The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-06-05

|
| which is est We also learn that g. G. Torbett,
president of the bank, brought in with the other
prisoners We did not learn what disposition was ma
| Of them.
BISHOP P0TTER'S PASTORAL.
Discussion OF IL I'm the Broadway Taber-
nacle-The Opinions OF the Clergy
Church Unity Debated, sc.
meeting Of more than common interest to the reli
gious world took place last evening in the Broadway
Tabernacle Of Thirty fourth street and Broadway
The exercises commenced by chanting selections from
divers operas the large organ, at which Professor
| Berge presided. Meantime the congregation came pour
Ing in until the large edhce filed in every pew
| aisle and gallery.
The occasion was discussion Of Bishop Poers recent
extraordinary pastoral letter TO the clergy Of the Epsco
After other exercises, Rev Dr. THOMPSON read from
the fourteenth Of the third chapter OF st. Paus
Epstle the Ephesans the end Of the chapter the
words of which teach the individual independence Of
Prayer by Rev Dr. MuHIENBuRG followed, Of which a
blessing the Christian Church in general was the bur-
den Of the petitions
assembled by request of q number Of cergymen and
Christian gentlemen for the purpose of furtheng Chris
Rev Mr. KmBAI1, Secretary Of the Christian Union
League then read number OF resolutions expressing
The objects Of the league the principal one OF which
men and others in various parts Of the country for the
purpose Of eaecting unity possible, Of all the Chris
Rev Dr. vxRxnyKA being called upon arose and
stated-we all belong to one Lord Jesus Christ and
Unity of feeling is what is wanted in the Christian
Church. not unity Of denomination He objected TO the
dogma Of exclusiveness on every ground We should
cordng any particular form The spirit Of exciusveness
is unjust because the excluded profess the same Lord
and Saviour they just sincere take the same Word
OF God for their guide and just as jealous OF their
principles The Baptsts have open communion, though
they have peculiar form Of baptism. The Lords
supper with them is open 10 every sect But any
exclusveness is unjust and unjustfable. And 30 with
the Episcopal Church They cannot trace any oIdina
Of Presbyterian ordination Why then, should the Epis
copal Church arrogate to itself the right to unchurch all
the larger portion Of Chrstendom II Is offensive. II
amounts I'd this: argument has failed now, ifyou do not
come into the pale will inlct pains and penalties.
As Protestant am ashamed Of such spirit showing
itself In any Protestant denomination Because do not
act under the same forms l am excluded. The thing Ii
monstrous Those who take grounds against this doc
trne have the instruction. prayer research inves
tigation and conscenlousness, at least those who
these offensive and exclusive ideas Tor the basis Of
Q dogma which imposes penalties the great majority
Of Protestant Chris.endom. II Is relic OF tho middle
ages IL comes from darkness Brethren, see that you
free Let the Episcopalans believe In their creed and
their Thirty nine Articles; but let other Christian
churches have their faith and their Independence This
pastoral Of Bishop Potters Is tail to the Popes back
respect the author; but this pastoral is to
guage has come The sentiment Of the pastoral should
be put under the heel II should DO shown that tho
try, and that we are determined not to be buled into
surrender Of religious tenes by threats from any
dgnta5y The only laws which sss should prevail arc
found In the written Word Of God and nowhere ese but
has right TO make laws declare them for the
Church He not in favor Of all the churches, but
common acknowledgment by all evangelical churches Of
the validity Of tbs rights and authority Of each
Of the others This would be the true unity 10
loh He Nv
spirit which dictated exclusiveness anti hrstian,
the document OF Bishop Potter as calculated " do no
good but mischief and that all Christians have right
70 protest against either in the Episcopal Church
IN the other churches Of Protestant Christianity.
Rev. Dr. vNToN next addressed the meeting. He said
that Episcopal Church had right to regulate lie
affairs. But C rtan form OF union 10 not tn DO ex
peced In the Protestant Church Can federstve union
Of the churches be effected IN which each shall respect
the other and yet preserve their own peculiar f0rmsf
Can there be union Of individual Christians Of COM
mon sympathy Can there be ecclesiastical unityf
This is organic or formal unity Such a union as
this last is impossible in the nature of facts There
two strong bars In the way-Epscopal and Baptist
opposition Every one who holds positive conclusion
holds to the exclusion Of every other opinion tho
same subject But the excusveness Of the Episcopal
Church belongs TO only particular suhect-that Of
unity. Armeniansm or Calvnism may be held, 70 the
exclusion OF all other opinions by individuals She Ia
only exclusive on the subject OF ordination Tho idea
that she will depart from that DIR aiming to discuss
talk in sleep View the Presbyterian churches
and all various denominations of Protestant churches
and ask yourself with the catalogue of starry
names, and say will these churches surrender
them from the galaxy of their historical glory,
and merge them into common deep blue
vault of heayenY The thing is impossible
Next federal union. While the Episcopal Church
does declare tbs ordination Of other churches valid
other Protestant churches She maintains her own
epscopacy she leaves members Of other churches 70
orders An individual Episcopalian may say our ordna
ton is valid where is the authority for ordnatonY In
the antiquity Of the Episcopal Church Where s the
horty for infant baptism the observance OF the Chris
tan Sabbath except in the antiquity Of the Episcopal
church, These are only theoretically taught in the
origin to the Episcopal Church. Is it then 80,
after all, that we cannot form an ecclesiastical
or federative untyf 1t Isl and what after all does
the Christian Church lose by It, There Ia ecclesiastical
unity in Roman Catholic Church, but you find
thing parallel the ferocy Of the differences Of the Dom
means Franciscans Jesus and other schisms in that
Church Ecclesiastical union then is Of advantage
There advantages In federal union. We might
better in sparse populations they would fewer
But then tho disadvantages would more than counter.
balance the advantages because there would be serious
differences TO arrangements. Federal unity then
would be Of no advantage. And now, IN TO individual
Christian unity unite In tract and Bible societies
exhibition Of unity OK spirit though diverse in
training, diverse In character in forms and beliefs
grandcr than TO see unity of An ecclesiastical fedora
or discipnarian power Does II strik ngly
Illustrate the POWER OF the Holy spiriS When the mil
lennium shall come and unite all In one, then everything
will be fun Let all ask for the spirit and power of
the Holy Ghost and then flood OF celestial light shall
be among which shall proclaim Christ the centre
OF one common grsnd unity OF Christian churches.
Rev. DR. THOMPSON differed with DR. Vinton the sub
| ject Of infant baptism. IL Is proved in the Bible
| by our Lord Dg the little children and bless
| ing them, and from many other passages liz
proved tho Christian Sabbath also from the fact that
the apostles met together the first day Of the week
for the breaking of bread and other infercntal pas
sages He (Dr vlntoD) did not believe unity possible
But he believed that unity exists at the present moment
Chrsts church is not confined TO any particular church
Its members found in all churches, and recognize
all members of the church OF Christ who believe
the truth OF God and guided by IT, They In the
Greek Church the Roman Catholic Church, the Epsco
pal, the Prosbyter and all other Christian churches
This ia the real the only Chr stan church would moi
respect my ordination bit the more II bishop laid h'
hand on my head but would respect myself great
deal the ess II attached any importance 10 such tre
Ordination is valid in every church wherever body Of
Christians send forth man to preach the Gospel Th,
IN the ordination of the scrpturos. 1 am In favor VI
having hose outward differences continued They arc
Tor The hencnl of the church True unity In out