The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-03-08

ticcS hare been introduced either undu-
Moriced Jy The customs Of this church
ar an PLAN riolation Of ruJricS. AS
it is not the business of the Committee
TO say, they do not say, whether or not
such doctrines are preached or such prac-
tees are introduced but they state as
their full conviction, that whether )tho
case DO so or not, the far greater part of
the clergy are entirely opposed v any
such departure from the doctrines q the
Church, - that they desire the iutYbduc-
tion ofno ceremonies unauthorizcd by the
the customs of the Church, and are still
less tolerant of such as violate I hc ru-
brios" The Bishop understanding cor
recily, that this referred to hiYsclf, i'm.
mcdiatcly replied by special {'charge,"
in which he said Brethren u the Cler.
GYM tho report made by menu crs of
your order reference is made to excite.
ment in the Diocese, growing out of the
idea that doctrines are promulged and
practices encouraged among us moro or
less rcpugnant to the doctrines of our
branch Of the Church As these doe.
trines and practices are not specified,
Your Bishop can address you only in gen.
orol terms. But he does, by way of
charge. hereby address You and author
izo you, when you return to your several
parishes, to assure your people, that no
effort will be wanting Oh his part, 50
long as God may give him jurisdiction
in North Carolina, to hinder the iucul-
cation Of any doctrine, or the introduc-
ton Of any practice, not in strict accord
ance with the Liturgy Of our Church, as
illustrated and defined by those stan.
dards of Interpretation authorized BY the
Church itself" This charge" was re
ceivcd by the convention with great sat.
isfaction, and thousand copies were or
dercd to be published and circulated in
the parishes of tho Diocese.
The Convention adjourned and about
two months afterwards the Church was
surprised and aggrievcd bya Pastoral
Letter" from the Bishop, evidently writ
ten under great excitement. and the OBJ.
jcct of which was to rotract his re canta-
tion,and rc-affirm his belcfin Romish doc.
trincs and practices. He apologies for
his former charge by saying that "be did
being sick, what he never would have
done being we'll" 81 was confined" he
says ito my bod by severe illness, not
admitting Of my writing, or even think.
ing intensely, without danger to my life "
This pastoral Letter" excited surprise
and alarm not only in n. c., but through
out tho whole Church 1t was replied
to by Rev. DR.. Mason in N. c., by DR.
Jarvis in CT, by DR.. Hawks, and Rev
Messrs. Hanson and Hobart in n. Y.
and also by Hon. MI Badger Of n. c.
and Mr.. Ycrgcr of Misc.
In May, 1880 the Diocesan Conven
ton again met. And the bishop sun.
moned convocaton of the clergy t.
incet him on the evening before tho Con
vention. The Bishop there read a pa
per which he had prepared for the Con
vention. And, Notwithstanding all tina
had passed, such was the bishops appar
ent sincerity in his oral statement, an
such was the sympathy for his bodil
aud mental indrmities, that many of th
clergy vera ready if possible to restor
him again to their doubling confidence
Still it was felt that something more de
mite was due to the Convention, aud
Committee appointed By the clergy cal
cd therefore for full and unequivoc;
disclaimer, on the part Of the bishop, ,
the Ronlish opinions which had been in
puted to him. The bishop without lie
itaton promised to comply, and on II
following morning read in his aldre
tho following recantation numJer ticc
" | neither teach nor hold, as some hay
thought, private auricular confessit
and absolution in the Ro,nish sense.
regard to Christ's real presence in Il
Holy Eucharist, | neither teach n,
hold it in the sense Of transubstantiatio
do not teach, or hold, that our Churt
allows any addresses by way Of pray
mud invocation to the blessed Virgin,
to any Saint or Angel willie rega
the Romish doctrine of invocation
Saints as clearly derogatory to Chri
and opposed to Gods Word Finally
do not teach nor hold HAT our branch
the Catholic Church is from any eau
either in hcresy or schism, or that she
destitute of the true sacramental s,
tenn" With even this disclaimer, a Pc
ton Of the Convention was not Statistic
aud tho bishop was Informed Tint on t
ensuing morning Resolutions would
introduced calling for a special Comm
tee Of investigation. Finding that Il
could not be avoided--the bishop himst
at the last moment, asked the Conv,
tion to appoint such Committee. ]
Committee was appointed, consisting
three clergymep and three laymen. I'll
met at Raleigh. Jan. Is, 1851. and DR.