, 1873-11-17
Sermon by the Rev. DR.. Bel.
! lows, Of New York ! %a' ;ais
9 City.
The Rev. Jesse B. Thomas Resigna-
-. tion Accepted by His
!: People
Resolutions Adopted by the Con-
gregation Yesterday
Forenoon.
BISHOP oumM1Ns' SECESSION. :,

Sermon by rho Escv. IDr. Edward sul-
livan,- Rector of Trinity Episcopal
Church, Delivered Yesterday Fore"
noon. 's -, ..
Tho Rev. Edward Sullivan, Rector Of Trinity
Church, onlciatod yesterday morning to largo
congregation In h1artinos Hall, on tho corner Of
Indiana avenue aud Twonty-socond street, Tho
subject Of his sermon was the recent letter OF
DR., Cummins, tho Assistant Bishop Of kentucky,
Of which ho spoke substantially as follows j..
hlauy Of yon know that tho city papora pub
liahed a circular lottor from DR.. Cumlnins, with
drawing from the Church with which he has
beon connected for twonty-oight years, for Hov-
On as Bishop. 1t appeared too late for me to
commit my thoughts to writing, but could not
refrain from giving; my Ideas on tho
subject. lie once occupied my place, md
employed his groat abilities whore / now stand,
and naturally this congregation takos n peculiar
interest In the matter. Besides that, 1t inter-
eats tho Church at largo to sensible degree.
After having read tho letter from tho Bishop,
DR.. Sullivan continued:
With aon1o things in this you will doubtless
ngroe. The first is, q Bishop has tile Inherent
right to withdraw from Our communion If he
aecu fit. He entered 1t voluntarily, and ho can
withdraw voluntarily. Secondly, IN tfis caae, as
no must charitably suppose, tho Withdrawal is
siyos without CAUSE, and we mnst presume in
!his case that ho has tho right and has exercised
It consciontiously. Thirdly. we must promise II
waa the only course open to him. Ue
has acted with straightforward consistency.
Unharpily, thoro arc, many men still in tho
Church, aud who would DO better out Of It, who
lack TINT quality. It ia inconsistent to romain
within Church, violating its orders and tru1n-
pling on its laws, and yet claiming to belong
to IT,.
But, beyond this, join Issue with tho Bishop.
think bis error is Of tho head, but not Of tho
heart. Do tho merits Of tho case Justify tho
withdrawal Ia It inevitable? ! think 1t un-
wise, for it would haye boon manlior to atay In
tho Church, and continue to protest against its
errors. It rnudt havo boon painful for him
TO eco these symbolical toachings in
churches where he was compelled to minister.
It must have CALLED him, and he must have
WINGED under it; but 1t would have been bravor
to confront error within tho communion,
rather than withdraw from it. Paul must have
folt the same pains in his apostolic duties. In
his travels, he must hnyo found many formB Of
error which ho could not then correct, but he
remained in tho Church till tho end and kept his
faith in spite Of all theHo errors.
It doea not follow that Bishop, by his pres
euco in a church whore there arc ceremonies
which offend him, thereby sanctions them, or
even takes part in them. If itisassumcd he docs,
the logic is falacious. Duty calls Bishop to Of
fciate in church. What he secs the1o shoelH
him. But ho ia not countonancing ritualism
because duty calls him there. His. presence il
merely bodily. II tho presence uf rituallam in
validated the SERVICE, there B no mental partici-
patton in it for him. II it .doea not inyalidase
It, thon certainly bis presence ia productive Of
1,orr tn Aa Ar liza n n IT
II you are firm believer in tho vicarious atone-
ment, it makes no difference what your nciehbor
Thinks and are you not compromised by kneel-
lng beside him. 30 is it with tho Bishop. He
'can can worship God in bis own leart without any
sompromiso OF, his own consistency. 1s the
condition Of tho Church suoh now, TINT
secession becomes duty Il it is
There arc times when secession is juetfable.
The Protestant Episcopal Church illustrates that,
In tho Hoyaath snd Eighth Ccnturies Rome had
Becoded from the simplicity Of the faith, and the
truth vas hidden from view. When tho Six
teenth Centurysoc accession camo, 1t was tustthablo,
aud commenils itself to Ghristandom, since Rome
Ia further from truth now than in LutheE's day,
Papal infallibility aud other powers having been
added, which forever preclude reform.
But is the Church in such condition as tojus-
tify man in saying, II cannot romain 2" Is
It not condemnation of the whole Church 2
beeession eau DO justified only when thore i., is
do not j. say tho: Church Ia .4perfect.
Isee weakness End faults, md thoy vi yin always
PERFECTION only in tho Church Of Heaven. There
Ia in tho Church d lttlo society known aB the
Confraternity Of tho Blessed Sacrament. which
one Of the bishops Inns denounced as dlsoyal
wlose superiore recommend resistance to Churoi
authority. It has committed itsoif to false doc
trino nnd holds that the table is an altar, thu
the minister is i sacrificing Priest, eto. 5uoh
society is reasonable, AZ Bishop Cox hal
Among tho autl.oritiea Of the Church there il
culpable want Of agreement. There aro injuH
tees In tho administration Of Episcopal author
IT, which ia rfproeh to III r. na onG man ~ IS goa ~
dhnfoh, dhnp2 while Vii s rltualizng minister is unre
proved. That tho Church as q body adheres t
sateses dss t. Ie I'D oreo m ef Thoy would 4
llguant, with few exceptions at the attenI
10 leave out the Nicono Creed. Tho prayer book
- 1t Stands, gives tho essential truth Of th
IL tic Pishop's letter might be- revised, and thu
Eake away all pretenoe Of cavil, Whom any othc
thsn Christ is preached from tho pulpit Of ou
church; whom It advocates tho worship Of Ii
Virgin, or the adoration oi saints, then apd nc
iii then will It DO time for men to obey III
divine summons aud come out Of her. I mnil
tain tho Church is far from any such conaltio
Ut preRent. ,.-....- ,-.
iectared. Ho saya Il taio with mo my ,wor
and my Office" mid also sayg, ~ propose to II
turn to Whites prayer-book." That y ono abot
which llttlo IL known. ! have inquired, aud hay
hecured bishop Whites work oontaining q
scrlption Of lilo book in question. Whon tt
political separation took place at the Revolution
There had to 10 ohangoa made III the prayer
book, such aB leaving out tho prayers for th
polluted to sugpaHt okapgeB, aid tito result VT
th!o prsyor-book, But 1ilshor White says th
printing VAS mistake 1t was not set forth {
prayer-bools. It was simply proposed. and u
alterations we're discussed. Bomo OF them a1
In our prayer-book uuw, but others woro throw
out In 1850, and these are the peouliaritiea whlc
Bishop CumtntnB acts atore upon, will ron
from bishop Whites works whit theao propose
alterations we're. Ono WIS to alter tho rubr
where tho declaration Of absolution IL made i
istor," instead Of "priossa Another ii to ON
entirely In the clood the Words "dosccndcn int
bell" Again, that thp Athanaaian md Nioo,
prpeds ba omittsl. Again, that all reference