Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-02-20
The Wisconsin RishoprIe.
A STORMY AND DIsGRAcEFUL SESSION OF TIE
CONVENTION.

Special Dispatch to the New York Times
MILWAUKEE, Wis, Feb. l2.-After heat
=. debate on the nomination of Rev. DIR.
Hoffman, of Philadelphia, for the vacant
Bishopric of the Wisconsin Diocese, last
night, the convention adjourned till morn
ing. Rev. DR.. Kemper refused to be a can
didate, and warmly supported Holman
The opponents of the latter asserted ne was
suffering from disease Of the throat, ana
unable to fulfill the duties OF the ONCE.
Rev. Mr.. Vermilye repeated the assertion
and Rev. Mr.. Byllesby interrupting HIM; ne
grew warm, and said that no gentlemanHn-
terrupted speaker. He said that the let
ter signed by six clergymen against DR.. DE
Koven contained falsehoSds, and the signers
knew;it. Sensation and cries of ''Order
Rev. Mr.. McGo6in thought the scene was
disgraceiul. After much confusion, an adj
journment was effected. Early this morn
ing caucus was held by the laity, who
came to a general understanding to resist
the nomination Of the clergy, if it should
be De kOyen.
In calling the council to order this morn
ing, Dr. Ashley wanted delegates to remem-
Der they were here as representatives oil the
Protestant Episcopal Church ofthe land, and
were TO honor or disgrace it as they choose.
DIR. Eyerhart. in a long speech, limited at
Hoifman's physical inability, and nomin-
ated Rev. James De KOven, Warden OF IA
cine College Rev. DIR. Falk seconded the
nomination. lie referred TO the charges
against De kOven, and SAID the situation
was not dangerous in its R0manlzlns ten
denotes. De kOven asked only the Young
people to confess to him, and did not use
candles, cruclfix. or waters. lie gave a
long history of De kOyen's noble work IN
- 4 trgr ta-
from Racine College under De kOven, but
two had gone into the Roman Church, and
two to other denominations. of the first
two, one was influenced by Rev. Hugh
Miller Thompson, of New York.
DR.. Adams interrupted ''Dr. Thompson
not being present, | ask the name of that
Young man" DR.. Falk could not remem-
Der. DR.. Adams said it was sometimes con-
venient not TO remember. and would ask De
Koven for the name. De koven said the
Young man in question had not been IN
huenced by DR.. Thompson, 50 far a he
knew. Rev Mr.. Wilkinson said the In-ln-
uation about Hoffman throat was sprung
on the house last night. lie had telc-
graphed to Richard ). Smith, of Phiiadel-
phia. for the facts, and had received
thi, answer "Dr. Hoffman has oiiiciated
in his church without intcrmiS-i1n
through the Winter. The report
YOU mention i false" Rev. Mr..
Park made a personal explanation lie
said the signing of his name to the charges
against DR.. De k0yen was unauthorized
Iapplause and Kisses but he could not APP
prove Of DR.. De koyen. The whole bu-i-
nes- was diSgraceiul The late Bishop was
not dead two weeks before he was button
holed to vote for De Koven. He could tell
DR.. Vermilye. who talked about falsehood,
that there had been falsehOod on the other
side. lie referred to the interview OF the
Chicago Times reporter with DR.. De koven
and his friend, which was shame 10 the
church. The whole church in the East wa
Scandalized By it. Hear hear May
God forgive their transgres>ions. lCricS OF
amen, p" cheers and Kisses. 1t was dis
grace.
Rev. Dr.. Spaulding got excited. and
charged the Hoffman party with prejudice
and miscellaneous, and said tod for
give those who accused DR.. De koyen with
wire-pulling." lie referred TO the circular
against Dr. De kOyen signed by six clergy
men. and said it was written for political
effect. and he could prove it. He then read
letter signed by four students and candi-
dates for orders. The letter stated that
Rev. DR.. Egar had told the student be
wrote the circular for political intrigue ;
that it was an cxaggeration 70 influence the
/ laity against DR.. De kOycn. Dr. Esar
/ cailcl for the students 20 be brought before
the council. \ long and hot debate then
/ cn~ucd. in which personalities were freely
indulgcd in
The entire afternoon was taken up with
wrangline over the statements made against
/ DR.. De kOyen. Rev Mr.. Martin was afraid
] -. Of ..t no
whole city and the whole country were
laughing at them They presented such a
spectacle a. had never been seen on the
face Of the earth. If man wants t. talk
T i'll of his neighbor, all lie needs u do Is to
be elected To i Church Council DR.. Adams
j said Il call the gentleman 10 order
Confusion and rappins Of Chairman 5
hammer Rev. Mr.. Martin rct0rted. you
have had the floor a thousand times -
7 ICommotion. lie continued his remarks.
saying If this thing goes on, the disguised
delegates viii 90 home. lie was instructed
TO say that half the delegates would leave in
the morning. 1t seemed to be trap 70
keep discussion going till the lay delegates
left.
DR.. Adams Jumped to his feet. amid cries
| of Question - DIR. Adams refused to give
up the tloor. Applause and hi--o-l lie
then made a long speech. 1T is c0nclu-
/ sion. Rev. Mr.. Wilkinson proposed reading
I a letter he had received from DR.. De k1vcu.
The latter protested. and finally read the
letter himself, stating that Mr.. Wilkinson
/ had abused his confidence. The gentleman
referred 10 said the only point he wanted
To make was that De Koyen avowci his
/ belief in the presence of the Divine body
/ of the Lord Christ in the elements of the
/ sacrament. Or. De koyen said be wanted
/ the whole Of the sentence. and read
/ the remainder, il being And not c1niine1
/ to the clement" DR.. De koycn remarked /;
This makes the difference" Rev NJ.
/ Wilkinson rctortcd ION it does not. does
/ it?' lie said DR.. De Koyen had told him
/ the only reason he did not light candles on
/ the altar WIS that he did not dare. \ lay
| delegate said the bishop of Wisconsin, had
| used lighted candles before and SD had Dr.
| Hoffman.
\ bitter discussion followed with charges
| and denialS Wilkinson said De k0yen had
| given to a young man, now in Jesuit col
| lege. Popish book and had signed him
self as Father De k0yen. Flat dcuial- and
| charges o! filsehood Immediately passed.
amid storms and Kisses. DIR. Adams at
tackled De hOven in very bitter address,
| and De kovcn followed in an eloquent
speech. giving his theological views. lie
said the use Of lights, ycstmenis and IN
cenSe does not signify Characterization.
lie denied using them, except in one in
stance lie added that his ritual was not
50 high as that of Trinity Church, New
York, and not higher than DE-. Hoffman s.
lie then took up the question Of the cen
fessional. saying he held confession when
voluntarily offered. lie believed priests
could not pardon sins denied the charges
aS to invocation of saints, and believed il
right to pray for the dead. The charges
against him, he concluded, were made for
effect. His speech closed amid great ap-
plause.
After much more Of the same sort. the
Convention adjourned until June next.