The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-05
first has been fity-nine. Almost the half Of

first has been ftty-nine Almost the half of
these are already deceased: Seabury, and Jarvis,
in Connecticut; Bass, Parker and Griswold, in
Massachusetts,; White. in Pennsylvania; Chase,
in Ohio; Henshaw, in Rhode Island; Provost,
Moore, and Hobart, in New York; Claggett,
Kemp, and Stone, in Maryland; Madison, and
Moore, in Virginia Croes, in New Jersey;
Ravenscroft, in North Carolina; Smith, Dehon,
Bowen, and Gadsden, in South Carolina.
Thrty-one now constitute the House of Bish
ops The bishops in foreign parts are not mem
bers OF the House of Bishops, and they are not
eligible to the office Of diocesan bishop in any
organized diocess within the United States.
The domestic missionary bishops, however, are
not thus restricted. They not only sit as men,
bers of the Episcopal College, but they are also
eligible to the Office of diocesan bishop. All the
American bishops, however are fettered by a
disability that would create great pouting of
lips in the Anglican Church. An American
bishop once in charge of diocess, takes it, Gas
he takes the zone wife, of which he must be
the husband for better for worse for richer for
poorer. There are no translations here from one
diocess to another for the enlargement Of inau-
ence and usefulness, not to mention the indul-
gence of ambition and the increase Of creature
comforts.
In the management Of affairs in this body of
Christians as in all other cases of the kind, hu-
man nature of course plays its usual part Yet. to
the credit OF all concerned, we are happy to see
that the doors Of their Convention are shut
against the intrusion ofpolitcal strifes, and also
against discussions OF the temperance cause and
Of Uncle Tomism. On the whole, there
has been a pretty creditable state of
things among them during the last Gene
raj Convention just closed. But, as in all
other religious bodies so in this there are two
scales to the balance Of the sanctuary. One
churchman, who chances to harmonise in gene
raj sentiment with the Lords Bishops of Lon
don and Exeter, will put his weight in one
scale, and in the other scale are put all the con-
tributions of those who harmonise with his
Grace of Canterbury. The gravest questions
discussed relate to the efficacy Of the sacra-
ments. All else are comparatively unimpor-
tant In practice, too, there is difference, or,
at least, diversity. One party fosters and en-
courages frequent, if not daily public prayers.
and the other gives these things the cold
shoulder, and prefers weekly lecture and per-
haps, prayer meeting. One claims to be strictly
apostolic, rubrical, and canonical; and the
other truly evangelical. Not few, moreover,
either put no weight into either scale, or, by
putting about as much in one as in the other,
endeavor to balance the accounts Of sacrament
talists and spiritualists. Conspicuous in one
party are Bishops Meade, McIlvaine, Johns,
Lee, Potter, Smith and Eastburn; and in the
other Bishops Doane, McCoskry, Delaney
Chase, Uphold and Nottingham. Among the
refugees from England in the time of Queen
Mary we see the types Of these modern parties
in the Frankfort school and the Geneva school
Of that period. Human minds are so differently
constituted by nature, or SO differently mould
ed by education, that, perhaps for the general
good, as Bishop Hopkins, Of Vermont, once ar
gued in a sermon, diversities Of opinion ought to
exist. The restlessness of the ocean is no
doubt wisely ordered. The stirring up OF
Bethesda had wholesome influence Aud it is
the result OF our observation, that in church
matters, as inpolitics, and in nature, too, little
thunder and lightning clears the atmosphere.
Only beware not to let things 60 too far. Talk
loud and earnestly, agree to differ, but above
all live together as brethren. And so endeth
our homily.