The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-16
Episcopal Church ScapcgORts.

Episcopal Church scapcgoats.
In another column will be found the result
of an interview with the Rev. Stephen II.
Tying, Jr., regarding highly sensational par
agraph from Western paper, charging him
and Mr.. Cheney, Of Chicago, with a settled
purpose to secede from the Episcopal Church
and set up an independent Protestant Episco-
pal Church for themselves. We frequently
receive kindred statements, which we pass by
without noticing, as we should have done with
this one had it not opened with the statement
that Mr.. Tying had ANNOUNCED his intention"
to do so and so. This seemed positive enough
to lead us to inquire of Mr. Tying as to its
truth or falsty, aud he has given it
and all such sensational stories his most
unqualified denial. Bat we have no hope
that this denial nor similar one, if made
every week, will alter the purpose Of certain
men and certain papers to keep the High and
Low Church controversy of the Episcopal
Church before the country. They demand, as
Mr.. Tying pertinently declares, scapegoats;
and himself and Messrs. Cheney and Hubbard
have been selected, and they must bear the
sins of the Church without the camp. No
doubt there is great deal of truth III this
idea, and it may account in measure for
the very frequent references which we find in
the secular and religious papers to those rev.
erend gentlemen.
But it will be seen that Mr. Tying has given
two of the very best reasons why he will not
and cannot secede from the Episcopal Church.
The first is that it is the Church
of his birth. education and present minis
try, and he loves it as he would parent.
The second is that he is too busy with
real Christian work to waste the moments in
any schemes of secession, however beautiful
they might appear or however much they
might promise in the future. We can readily
understand this when we consider that during
his comparatively brief ministry here he has
gathered congregaton Of the largest
in the city-and built church where before
there was none; that bis people sustain six
mission chapels, dispensary ia the rear of
the church, House of the Evangelists or
college for the education Of young men as
city missionaries, and a certain number of
patients in St. Lakes Hospital, together with
attending to the wants of the poor in the
parish and Its prottgSs the while. And all
this work requires the raising of over
thirty thousand dollars year, which
the people give cheerfully. And besides
this, until within few months
past, M. Tying has had al his spare moments
occupied in the editorial chair A minister
who in eight or ten years could accomplish
such work as this and attend to the pastoral
duties Of his parish as well, could not have
had much time TO devote to schemes of sepa-
ration from his Church. 1t is only for idle
hands and Idle brains that Satan fnds mischief
and if We would search out the real seceders
and schemers in the Episcopal Church we
must look beyond Cheney and Tying. Mr.
Cheney, like Mr.. Tying, has gathered his own
congregation and built his own church, and,
like the latter, is sustainedto the utmost by his
people And we must look deeper, also, for
the causes Of the present agitation than the
omission of a word from the ritual by one
or the preaching in Methodist church
by another These are but the out
ward expressions of thought which are
widespread in the Episcopal Church and which
will continue to agi ate the people until one or
other of the two classes of thought shall give
way aud separation ensue. And we notice
in the Catholic Church and in the Baptist
Church similar agitations, though arising from
different causes. Such agitations must 60 on
until, as the Apostle Paul declares, that which
is old and ready TO perish shall vanish away,
and that which is young and strong and in con-
formty to the active and progressive spirit of
the age shall take its place. We may not see
it, but it will surely come, and the only question
which should be considered by Church people
everywhere is, How shall we best prepare to
receive the change, so that there shall be no
conclusion and no splitting up of Churches and
sects? The HERALD has foreseen, it and
warned the Churches Of its coming, and we
again renew the warning but, like Ephraim,
they are all joined to their idols, and we fear
we shall have 10 let them alone.