New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-10-03
FRB PROTESTANT p ffscopA1 CONVENTION
nlnD pAY-rrrn MOUNT VERNON CONTROVERSY


was sad by the Rev. Dr. Robertson saugerues assisted
by the Rev MI Stewart of Walden The Bishop called
the Convention order for the business meeting az wv
and the minutes Of Thursdays sessions were re"u a
approved. Mr. C. f. Hoffman requested postpohtIhen'
of the order Of business and then introduced esoluo
directing the trustees treasureTs OF the seNeN u
reporting 10 the Convention 20 deposit sucD moneys 40
sney hold, such may hereafter come h'o hel
hands in one institution in the cly Oh rev" iOiA'
He further moved that three ayneh DC apPoheu " So
ct such place of deposit The resolutions were referred
a. Cp,it,se consisting Of three laymen, appointed by
the chair j. T. De Peyser Frederick D winston anu th
Eawad Jones ne, DT R Rse@nsyy 'H0 i'pO' -
The Rev. DR.. Halght, Chairman OF the SpeClaI SOl
tee appointed inquire into the merits OF the claims OF
the rival dele cations from the Parish Of Mount Vernon
submitted elaborate report 1t seems that hele mas
Coffee the former pastor, and the church wardens and
vestry Mr. Coffee claimed that no meeting OF the vestry
eoud legal unless called by him, and that the piOcetu
Dgs Of the meeting at which he was dismissed from tho
charge Of the parish were null and void Inc question:
has been before Supreme Court and decision rem
aerea adverse to the claims OF Mr. Coffee. Furthermore
the Bishop has recognized The Rev mas -, he
church. the pastor Under these circumstances ,H1
recommended that the delegation, headed by the rev
ChGs Seymour, be admitted 70 seats IN the CohNeh %
the matter seemed likely be settled No sooner had nc
taken his seat than the Rev W. S Coffee TOOK the ho0
and gave a long account Of the lnaIghiues wN ,hs
In his Judgment, had been heaped upon MN 10y tne
wsrens and yestTymen Of the Parish Oh MOUNT %
He charged that perjury had been eommeG , eeioe
Supreme Court He considered That his lgts de 49, g
Now York had been lnfrlngcd MI fIuyh w
and called Mr.. Coffee to order Inc its
said had nothing 70 do with tic action OF hS
Nognt Vernon aud 10 admit them. The point was not
recognized by the Bishop and MI Coffee proceeded Ire
TeouoFted the attention OF tho Convention 10 the Ia h
the person officiating as pastor was RECEIVING s0o 10
he yearly salary from Ne%, OK ne had any
authority to recognize legal an illegal act re DeIeNea
prepared to say thai a vestry could without the
presence Of tho reetorl Was reparGd to e
hNess acts Of set OF men VINO haa prevehte1 te1d
from entering his church and obtained an lnunenoh 10
restrain him from performing the duties OF his sacred
effect When MT SoHeo hhu eOneiuuVV " ill., tsH"n
made to lay the whole matter on the table Inc BISHOP
said that i was pN4eseu NotSuT ,he Te6uest of
VINO made the mouon, at 'ho rIi"tt tle
several delegates withdrew u, to permit t (ho
Rev Charles Seymour to he heard on the other auc;;
nil Seymour sad ne would not occupy three minutes VI
TIE time Of the Convention lie would Simply ray VA
Coffee had communicated ny that gentleman 10 the
eolsmttee On inc & mi n1Sedse Of All the cir
tumstaDces Hon Hamilton Fish, one OF the meInpets Vi
lie committee corrobOrated the statement OF MT sey
nour TIA committee had acted Oh the basis Of Occasions
already rendered aud had not Thought u
examine into the matter 40 tntto Inc rev. Dr
VmtOn obtained the floor and spoke IN commentator OF
Mr. Coffee, who with his own money had arSsy aeu VIZ ~
the building q beautiful church IN aount r se1 esteT
bad before that beautiful church n Last Oretc r
sne Of them was chapel. Mount vernon
church a chapel Neither TIE yestTy nor tno IuS
Judge the Bishop He would inquire n these patueS
as6 submitted the p1I'e " LIE msst APPROVE OF The
report Committee that the decision Vi tne bsop
" anal even though it may have been given by mistake
Ir Vinton asked lie Bishop whether lac had admitted
aud recognized the Rev. Chas seymour as rector or
affirmative. Dr. Vnton asked II the Bishop naa gwen
his decision as fna aToiter snd Judge me Ci,tee
aud as thsy said his decision na he left u SO DIT
YntOn proceeded to Inquire whether MI Cose was ho
the rector and whether Mr. seymour Nas, Inc b.shop
shook his head, saying that that Was not queo.oI
on Inc aele "ss note Si tsan ne wished 10 saw
word in Justice TO Coffee, and word In Justice 10
himself He spoke Coffee in the highest terms as
man and as Christian minister For himself he said his
questions between them ana the aty Inc relation %
pastor and flock much like that Of husband and WE
divorce must be made too easy When, soE,e years
ago canon introduced and about 70 pass denhlng
Tie bounds Of the action OF clergy ana ay tnouHn
considered that much conceded 10 tAe alty ne
did at first interfere But when some one haa saiG
that the sympahios Of the Bishop Would OF course gs
with the laty since he slept IN then beds ana ae az he
49, ,eIes the the Tesoistie .nS
committee then passed, with tie anendmeht oIceu
y the Rev Dr. Egehbrodt that the delegation should be
recognized without passing any judgment on ne st4
matter in controversy between MI Coffee apd The var
dens and vestIy OF Mount Vernon. ,,.p.-
The plan FOR Federate Council, reported by the heV.
