The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-05
WHITEHOUSE-CHENEY.

Some Interesting Extracts from the Cor
respOndence Between Bishop White
house and the Wardens Of Christ Church,
Chicago.
Rev. Charles Edward Cheney, rector of Chrlst
Church, Chicago, is to be brought to trlal lor
contumacy in disregarding the senteuce OF the
ecclesiastical courts as pronounced oy, Tue
bishop, by which he was tried and convicted Tor
non.conformity. portion OIL tne c1ptespond- es ma
dressed to the wardens of Christ Church. and
the reply of the wardens thereto. Bishop
Whitehouse, in his letter communicating OIL
cially the sentence of the court, says
"At every step, from the initiatory petition
signed by individuals for official permission to
organize through your organization, Incorporation,
admission to the convention, the tile to property,
the reception Of benefactions, the impsrtDg OF
vested rights, and your enfolding in the general
trines discipline worship, rites and ceremonies OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church IN the UnlIed
Convention and Of the diocese Of Illinois. All your
corporate life is indissJ Jubly hound up by solemn
pledge, in honor, in love- as well as in law aud
equity with this franchise of membership. You
cannot dissolve 1t, and l have confidence that you
will not mpeach it by any rash counsels or degrade
il by any passionate though futile secession"
The reply Of the wardens s quite lengthy. They
1--WE acknowledge the solemnty Of the authority
attached to the Episcopal office, aud just in proper
il administered, not to destruction, but to salvation;
not to hurt but to help. Our beloved rector, after
eleven years of labor among US, during which Pro-
ingly, and to endear him very much to his people,
has incurred the dispeasure OF his ecclesiastical
superiors, and alleged sentence, claimed to nave
been arrived at and inflicted In the administration
'Of discipline, has been passed upon him. II he had
been guilty OF ofense or misconduct requiring and
justifying such sentence; If that guilt had
been asCertained, the conclusion reached and the
sentence announced in accordance with the laws OF
the church in which he is an ofcer, and in accord
with those essential principles Of justice with
out which there can be no just judgment, then it
would be clearly his duty to submit and ours to
counsel such submission. Is such the case in this
instance :? Accused upon no information by his ves-
investigation, our PASTOR engrossed in the work Of
his sacred calling aud entirely unconscious OF the
impending blow, found himself subjected to prose-
cution upon the serious charge OF violation OF
his solemn engagement of conformity and
OF his ordination VOW, and that he had been guilty
of such violation in that he had omitted in the ad-
mnistratiOn Of the Office Of the public baptism OF
that the child is regenerated by the baptismal act
itself. The doctrine of the Protestant Episcopal
Church does not hold that the Holy Spirit is
sar1y present in the administration of the rite of bap
tsm To declare in positive language that which
was not the doctrine Of the church burthen to
our pastor almost too grevous to be borne"
The letter concludes az follows :-"Entertaininp
these views cannot hesitate to duty in the
premises 1t is with indescribable grief that we find
ourselves obliged, even in appearance, to assume
attitude OF difference with the ecclesiastical autho
rity Of the diocese but, however painful the duties
imposed upon us, we must discharge them under
the guidance OF our own coBscienceS. The character
OF these proceedings the manner in which they have
been carried on the conclusion in which they have
eliminated, and the utter impracticability OF sub
mission without moral degradation leave no alter
natve?"