The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-10-01

THE ALMIGHTY HioGEG IL THE EfIscopN
CHuRoH.-It appears from the proceedings Of
the Protestant Episcopal Convention Of this
State, which body met in this city on Wednes-
day ard adjourned sine die on Friday night
that II is almost as impossible to keep the
irrepressible African out CT the Episcopal
church as ii is to eject him from the Methodist
or Baptist sanctuaries. The annual Convention
OF the Protestant Episcopa! Church is held for
the sole purpose Of arranging the affairs of the
diocess for the year ensuing. The duties Of
the delegates, both lay and clerical, are fixed
by canon, rubric and precedent. They come
together to arrange the local affairs Of the
Church, and for no other purpose on earth
Still we end, az in the case OF the Tract Society
there comes to the Episcopal Convention, every
year, a lay delegate with a little niger under
his arm. This friend Of the African is Mr. Jay
who is we'll known as having been at one time
leader in the ranks Of the radical sbolitionists
Mr.. Jay was very loud shrieker for Kansas
and was deeply interested Ia the founding Of the
republican party He helped to plant the tree
he digged about its roots and watered it.
but the heathens, IN the shape Of the broken
down politicians Of all the other factions, came
in and enjoyed the fruit Mr. Jay was, per
haps, disguised with this conduct, or, perchance
he found politics too low, and altogether
unworthy the attention Of gentleman. AT any
rate Mr. Jay retired to private life, and now
turns up annually at the Episcopal Convention
with a set OF abolition resolutions, which be
presses most persistenuy. This year he put
them in at an early stage Of the proceedings,
and they were, as usual, voted down. Mr.. Jay
then took back eeat, and waited for another
chance. 1t came not TO him, however, but TO an
other brother, Mr.. Silkman, whose name has not,
before this time, reached the ears OF the public.
Mr.. Silkman has been much exercised In his mind
10y reading in London paper that the Epis-
copal Church In the United States was "quite
prepared TO justify man stealing" which is an
eminently agreeable and particularly British
view Of the matter. Mr.. Silkman desired To
meet this charge BY plump denial, and report
ed to the Convention series Of resolutions con
demning the foreign slave trade. The
members Of the Convention were as
much astcnished as If they had been
called upon solemnly to say that they were op.
posed to either or all Of the seven capital sins,
which would have been quite ~ sensible an
idea DR.. vinton recovered sufficiently to raise
point Of order, which was decided against him
by the right reverend the Bishop in the chair.
On appeal, the Convention sustained Or. Vim
ton, and the little niger was again elected
from the Convention, which adjourned in very
refreshing condition OF mind
The resolutions Of M Silkman are 50 absurd
in their general scope that we wonder how the
Bishop could have entertained them for q mo-
ment Ever eince the Protestant Episcopal
Church was established more than four centu-
ries ago. II has condemned the slave trade In
this country the church has always taken ground
against the African slave trade on account of
Its inhumanity, to say nothing Of its Illegally,
and for State Convention In New York to 20
to work and condemn the trade by solemn
resolution would be utterly absurd. The
question was settled forty years ago. and
the fact that il has been brought up
again l. only another evidence Of the
pertinaoity with which the negro worshippers
force their god into all temporal and spiritual
matters. The resolutions Of Jay and silkman are
evidently intended as entering wedges whereby
Tie Church, North and South, is to be split 10
twain. The majority Of the delegates have shown
q refreshing amount Of common sense, by their
In turning the slavery question in
any form out OF doors. and combining themselves
10 the Affairs OF the Church In this diocess-the
duty will which they are especially charged by
their Constituents.