Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-06-06
From the New York World.
Bishops In Boston.

There are curious ways OF electing n
bishop. One is the traditional Anglican
mode and it has been remarked by satlr-
lists as an extraordinary coincidence that
whenever Il bishop is chosen by that time
hOnOred method the recommendation OF the
sovereign should always be identical with
the choice to which deans and chapters
were led after their prayer for guidance
from on high. This coincidence has even
shocked some critics. and we confess that
the constant recurrence of it has something
of CHASTITY irreyerence in it. But upon the
score of taste it Is perhaps better that
bishop should be chosen by chapter, even
with royal ring in its nose, than by the
caucus of a ''feree democracy. And GER
tainly this latter was the mode by which
bishop Of Massachusetts was elected on
Thursday. 1t Is better that diocesan con-
yention should be led even by the apron
strings OF queen than that It's mem
bers should neither fear God nor
regard men. We have no right to
say that the members of the Do
cesan Convention in Massachusetts were
irreyerent, but certainly they showed an
utter Indifference to the face of man and
canyassed the claims Of potential bishops
with the same freedom with which they
would have remarked upon the aptitudes Of
Butler, let US say, had that eminent public
ist come before them as a candidate for Gov
ernor. No doubt the respectable gentle
men who composed the convention would
resent with great bitterness the suggestion
that they were influenced by the spirit of
puritanism, which it is their chief business
as churchmen Of Massachusetts TO make a
stand against, as it used 10 be the chief
business Of the " Ola Line Wings Of Mas
sachusetts to make a stand against the rad
icalism in politics which Is the proper
counterpart of Puritanism in religion. But
the most brilliant of the lawyers of Ma-sa-
chusetts declared it to be the chief boast Of
the Pilgrim Fathers that they had founded
- church without a bishop, and state
without n king And we are constrained to
say that their influence i felt even in the
camp of those who most loudly reject their
specific teachings. The Episc0pallans have
bishops, but they are no rcspecterS OF
bishops. Otherwise Mr. Dana would not
have permitted himself to say of that caudi-
date for a bishopric who was finally Success
ful that he was kind Of clearinghouse
tea sort Of man - thereby meaning, as
the lawyers say in SANDER ~lit-. that the
elements of milk and Of water entered
largely into the composition oi the Rev. Dr.
Paddock nor would the Rev. Mr. Hunting
ton have felt justified in critci>ing the cut
of the clothes Of the Rev Dr. De koyen in
conjunction with his criticism on the Rev.
Dr. De koven's views Of ftranSubS.antiation
' Truthful james has informed Us that be
beheld with horror the introduction of this
act of discipline in merely secular and
scientific society. How much more strong
~ should we reprehend the Introduction Of
it into diocesan convention called for the
purpose Of electing a bishop. The poet has
" Held it was not decent for c.cn-idc GENT
To call another one au as at least o. all intent
Nor should The individual who happens o. Dec meant
Reply by hcaFn- rocks at HIM % any great cN-
tent
These practices are at least a- unhecom-
ing in an ecclesiastical a. in o scientific gent.
And we consider that in calling the Rev.
DR.. Paddock - boarding-hOuSc tea sort oi
q man Mr. Dana did - 20 all intent
call the Rev Mr.. Paddock an ass and that
when the Rev. Mr. Huntington rctorted by
alludiug 10 the clothes Of the Rev. DR.. De
Koyen the Rev Mr. Huntington did reply
by throwing rocks at Mr. Dana to very
considerable extent We regret these
exuberauccs of debate. For if we are not
to seek for an example Of decency of discus
sion in a convention of the Epi-copaiians of
Boston. where are we to look for it2 II
bishops charges are TO be expressed with
the easy vigor of Presidents messages. and
the reports Of diocesan conventions 10 read
like the Congressional Gi0te. We do not
DENY that ecclesiastical documents might
gain in yiyacity. but we fear they would
lose in the qualities which distinguish them
from what Is impure and hateful and dis
honest and of evil report