New-York daily tribune., 1862-10-08
TEE EpgscOpAY. CONVENTION.


ton of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States, dcsultory as they are, increase
in interest, aud will command the deepest
attention as we'll in England as at home, for
they relate TO the subject at this time most
near to tho American people, and bearing upon
the welfare of the entire world. They involve
also the fidelity of the Church in these stormy
times TO the doctrine of loyalty which she has
been first in inculcating as sacred duty during
days Of sunshine, when an exhibition of loyalty
involved 10 sacrifice and gave no trouble.
The position which the Episcopal Church in
America, at the moment of its birth, assumed
toward the National Goyetlment at its organ
zaton in 1883 under the National COnsttu-
ton, was clear and decided; and it may be
well for the body now sitting Mt st. Johns
Chapel to remember the spirit exhibited by
the General Convention which organized the
Church toward the first President OF the
United States, as it may perhaps guide them
in their inquiry rs to the duty which they owe
TO his successor in that great Office, now bat
ting with a far more vindictivo and cruel foe
than any our fathers encountered in the Reyo-
luton.
On the 18th of August l789, Washington
thus wrote to the Bishops, Clergy. and laity IN
The General Convention assembled
Gsutsmen sincerely thank you for aasction's con
gfia.ipns ny eI.ci0n 10 'r CAi"t N's'tTy Of no
United staes receive witn tho greatest satisiac;ion
your tLe Co1s Iiion Of Goyernmehi,
bsciure believe ~ i nd ef cisn. operations viii tend 10
those
opinions may not entirely cOincid' n"ei IS TO conhm
t lcr.s Of ia numerous rrnds and tie modcrs.
9n ysteuoe aud wisdom Il tho present federal Lesaue
,~ uose the fcstorston of order, nud our Hncien,
ve q, = .,tf.io OF geure religion and the egusp,
sd.auccfnrn Of resp.cabiy eofoAd ana Of our SUD
stsufisi happiness 1t home"
The loyalty of the eminent body thus thanked
by Washington was not confined TO addresses
Of congratulation. 1t found expression IN the
revision of the Book OF COmmon-prayer, and
in the care they exhibited in the modelling and
organizing Of the Church tha. IL be done
- consistently with the Constitution and laws
of their country
Tie familiarity Of our people with the ma
icslic and beautiful ritual Of the Episcopal
Church renders quotation hardly necessary;
but we may briefly refer to the prayer to
behold aud bless Thy servant the President OF
tho United States, and all in civil authority
the prayer for Congress "thst peace and hap.
puess, truth and justice, religion and piety,
may be established among US for all genera
tons" and the petition in the Lit
any" "from all sedition, pryy conspiracy,
aud rebellion Good Lord, Deliver u.s." as the
uudying protest of the Church against this
revolt Of the Shareholders. The prayer to be-
used in our Naval Service" Preserve us from
the dangers Of the Sea and from the Violence
Of Enemies, that We may be safeguard
unto the United States of America"-the Col
lect to be used after victory, for the Church
provides for war rs Wei as Peace" Give us
grace TO improve thi, great mercy to the
honor Of our countTy'-all these show tue
living loyalty of the first Convention.
Sgch are tho memories. and such arc the doc
trines, with which the present Council
approaches the grave aad solemn duty, the
manner Of whose performance will decide
whether tie Episcopal Church IS living
power, strong in the might Of truth. or
whether it covers heplessly before the breath
of treason, afraid TO practise its own teach
ings and treating It's Liturgy as a dead letter.
The issue cannot be shrked-the Church is on
trial, and tho nation and the world are look
ing on.
Tie Presiden; OF the United States and those
others in authority for whom she prays SO de-
vouily that they i'll health and prosperity long
may live. demand their cordial sympathy aud
their moral support; the country for whose
Lonor they implore yictory-tho United States
Of America for whose protection from tie vio-
lence of enemies they have suppcated the
Almighty; the people Of the United States in
general for whose safety, honor and welfare
tho Liturgy invoices Gods mercy-all are
engaged in n struggle for life or DEATH against
sedition, privy conspiracy and Rebellion
The hundreds Of thousands arraycd for
battles; tho wounded on tie field, the
dying in the hospitals; the mothers that, Ike
Rachel, refuse TO DO comforted because their
SONS are not tho innumerable families
throughout the land, each mourning n soldier
that sleeps beneath tie sod. for obeying the
dictates of that loyalty which the church has 80
taught us from infancy 10 age, from generation
10 generation, President, rulers, and people,
await the voice of the Church in this hour of
national extremity and upon its utterance de-
pends tho Character OF tho Episcopal Church
with the American people for oil future time
Two great questions are involved in the
resolutions which have been presented to that
body-one whether the Southern Church is in |
a state OF ecclesiastical schsm; the other, ifI
it is Involved in the crime of civil rebellion.