The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-11-09
The Episcopal General Convention.
What IL Did, mad What il Declined Il
Bolts Political Character, etc.

pal Convention, held in Philadelphia, we
print the following article prepared by Rev.
j. MCNAMARA a Delegate in The Convention,
who is well known to many OF our readers,
and published in the Wui..v. ter Register.
Mr.. EDITOR: was g ed when you
asked me to write letter that might ex-
plain the action of the late General Conven-
ton of the Episcopal Church OH the 'Blnney
Resolution. | will now, as briefly as pos
sibe, do so. will prove the bed y, even
by the action Of the majority, to be Loyal,
Anti-Slavery liz sentiment. This is surely
nothing to boast of in the Episcopal Church
in the United States; but it has been bubble
Iy represented differently.
1t will be borne in mind that the Bishops
constitute a House by Themselves The
Clerical and Lay Deputies-being four OF
each order from each State or diocese-con-
stitute House by themselves.
This Convention met in Philadelphia. -
On the second day of the session, in the
House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, Rev.
| Dr. Mead of Conn, offered resolutions of a
strictly ecclesiastical nature on the return
of peace. Rev DR.. Howe, of Philadelphia,
offered, as substitute, very patriotic reso-
lutions. We use these terms in order to
be brief A Lay delegate from Pennsylva-
nia,-Mr. WeIsh,-loyal and anti-slavery,
hoped both resolutions would be withdrawn,
as the House of Bishops had the matter un-
der consideration. The truce was made. In
due time message from the Bishops was re-
ceived, suggesting the appointment of day
o1Thanksgivng for'Peace and Union. What
peace have we? What union have we? The
Peace and the Union which God and our
arms have given us The Thanksgiving
service was held This writer was present
at it In the special form of Prayer used,
the Almighty had thanks offered Him 'fol
the return of peace the union of the Church
and of the States,-tor the extension Of CiU1
F. eedom and religious truth" | could I'M
derstand this and we reverently believe
THAT God could not misunderstood the Ian
Iguage. .
The Thanksgiving service being ended
and business resumed, Hon. Horace Binney
a good man, pious man, of prncely gen
Ierosity- brought forward his series Of pa
Itriotic resolutions. They suited me exactly
but the house thought enough had beer
said and done, end especially as the South
ern dioceses were voluntarily returning to
Their allegiance in the church. A division
of the House was called for by States or di
Ioceses. About two dioceses to one voted tt
Law the Binney resolutions on the table, not
as many of the members protested, as
test of loyalty, or the reverse. New York
and Pennsylvania embracing, as they do
about one fourth of the Protestant EpiscO
pal church in the country-voted agains
LAYING the resolutions on the table, as di'
the great diocese of Ohio. The result being
known, now let the following incident b
noted
S G. Judd, of IlIinois-said to have beer
high in the order K q. C.,--mstaking, a
suppose, the sentiment of the House, con
cluded to offer a resolution very much tn
reverse, in its tone, to that of Horace Bin
} ney. He was hushed in the reading by
perfect thunder Of disapprobation. An
now for little internal evidence of the tenn
per aud principles of the Convention.
There were several Bishops to be appoint
} ed and elected This is the true criterio
Of astrological if not POLITICAL
the body. The Bishops nominate clergy
House, which either confirms or rejects. A
lone among tlIS6 JtluS bOlHllldlSu was lLCN
t Mr.. Parvin; rejected Ply the lower House.
Another-Rev. Mr. Lightmer, Of Detroit
member of the lower House, who vote
against the 'Binney Resolution" rejected
, The next,-Rev DIR. Clarkson. of Chicago
=, member of the lower House, Anti-Slaver
voted for the ''Binney Resolution" unan
l mously confirmed by the lower House =
4 Well, the Bishops must now nominate tw
. new men. Rev. DR.. Randall, the Secretar
o of the lower House, from Boston, Anti-Sl;
; very man. made an anti-slavery speech
same Convention nine years ago, at th
r Convention voted for the ''Bnney Resoll
!; tion," is nominated for Bishop by the Bsl
, OPS, and is confirmed by the lower hous
, The third and last man, Rev DIR; How
of Philadelphia, he who first disturbed y tt
G House With his patriotism and nti-slavery
: ism on the second day of the session.
n nominated by the Bishops and confirmed b
the lower House.
y If the majority of those Bishops, Clere
II and Laity are dsloyal and pro.slavery, the
e are certainly very forgiving and short-sigh
q ed. They are nearly as charitable as o.
pardoning President 1t would have please
d the writer had the Chimney Resolution
II passed, but cannot declare that body di
i loyal or pro-slavery for its action. If di
loyal politicians are reck oning on havir
J the Protestant Episcopal Church in IL
e United States on their side, they are, al
:. will find themselves, mistaken. BishC
Wilmer must conform to the Church in Il
United States, OF he cannot be fit AS
u his loyalty to his country, Maj Gen. Thon
:, as Ga churchmau by the way will take ca
Up of that S. G. Judd will be looked after
Illinois, even though he may be seut-as
substitute, not elected-to misrepresent tn
diocese The late General Convention WI
mainly composed Of loyal, anti-slavery me
But were it not, the Church is loyal, b
# formuIaries are loyal, and no respecter
Y persons. Men pass away, but the ChurC
Re remains.
o Let me note another significant item
+ internal evidence When the General Coz
= vention is about to adjourn sine die, Il
It Bishops in a body, meet with the low
4 House for religious service, and the SEMI
n Bishop is expected to read "a Pastoral Lett
r in which a survey is taken Of the state
the church and the signs Of the times. Bis
= cp Hopkins, of Vt, is now the Senior Bisl
IL op, and &c ofici0 presiding Bishop. TIL
:. Bishop read no Pastoral Letter this yea
- there was none read; and for the first tin
- in the history of tue church is it omitted
70 70 Bishop Hopkins is the only northern Bishc
=, that has consistently apologized for Sout
, ern institutions, and has not yet rehnquisht
:, lis views. But his views in the Pastor
70 Letter were not acceptable to the House
>, Bishops; and it is said that had the Lett
l' been read to the lower House, which Il
: Bishop had prepared, there would ha1
: been such a decided opposition as won
- have made itself felt in the land.
=, Perhaps should say word about Il
= Galesbu1g, Illinois, affair. This did M
: come mp in the lower House; know nj
. whether it did in the House of Bishops. b
: can any respectable man for moment SUI