The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-01-21
Philadelphia.
Correspondence of the Herald


PHILADELPHIA, January 10, lS45.
Excitement among Philadelphia Episcopalians-
Anriety to see the Ne,o York Hrald-Reai Source
Of the Onderdonk Persecution Conservation
OF the Onderdonts originally caused by the Lou
Church Fdction-Rev Bird WILSON of the Semi.
nary.
DEAR BENNETT =
Your interesting sketches of evidence in the On
derdonk case have been read by the pious ones
amongst us with an avidity absolutely indescriba-
BILE. No sooner has the New York mail arrived,
than crowds throng the several agencies of your
widely circulated journal in this city, in anxious
anticipation of further developments in the sero.
comic drama of Episcopal peccadillos. The ladies
especially, with whom your impartiality and high
moral sensiblllty have made you particular favo-
rite, are unable TO dine with good apPetites until
they have read Bennets piquant record o. pastoral
tenderness and ministerial dalIiance. AS Tor the
Evening Mirror" and Willis unworthy suspicious
and ungallant imputations in reference to the an
gec creatures who frequent the vestries and con-
vocational circles of our churches, no language
10 strong enough to express the Indignation and
scorn with which they have been read by our pious
fair GEOGRAPHICALLY those Of the Episcopal COM
munion OF our city, who have always maintained
reputation for moral purity and refined piety far
beyond that accorded to the ladies of any other
denomination whatever.
The base motives actuating the prosecutors of
your udicious pen to just and merited reproach It
is not be denied that the adversaries of the Bishop
are entirely destitute of the kind of character
which only can justify them in taking the attitude
they have assumed as indicators of female inno-
cence. They are, II Is confessedly clear, as deep
in crime as is the reverend gentleman whom they
pretend to denounce for his moral transgressions,
but whose theological offences are the real source
Of his obnoxious position amongst the 8. wolves in
sleeps clothing" Had the scriptural maxim been
observed, and no stone thrown but by one without
sin. the prosecuted ordainer Of Carey had been un-
moested by charges of official indecorum.
The sober reality of the Onderdonk persecu-
ton is simply in his Puseyite predictions, and if
he had been impeached and tried on this ground,
there could have been none 30 unreasonable as to
have said or done ought against such proceeding.
But there is something SO ineffably base, hypocri-
teal, and unnanly- something, in one word, so
perfectly low church in deposng prelate for one
offence, and charging him with an entirely differ
ent enc, that all hands, here at least, raised up
in execraton of an act of treachery and falseho0d
so unjust and ungenerous.
The same despicable game has been played by
the same faction in our city, in reference to the
charged with long catalogue of moral defects,
but one OF which was of sufficient moment to
have excited the least attention, had not the old
church fanaticism and insolence in Its efforts to
disorganise and remodlfy the doctrine and disci-
pline of the Episcopal Church in the United States
The turbulent and unprincipled zealots who are at
since the conservation Of the Onderdonks been
engaged In furious war upon the supporters OF
the old school of Episcopacy, comprisiAg, as
they do. all the learning, responsibility, and
plety of that denomination in this country 1t
will be remembered that the election Of Rev
Wilson (now of the Theological Seminary Of New
York) to the Episcopal Church of Pennsy lvania,
was lost through the faeous opposition of the same
Infamous cabal, which has now procured the sus-
pension of the two Onderdonks, and that it is
only to the overstrained modesty of that worthy
divine (who refused to vote in his own favor, and
thus forever crush the Evangelical clique in this
diocese) that it is now indebted for the power it
possesses, and which it exercises with 30 little re-
numbered, and its downfall cannot be far eff, un-
less the intelligence, honesty, impartiality and
piety OF the American people have entirely desert
ed them.