Of this splendid per-
Torrance, speaking of the Puritans. who in the
reign Of Mary were driven by cruel prosecutions
from their native land to seek refuge in Geneva,
he asserted that they there found (" government
without King, and Church without q Bishop.n
notwithstanding the appreciation with which
this sentiment was then and is now received, 4
must declare were this the proper arena, and were
even that distinguished gentleman to throw down
the gauntlet on this question, should not for an
instant hesitate to take II up, and to maintain,
the opposite side, that there can be no CAsu;ch
a6ikhost Bishop. But such discussions are prop
erly banished from this place and this society Here
we know nothing of distinctive or sectarian opin-
ions upon the great questions Of religion. And r
reoice that not only here but throughout thelength
land breadth Of the land, whenever the clergy are
II th,,s honOratiy mentioned no Driylege1 nrdef haA