The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-10-01

should make the same 10 persons of tha
social class however pure may be their blood or how
ever transparent their skin 1t In impossible in the
ture OF things that such opposites should comminge
With any pleasure or satisfaction to either The coored
truth by separating themselves from the whites and
formng distinct congregations where they are not
tinusny numn'ed BY being treated as interiors Why
should not the principle which they have separated
be carried out IN the other branches
church organization?
Striking instances furnished In the early and Ia.
deed, every period of the history OF the Christian
church. Of conformity in outward things ana in matters
not essential 70 the customs usages and prudcss
OF the age nave In our country invstersts
toms and on the subject under consideration
which cannot be overcome Is it net the part Of wisdom
to submit to them until by change Of the
aston OF them shall to exist Would not our
present duty to this unfortunate fully performed
by extended and liberal efforts to improve thor minds
and their condition, by ntssstua culture by religious
ustr uctiou, and they advance ia and re.
hnoment BY relaxing the seventies Of caste which
separate until by degrees they become the
duties and enjoymeats Of higher social condition and
then admit them In public and private intercourse
to free and equal communion
The efforts Of zsalous phianthropsts to break down
the barriers which custom has interpossd and which
have long existed between the colored an other
and against the of society and the sentiments and
feelings Of the community to compel unnatural and
forced equality have hitherto been attended with results
equally unfortunate to tho peculiar objects Of their
ctude to the great interests and bensfcent insttu
lions in connection with which such efforts been
made They have been diI ected to schools
and not satisfied with thu abundant provision which has
In many places been made for tho education Of coored
children their special friends and advocates have insist
ed that they should be admitted TO the schools Of
the white children and have thus CAUSED dissen-
sion and conflict to the great injury Of those insttu
tions while feelings Of sympathy and
have been too frequently converted into disgust and
ger
Efforts of similar character, aud for the same pur-
pose have been made to give position In churches to
colorsd people, which would compel association ana in
tsrcourse with them 1t is obvious that such
but incipient steps to Interior objects in relation
the vsxsd and irritating subject OF slavery Beginning
with simple and apparently just propositions respecting
the abstract rights Of this portion OF population
their PROGRESSED friends and advocates have advanced
step STEP until they have prepared the way to agae
the bold question Of the Christian character Of those
whose sentiments do not accord with their own The
rending asunsr Of disruption Of societies
bitter animosties and all manner Of
have been the ipvsrable results
By the wise and prudent counse Of the fathers of our
church. eur denomination has been hitherto happily free
from the agitation Of these and kindred questions
land the consciousness have been peace and quiet
among ourselves and the respect Of others An instance
Of this caution 10 furnished In the Of st. Philips
Church. whose application to DO represented In the
vsntion is now under consideration. II appears from
the minutes of the standing committee Of this diocese
that in March, 1872 the application Of the smented
Bishop Hobart to that committee for advice in relation
to the admission Of colored person candidate for
upon the distinct understanding that in tho event
his being admitted to orders he should not be entitled
to seat In the convention should the
in is understood that these conditions appro-
we'd by the Bishop and assented to by the appi
has been organised and in existence for more than
quarter Of century, It has until now abded by the
terms thus settled The present applicants It is presu-
med not Of these arrangements Is not
to be supposed that they would intentionally be guilty
Of violation Of good faith Thus for this long period
has this question been actually and peaceaby settled
The legal moral and equitable right Of the convention
to determine what churches will admit into union
to enttle them to In this body
to our committee urqussonable The fourth Gamer
provides certain indispensable conditions entts any
church to admssion-but where Is 1t declared thai
these the only conditions and the invarisbs prac
tice Of the convention in taking the vote upon ad
mission Of church. shows that 1t has deserved to It.
self tho right Of judging Of the expedency Of the
sure afsr oil tho former requisites piled with
Otherwise the report Of the committee certifying to the
fact of such compliance, would be In itself conclusive
The provision in tho canon requiring the preimi-
nary appreciation Of the bishop OF the standing
mittee of the incorporation or such churchD relates
only the separate and independent existence the
grsgation corporate body, and not to its union
with, or representation in. this convention
Besides, the very requirements Of the canou--that
churches shall be politically Incorporated before admis-
sion into union with the convention, shows concusvey
that the right Of admission subject to regulation and
therefore that such question purely Of expedien
cy, and not QUE of Christian privilege or right
Cases may easily be conceived and such have actually
occurred, where IL would not emily be highly inexped
emit but grossly unjust existing churches to admit
into union new applicants. Various circumstances
less important will necessarily enter into the
consideration Of the convention In determining such
question.
In the short time allowed the committee to consider
unable to give such full exhibition of all the consids-
ratons which prepent themselves they would have
desired. They think, however, that they have said
enough to reflection, and to show how full Of diff
fculty would be the adoption of the principle In relation
to So Philips church, other colored congregsto
of admitting their to In this con-
vention IL once here they would be entitled to all the
consideration, and to participate In all the duties and
stations to which members may be assigned, shall
Practically repuiiate the principle which admitted them
IL Ia believed tina this convention, Tor instance
would send one OF them as deputy to the general
vention account of the offence 1t would occasion to
brsIaren of other doceses Thus their condition
would be practically and continually Of infeiory
and humiliation more painfully aggravated by the ex
pectation induced by act which apparently promised
their perfect equality Your committee do not believe
that such equality can be produced, that In the
nature Of things it exist In this community Great
and papabe inequality must prevail to the extent Of
preventing the colored from any active particpa
ton in church government; and We believe that
attempt to correct contrary TO the feelings and
OF country, would not only DO abortive, but
would be attended with the worst consequences to
nsity, our harmony and our efficiency They there
colored congregation be admitted into union with this
convention so as to entitle them to representation
therein. The consequences Of such . determin alton
probably will be- that such churches and congregations
will not be responsible co. under the government
control Of this convention, but will remain subject to
the ordinary jurisdiction Of their bishop; and when
their members become adequate have church
ellis Of their own for their peculiar government
All which is respectfully submitted,
REUBEN SHERWOOD,
j. q. SPENCER
Ert act from Minutes Of the Standing Committee of the
Diocese Of N,w York, March 8, 1919.
The right reverend the bishop of this diocese met the
committee consult with them his council of ad
ored man OF suitable qualifications and character with
view OF his taking charge OF congregation Of coored
people in the city Of New York. and after due debera
ton, 10 was the unanimous opinion Of the COMMITTEES
that under present circumstances II expedient To
admit - candidate for holy orders such person az
be Distinctly that neithar