order Of business for the day. The report Of Dr. Haght
emoodes menOr.al to the General Cohy eL'!y, o'.I,
formation Of the Federate Council, ana Two resolutions
ali Of which, being necessary TO the oi
matter which las 50 aGliaed the Convention We s'o
~ yoSf4I-The Memorial of the Bishops Clergy,
ana Laty Of the Diocese OF New YORK. IN 4s-
semoed in the S VI on TINS lst ,gy 81 0cG
ant Episcopal Church, respectfully sHo%et9: o,,o -
Ia, as6 SuI t t new Doeses should be erected
within the limits OF present Diocese OF New York,
did also adopt. with great unanmity, Resolution re,
guessing tie General Convention TO enact peInlssive
Canon authorizing Fedcfate Council OF the Dloceses
existing OF hereafter 70 be erected WITHIN te State
That your MeinOriaIsts have in the Convention III
at tAis time again considered inns su9eet ana
lave agreed upon plan for tie Organization ana esap-
EshmeIt Of such federate Council, a copy oI which Is
That your Meioralists deem the organization and es
taDlsheut of such Fedate Council TO be called for by
high eXpedlenCY, and 70 be neCes
s1Ty 70 N 9e ~ % y r the CARRYING on Of
the great werewlth she is charged BY her Lord
and 90 the preservation O her inherent rghs ana priv
eges ~ relations with the State; is fully set
forth ILL., Of the Report Of the Committee OF
NV. the DIVISION OF the Diocese presented 10 the Con
Senon Of 1906 copy Of which IS hereunto annexed;
That your MenOHaiss, therefore, pray that the Gen
tra Convention OF the Protestant Episcopal Church IN
the United states America w az its session 70 be
held the TN OF this present month, enact Canon IN
the "oids following or Se 81 Gs Se genera TENOR
It hereby declared lawful for the Doceses now ex
smits Of any State u to establish Tor
themselves Federate Council Convention, represent
ing sueh DOceses which may deliberate and decide upon
the common interests Of the Church within that state,
any laws necessary thereto, not repugnan TO-
General Convention and the Book OF Common Prayer"
"PLANl Whenever the General Convention shall have
passed Canon authorizing the formation OF federat
tonnc Of the Dioceses within state Bishop of
the Mother Diocese with the assent OF the major part of
the Bishops OF the other DOeeses shall call the Primary
Council OF the several dOeeses f.
I'll The said Primary Council shall take order as TO the
organization Of Fedeate Council of the said Doceses
aud rs 10 all the necessary regulations for the condact
thereof 49,.
iii. The said Primary Council shall consist:
l OF the Bishops Of the several Doeeses within the
Limits Of the state ofNew York
az OF the eight Clerical and Lay Deputies from each OF
the Doceses 10 be appointed ~ the Conventions OF said
Dioceses respectively.
Nv, Ia the said Primary Council. the Bishops, the
Clergy and the Laty shall vote by Orders and 10 action
thaL be valid without the concurrence OF majority OF
pent organization shall be binding upon any Diocese an
less with the consent Of the Bishop and Convention Of
~ In the event of the establishment by the said