The New York herald., 1850-12-13

derelect for the last FIVE years, without head to
guide or govern it, leaving its ministers without
instruction and discipline, and its members to fall
prey to any all the active and Jealous sects by
which they surrounded. Now, the question
necessarily arises, who responsible for this state
Of things? We answer the question, ard say, most
assuredly, so far as appearances go, the House Of
Bishops, up to the calling of the last convention at
least, are the responsible parties The knew, from
their official position in the church, better than all
otherr, the inconvenience, nay, the absolute dan
ger of leaving the docess without diocesan, even
for three months, much less five years. and yet re-
gardless of their obligation as Christi IN bishops,
The spiritual welfare Of those committed to their
charge, and the true interests of gon, they have
allowed the diOcess for some cause or other best
known to themselves, TO run wild for this long pe-
rod
We took occasion, some months since, to write
an article on this subject, and, by the way, we
believe that article probed, TO some extent, the
consciences of the bishops, and had some share
at least in urging them to enact the canon auhor-
zing the call Of the late convention In tn article
we stated, and we now repeat the statement, that
| Bishop Onderdonk was either guilty or not guilty;
if the former, he should at once, and forever, be
deprived of his spiritual functions, and never more,
either absolutely or by implication be permitted to
minister in that church which he had, at his con-
secration, soemnly pledged himself to uphold and
sustain in all its purity if, on the other hand, he
was not guilty of high crimes against re.
ligion and morality, why not restore him to
his spiritual duties! Why leave HIM, like
Mahomets coffin, suspended between heaven and
earth! and the diocess withouta head In either
case they have incurred heavy responsibility
For our own part, as friends to unity and peace in
the church (because we know it is by these means
only that the ends Of religion and morality can be
best promoted), we cannot bnng ourselves to be-
lieve that venerable body as the bishops of the
Episcopal Church of the United States, could be
Influenced, in the discharge of their sacred duty,
by intrigue or party spirit; yet after making every
discount for their official characters and the sa-
crednes of their trust il is hard account for their
derelic,ion of duty on any other suppostion.
But be that as it may, they have, by the enact
ment of the canen authorizing the election of a
provisional bishop, relieved themselves from the
odium Of keeping the diocess any lenger without a
spiritual director, and cast il the inferior clergy
and laity On these the blame will in future Justly
attach and, if we are 10 judge from the spirit mani
tested at the late convention, by each of those
bodies, we regret TO say there is very little like
lihood that they viii come TO an amicable agree
ment between this time and the next annual con-
venton, so as that the vacancy may then be filled
up UnhsPpily, the Episcopal Church of the
United States, like the Episcopal Church in another
country, is rent and torn asunder by strife and con-
tention; or, perhaps, what is worse, by schism
In short, the doctrine of Puseyism has crept into
that church, and the doctrines of high church and
low church, which are the same, have crept into
ours, and hence all the intriguing outside, and the
party tactics and bad spirit that prevailed in the
convention. 1t now manfestly appears that the
high church and low church parties were, by some
unseen influences, pitted against each other in the
convention, for, after three days DISCUSSION, seven
balotings, and two conferences, no agreement
or union upon candidate could be come to. Hence
il may be plainly enough inferred, that one or both
of the parties in the convention were moved by
the intrigues Of parties outside doors Indeed il Is
now more than insnuated that the corporation of
Trinity Church is one of the controlling parties
outside doors, and that, through their influence, the
convention failed to elect provisional bishop at
the late meeting in ST. Johns Church. 1t has
been long known to the members of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in this city, as well as to Others
that Bishop Onderdonk, if he did not directly en-
courage the doctrines of Puseyism in this country
speak more plainly, gave them negative support
at least and it is equally well known that the
corporation of Trinity Church have. from the
outset, backed the friends of Bishop Onierdonk
in all the proceedings in relation to him, both
before and subsequent to his suspension. Hence
il follows that a majority, at least, of the cor
poration entertain similar views in regard to
the Oxford tracts and Puseyism, to those en-.
~, a. al L.
the convention and preventing the election Of pro-
visional Bishop, the corporation, to use vulgar
phrase, were killing two birds with s,one-hrst,
to keep the diocess open in the event Of reconcile
alton between Bishop Onderdonk and the House Of
Bishops; hut If that could not be done, then the
next best thing would be to foist high Church or
Puseyite Bishop on the dioccss. II either of these
ives their object, they have succeeded to a nicely
in the former; but IL remains TO be seen whether
the House of Bishops will re-instaie the Bishop
in the discharge of his spiritual functions in the
Chur.h.
The Corporation of Trinity Church, Of this
city, is the richest in this country. and may
be raid to be amongst the richest churches in the
world Its properly is estimated, IL we are cor
reciy informed, at from twelve 10 sixteen mil
lions of dollars. With The influence that such a
revenue can command, IL is no wonder that Trini-
" Church ccntfols this diocess, elects WHOM
che pleasts, and prevents those who do not
please her from being elected. But she ought to
he aware bow che arolses the spirit Of the diocess
She ought 10 take care, that by her intrigues and
ttreiyersstions, che does not pull down the whole
fabric about her ears II is not the fret time that
suCh a crisis was brought about by ambitious
churchmen. We remember, many years ago, a
church similarly crcUrnstanccd as old Trinity.
Is rum brought about by intrigue and party
zeal; and IL was Afterwards and still IL, known by
the designation OF " the rich church and the ruined
cs;hgdral." Let them take warning that oil
Trinity does rot share the same fate; ~ do, we
spprebebd the same designation will apply 20 1t
with equal force.
Sporting Intelligence.
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