The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-04
COMMUNICATED.
st. Clements Church.
Y The Epeninq TeLsaraph.

To the Editor Of The Euening Telegraph.
1t is not my wish 70 enter into a controversy
in regard TO the difficulties at st. Clements. 1
wrote all that thought necessary in my pre-
Vious letter, the only point desired to make
having been to show that the vestry did not ORR
ginate the troubles. There are, however some
observations in the second letter of "a Parishi-
oner published on April 1, that 1 cannot suffer
TO pass without comment as to remain silent
would appear to prove his remarks and SUPPOSE
tions correct.
In the first place, he would intimate that my
nom de plume of "Outsider" indicates an as
sumed character, or role, as he adopts that
theatrical word, and that, in fact, am an
'Insider"-otherwise, l presume one of his
famous "Ten Diseenters." / wish l were, but
/ am not. Not one of the vestry nor pew
holders of st. Clements Church had the
, slightest knowledge of my letter before 1t ap-
peared in THE EVENING TELEGRAPH, and, to
the best of my belief not one of them even
now has the least idea who it is that has endea-
: vored to defend them from their calumniators
No influence was exerted by any one to have
it written, and it never was designed for an
electioneering document. [ am not in the
vestry, and have no connection with it, Can
"a Parishioner" say as much of himself and
his own letters?
In the second place, he intimates that the
remonstrance against improper doctrines taught
by the clergy of st. Clements to mere TRADE
against ritualistic ceremonies. This is incorrect.
All allusion to theological points was intention
ally omitted in my letter l remarked that there
had been radical change in the mode of con-
ductng the services, and, 1t is alleged there
have also been radical changes in some of the
doctrines taught" Being an "Outsider" " had
no personal knowledge of the peculiar teachings
of the reverend gentlemen, but l had many
opportunities of seeing the extravagances
! enacted in the chancel in the presence of the
congregation.
Again, "Parishioner" objects to the use of the
term brotherhood" when applied to the fana-
tieal gentlemen who control the services. Per-
haps he would prefer the proper title of the asso-
citation, of which he is probably. a member, "The
Guild of the Holy Cross"
In the fourth place, he brings up list of dates
in an effort to show made an error in stating
that the vestrymen issued their little pamphlet
in consequence of his letter in THE TELEGRAPH.
He must have read my communication very
carelessly, as l wrote nothing of the kind.
observed that the vestry had published the lex
tracts from the minutes" as the simplest means
TO defend their characters from aspersions and
slurs similar to those contained in "Parishion-
er's" letter. | assuredly could not, in any case,
have complimented him so highly as to imagine
that his communication could extort an official
defense. The vestry has suffered from these
''surs" for very long whichever since the
Guild" decided upon making an effort to
obtain entire control of st. Clements Church,
4 temporarily as we'll as spiritually.
Again, "Parishioner" states that l admit the
pew rental has increased in five years. There
4 is no allusion whatever to any term of five
years" in my letter l said that in 'too years
the pew rental had not materially increased"
He says further, that Outsider will not
deny that SIS 900 of the church debt has been
paid off. will not deny that some of the debt
3 has been paid, but l do not know the exact
\ amount. 1t may be that $4,000 or it may be
that $40, 600 of the debt has been cdncelLed-,ao
Il paid; as, by an arrangement long since made
x by the much-abused vestry, the principal cre-
\ ditors of the church consented to take fifty
4 cents on a dollar. Consequently, $7500 may
have been paid in cash; certainly not $15, 600
Il This is fair specimen of the misrepresenta-
n tions employed by the opposing party, for in
A this case it is wished to produce the impression
Il that twice as much money has been contributed
a by the flourishing parish as has, in fact, been
n collected.
Finally, "Parishioner" calls upon all good Epis-
copalians to rejoice over the increase in the
1 number of communicates from one hundred and
n twenty to three hundred and fifty. 1t is possi-
A BILE that his arithmetic may be wrong again. but
"A 1t matters not.
This increase is by no means a cause for re-
joicing 1t is, on the contrary, deeply to be de-
plored by every one who has the welfare of the
q church at heart, that so many souls have been
q led astray by being united to communion
n which, in st. Clements well as at st. Adams
4 in New York, is disfgured by so much that :
4 erroneous. AN OUTSIDER.