The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-01
ICoMMUNICATKD.1 !
Sc. CIement,s Chnrch-The Dcfense.

st. Clements Church-The Defense.
10 the Fdito, Of The EUenfng Telegraph.
One OF your correspondents having become
IAN outsider" in the st. Clements Church con-
troversy, has given his views from his present
standpoint in your issue of the 30th Instant.
"a Parishioner' Graves leave to reply to the
new matter brought out in this last effusion,
calling attention at the very outset to what is a
noticeable fact, to wit, the omission of all re-
ference to the vestrys original charges against
the clergy of setting up confessional in the
church, and teaching the eficaciousness of
prayers for the dead The original cause of the
difference between the high contending parties
is lost from sight, and in spite of the earnest
protest of the vestry in the Inquirer of the 23d
ult., that they ''have taken an active
part, not, of course, against the rector
personally, but against the Ito them) obiec-
tionable features of his administration of affairs
in the parish" the issue is now narrowed down
to the question whether DR.. Patterson shall be
susta ined In his labors-not whether there shall
be an advance but rather whether thero shall
be a retrograde. The false ISSUE upcnIwhieh the
Bishop was mised into giving his opinion is
now abandoned, the war being waged at present
against the clergy and ritualism. 1t is not
little strange that the choral services at st.
Clements should have been held peacefully,
quietly, and, let me venture to hope, religiously
for two years, without any objection being
raised or disturbance made until outsiders"
commenced going there ito the fun,"
when the refrain from their testing and
mockery fell upon the ears of the vestry
and led them at once to conclude that for two
years past their worship has been mere Sunday
evenings amusement;" and straightway they
demonstrate, mind you, not with the outsiders"
or foolish young brothers" or "brainless young
women" but with the rector, and they make
haste to pick quarrel with him and introduce
a resolution of request for his resignation The
vestry precipitate the issue, they hurry to the
Bishop and ask him to decide a question which
they say has been referred to him, when in truth
1t has not they publish extracts" from their
minutes in pamphlet form, carefully emitting
'a paper read by the rector" they print their
extracts in the daily papers, and they make a
dreadful noise in the hopes of frightening timid
people into their views. And all this they call
''mildness, gentleness, and forbearance" The
result is that people begin to inquire into the
matter, and they find out the characteristics of
this vestry to quarrel with their rectors;" and
they also find that this vestry neglect certain
religious duties. ga Parishioner" ventured to
call attention to these facts whereupon he is
met with the charge of showing "a strong desire
to throw discredit upon the vestry in their cor
porate capacity and as Christian gentlemen;"
and he is told that the plan of the PATTERSON
party Is TO create an impression that the vestry
are irTeligious men," etc.
Now, while he disclaims any such desire or
intention, and hopes that no one of the vestry
will draw such erroneous conclusions, he, never
theless, does with all respect and sincerity deny
their authority as Christian teachers or as
mentors OF Christian teachers. They should
'hear the church." not teach it. For the
priests lips should keep knowledge, and they
should seek the law at his mouth for he is the
messenger Of the Lord of hosts" Vestrymen
are merely trustees of the temporaities of the
Church, not guardians to see that pure doctrines
only are taught. But the allusion to the yes
try's neglect of their duties is called 'unkind
things uttered in regard to the yes.
trymen," ard "slurs," and "An Outsider"
afirms that the vestry then took the simplest
means to make their real standpoint known.
lV nuhiShiDp nj no
vestry. Now Mr.. "Outsider" has got the cart
before the horse, as witness the following dates
and acts:-Cn March 10 the vestry distributed
their pamphlet among the congregation; on
March 90 il appeared in THE TELEGRAPH, and
on March 90 their mild" and humble statement
appeared in the Inquirer. The same day (March
23) ga Parishioner" penned, and on March "a
published in THE TELEGRAPH, his commuuica
tion. which, can Outsider says, compelled the
vestry to take the simplest means to make their
case known; that is, publish their statement ten
days previously. Here, for once, an effect pre-
cedes its cause.
But Gan Outsider forgetting his role becomes
an ''insider' a Yestryman indeed, and tells us
that 'the Vestry decline to make any effort
whatever to secure reelection or influence a
single vote" Let us see about this. At the last
meeting of the vestry, judges of election were
chosen, and this body of mild and gentle"
perscnages selected two of their own number to
conduct the election and gave the PATTERSON
party" no representation whatever, albeit they
have two IN the vestry. OF course this has
nOIll0g 10 co VIII any SlIOIl lONdIuS IL TS-OlCC-
tion. Then they announce that a certain class
of voters shall be excluded, and they would have
us infer that this is without purpose. But the
veil is too thin. So also is the hue and cry
about "a brotherhood" "Jesuts," Reformed
Catholic Church" "Roman Church" banners,
candles millinery, embroideries, crosses, :"
etc. All the timid persons who are TO be fright
ened in this contest have already been captured,
but they are very few. That "electioneering
dodge viii not change anybody at this late day.
The weak creatures have gone with the out
siders, aud fun-seekers, andlthose who went to
St. Clements 10 see how the fight progressed,
but left without seeing it. Nor is any one left
TO be influenced by the cry that imitation is
the sincerest form of flatteTy." 1t will be an
unhappy day for the Episcopal Church when
she has to surrender such of her forms of service
as are similar to the Roman Catholic Church.
y When that day comes what will she have left?
VIII we not all be outsiders then? Nor will
the statement that ''more novelties" may be eX-
pected at 81. Clements serve in this emergency,
unless the bright particular stars of the vestry
intend to do some of the preaching, and read re-
ports upon Church doctrine, being careful to note
all the latest changes and to keep pace with them
in which case. no doubt, the demand for seats
will be large and the interest intense. There
need be 10 effort made to worship the Lord in
the beauty of holiness" but real good, hard
preaching on mildness, meekness, gentleness,
forbearaDce, finances, church management etc,
with an occasional allusion TO the necessity OF
baptism, being careful to give no otfense to
those who don't believe in it; and to confrma-
tion and the duty TO commune once a year about
Easter, and as much oftener as you cOnScien
tiousLg can. And occasionally they will think
how DIR. PATTERSON and DR.. Stewart administered
communion every Sunday and on all saints days
in the year at S sometimes @ o'clock A. NJ.
snd how many Episcopalians from other parishes
made use Of the great privilege! And they will
think also how they held services twice every