The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-14
An ImbsClls Pulpit.


pov DIR. Samuel II. Hopkins declared that the
Episcopal denomination of the United STATES
had "an imbeoile pulpit" The remark was
made by the retiring moderator Of the Assem-
bly. in his official capacity, and in city which
had Recently welcomed the Episcopal bishops
with the same hospitality which the citizens
ware at that moment showing to the Presby-
.o,son Commissioners On the Assembly's
Tsea Of unturned faces" this squally remark
blew up general ripple of dissent. Tne daily
Dapers of Rochester urged an Official retractlon
Nv tbe Assembly, as due to the dignity OF that
body. This however, was awkward ana not
20 be done. But the pastor OF the churcn III
which the Assembly held its sessions con-
trived to make neat public reference to the
ogansive remark. and in a semi-Ofticial way
disayowed it. But it still stands in the ofhclal
reno,ts. and will not fade from mems memo
r;es-an illustration of the Chinese proverb
that GAN IN word ouce out OF the mouth,
cannot be brought back by coach and six.
We refer to the incident, not for its import
anoe, but for its suggestiveness.
Has the Episcopal Church "an, 1mbecne
pulpit H'' Is DIR. Tying amid the ruins of st.
GEORGES, reduced to ian imbecile pulpit ~
Does Bishop Mcllvaine pursue his bishopric
in ian imbecile pulpit2' Has DIR. Schenck
come all the way from Baltimore to Brooklyn
TO FIJI ian imbecile pulpit p" Does the Rev.
Philljps Brooks shake Philadelphia from ''an
imbecile pulpit" Did Bishop White wear
out his long and sanity life in ''an imbecile
pulpit 2" Did DR.. Miner beaueath his untor-
gotten name to be linked with the memory of
E'an imbecile pulpit 7"
No. The remark of DR.. Hopkins was dis
titled drop of the quintessential tincture of sec
tarianism. The fact that such remark fell
from the lips of so eminent able, and noble
clergyman shows how unconsciously, yet how
insidiously and irresistibly sectarian spirit
bewilders the judgment and good taste of men
whom the Church would make broad, but
whom the sect keeps narrow.
II is against such sectarianism that this
journal lately uttered its protest in SAN Edi-
tOrial Soliloquy.' It is against such secta-
rianism that these columns are if possible, to
be made the message bearers of a better-tem-
pered, more manly, and more catholic Christi
anity. It is against such sectarianism that
the sects themselves, if they consult their own
usefulness, will be glad to see perpetual pro-
test made in their behalf by an unsectarian
sheet.
Christian union between different denomina-
tions is just now lively theme with the reli-
gous press. "The tendencies of the age,"
says DR.. Hopkins Tin this same sermOn), care
all in the direction of Church unity" But
what is theex -moderator's immoderate method
of promoting Church unityi He presents us
the spectacle of Presbyterian professor say
ing to an Episcopal bishop, "Sir, you are an
imbecile let us, therefore, twain, be one -
Now, reason why this journal lately
severed its supposed official connection with
the noblest of Christian denominations-the
heritage of the Pilgrims, on which may the
God of our Fathers bestow His blessing was,
that we were constantly goaded to fight bat
tie against Presbyterianism, by people who
fOolishly supposed that such a warfare would
advance the interests of COngregatiOnalism.
But after our act of atfectionate excelsior, the
very first spectacle offered to the eyes of the
Christian world is the Moderator of the Pres
byterian Assembly drawing glittering sword
and striking at Episcopalanism. But is it
pleasing either to angels or to men, to see the
Rev. DR.. Hopkins rubbing burrs into the hair
of the Episcopal clergyH Such conduct by one
Christian denomination towards another will
make it necessary, as Whittier mentions in
his lines on Major Stearns,
ITO put to the Lords work the sinner,
When saints fail to do it,"
But the question arises, What is ''an i'm
beetle pulpitY
It is pulpit that lacks genius, courage, and
fire; a pulpit submissive to follow, instead
of bold to lead, public opinion a pulpit in
efficient towards the stirring questions of the
time, and hesitant to incur the reproach of
holding advanced ideas; a pulpit that is
moulded by the very men whom it is sent to
mould There are thousands of such Ameri-
can pulpits. They belong to all denomina-
ton. They rustic their silks in every diocesan
convention, and utter their platitudes TO
every synod. They are the self-appointed cen.
sors of nobler men who, whether in pulpits
or out, are seeking to serve God in their day
and generation. They bring the Church al
first into weakness and at last into reproach
Against all such pulpits, if the pulpiteer O.
the General Assembly will uplift his voice, we
will join him in the protest. But let him uo
attack the Episcopal and shield the Presbyte
rlan denomination. Let him administer his
judgment equally upon all the guilty.
What is the present tone and character n
the American pulpit There was a time wher
the great body of the American churches q
all denominations, and both pulpits and news
lay under the ban of completely with IN,
hideous crime of slavery. An eloquent voice
in one of the ablest of Presbyterian pulnit
startled the country with the declaration tbs
''the American Church was the chief bulwarl
of American slavery" It is sorrowfully an
unpardonably true that during the anti-siaver
agitation, when the struggling cause first erie
aloud for the help of all good men, the mi
iority of ministers and church members eve
in the North, were the abettors of huma
bondage. But in process of time, as the Nortl
ern churches were split asunder by the il
driving wedge OF the all-penetrating que
tion, every Church thus cleft in twain let
upon itself a great light. During the WI
Government with stalWart league of d
fense. The Northern pulpits ''spake
with tongues of fire." Never in the r
hgious history of this country did the Amer
can clergy so nobly fulfil their mission
during the war. Mouths that had for yea