The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-05-11
BISHOP EAsTBURN'S LETTER.
To the Editor Of the Christian Witness:

injury to our beloved and honored Communion
And ! cannot but ailectionately express the hope
that, impressed by this unanimity of feeling OF
the part of 50 large a number of the Chief Min
listers of our Church, those of our dear brethren
in the ministry who have %practiced any of thesC
innovations on our usages will see It fit to discOn-
tinue them 10 adhere to that ancient simplicity
which is 50 in harmony with our Liturgy. Arti-
Giles and Offices, and III the exercise of which we
have hitherto, by the divine blessing. enjoyed sc
large a measure of prosperity, and have been
growing, from year to year, in the respect and
confidence of the people of this country. 1t is
also our earnest trust and prayer, that the laity
of our Diocese will do their part in discountenanc-
ing the novelties here condemned, and in main
tanning that Scriptural, simple and Protestant
character of our public worship by which it has
ever been distinguished.
1 am faithfully yours,
MANToN EAsTBURN.
Boston, Feb. 10, 1867.
TIE DECLARATION.
BUFFALO, Jan. 10, lS67-Thc Commission an
pointed to draft this declaration, owing to the
great distance between the dwelling places of its
members, and their frequent absences from their
homes, We're not able, very speedily, to complete
the work.
1t was by the unanimous advice of the bishops
assembled at Detroit in December. that the COM
mittee resolved to postpone this publication until
the remOtest of our bishops might be heard from ;
but even at this date, it is supposed that several
of them have never received the circular of the
committee.
AS in the "Colcnso Case" several of the
bishops object to this form of meeting an evil
which they deeply deplore; but. not one of the
bishops heard from has expressed any sympathy
with the Ritualistic movement. The reverse is
the fact.
The committee think it proper no longer to de-
lay the publication.
a. CLEVELAND CeGE, Secretary.
Whereas. Alta meeting of the House of Bishops,
held in the city of New York, in the month of
October, the subject of Ritualism was brought to
the notice of the house, and considered with great
degree of unanimity and
Whereas, On account of the absence of a num-
Der of the right reverend members of the House,
and the fact that the House was not sitting as a
coordinate branch of the General Convention of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United
States of America, it was regarded as inexpedient
To proceed TO any formal action and
Whereas, 1t was nevertheless regarded as high
ly desirable that an expression of opinion on the
part OF the EpiscOpate of this Church should be
given, with respect to ritualistic innovations.
Therefore, The undersigned bishops. reservinp
each for himself his rights as Ordinary of his
own Diocese, and also his rights as a member of
the House OF Bishops, sitting in General Conven-
ton, do unite in the declaration following:
We hold, in the language of the XXXIV Arti-
Gle of Religion, that .scyery particular or Ma
tional Church hath authority to ordain, change
and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church,
ordained only by mans authority, so that all
things be done to ediiying land also in the same
language of the same Article that 1t is not
necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in
all places one, or utterly like; for at all times
they have been divers, and may he changed accord
ing to the diversity of Countries, times and mems
manners, SO that nothing be ordained against
Gods Word - and also, that this Church was
duly organized as a 90 particular and National
in communion with the Universal or
Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ,
and that this organization, which took place i'm
after the American Revolution, was
settled under the careful direction and advice, and
with the cordial cooperation OF Cody, wcll-learn-
cd and justly vcneratcd divincs, who were well
acquainted with the history of the Church of
before and since her blessed Reformation,
and who thoroughly understood what was and is
still required by the pcculiarities of this country
and its people.
We hold, therefore, that the ceremonies, rites
and worship then established, ordained and APP
proved by common authority, as set forth in the
Book of Common Prayer of this church, are the
aw of this church, which every bishop, p~resbytcr
md deacon of the same has bound himself by
subscription to the Promise of Conformity in
Article VII. of the constitution, to obey, observe
md follow and that no strange or foreign usages
should be introduced or sanctioned by the private
of any member or members of this
church, Clerical or Lay.
We further hold, that while this church is
far from intending to depart from the Church
# England in any essential point of doctrine,
discipline or worship, or further than local cir
umstances require, it yet has its peculiar place, =.
and duty as Il : particular and National :
lhurch ;" and that no prayer book of the Church
# England, in the reign of whatever Sovereign
ct forth, and no laws of the Church of England t
any force of law in this church such as can {
e justly cited in defense of any departure from S
he express law of this church, its liturgy, its (
discipline, rites and usages. 1
And we, therefore, consider that in this partic- L
lar National Church, any attempt 10 introduce
nto the Pu6Hc ,CorShip Of Almighiy God. usages
hare nerer been knO,cn, such as the use of ?
acense, ami the burning Of lights an the order Of .
ne holy Communion i; references TO the Holy
.a6ie or TO the clements thereon, such as indicate
+ imply that the Sacrifice of our Divine Lord
nj Saviour, :" once offered" was not a 80 full, /
ertect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and salts t
.lction, for the sins of the whole world " the
of the clerical habits hitherto unknown, o
r material alterations of those which have been p
use since the establishment of our Episcopate, p
an innOrdtiOn iohich ~UiOlates the discipline Of The q
hurch. s. 0Gendeth against ITS common order, q
nd hurteth the authority Of The Magistrate and
oundeth The cOnsciences of the freak BRETHREN"
Furthermore, that we be not misunderstood, n
t it be noted that we include in these censures U
j departures from the laws, rubrics. and settled =
of this church, as well by defeat as by t.
of observance, designing to maintain in its h
tegrity the sound Scriptural and Primitive, and
III NdlluiIc anu ApOstOllc slllll OF the 70
OF Common Prayer. h
Signed by the following Bishops:
Bishop SMITH, Of Kentucky. III
Bishop MClLNAINE, of Ohio. n,
Bishop KEMPER. of Wisconsin :.
Bishop MCCOSKRE. Of Michigan. n
Bishop LEE. of Delaware. tt
Bishop JOHNS. Of Virginia. :
Bishop EASTBURN, of Massachusetts,. VI
Bishop CHASE, of New Hampshire.
Bishop UPHOLD. Of Indiana. l.
Bishop PAYNE of African Mission. pI
BshOp WILLIAMS, of Connecticut. q
Bishop DAVIS, of South Carolina.
Bishop KIP, Of California.
Bishop LEE, of Iowa tn
Bishop CLARK, Of Rhode Island. MI
Bishop GREGG, of Texas. y"
Assistant Bishop BEDELL. of Ohio. pr
Bishop WIIIPPLE. of Minnesota.