, 1874-01-25
,.hn Cotton Smith on Bishop
Cheney.
cnirit of the Religious Press.
rareign Missionary Convention Of
the Presbyterian Church.
rc,es and Personals in Chicago and
Elsewhere.


THE REFORMED efIoIoFAL lHuHEH.
acurgcH AND STATE" ON THE SITUATION.
~. church and Slate, published in New York,
= lifted bv tho Rev. John Cotton Smith, D.
t,z An .b!e editorial on the Reformed Epis-
III Church, which will be read With interest by
r.. c1ass. The editor "Hccs no reason, On
rhurch principle, why DR.. Cheney is not
~ Bishop; and, If he is truly = Bishop il
-. Ina Of Apostolic succession" he does 'no:
h,x it helps the matter to withhold the title
I.,a him" The editor expresses the opinion
~, ut is better, especially for those who hold
s.~.or Church principles, honestly to adnit the
~" ex,crt of what is involved in the establish
'ssnt .a of Reformed Episcopal Church with tho
.s.stoc succession" The editor presents the
i7nr contest which Bishop Cheney has waged
xh the Bishop Of Illinois in the following
.speet:
T.! deesest impression upon the pubic miud is the
:s,ent " effort which Bishop Cheney has made for
T. ss tre. years more. to retain his place in the
Ste<t7r1 ErscoIal Church. SO strong Tag bee:l his
@ in Ibis respect ,n.s he haa met the proceedings
esint lin w;h every possible form OF resistance,
,eh eceiesias=5l and civil No amount Of whst
h .Saut Ts5saasu Of alienation Of his brethren: 10
,7cuut Of what he considered Al oppression
- he ra-t OF the ecclesiastical authori-
w. nouoa Of adherence to the Church Yet, strange
sa.!y he las beca the aabject ct vastly more OF
,t capsure for striving, as he did. to remai1 in the
fturcb, than B.shup Cannins has been for going
~, nae os the Drst OF our Church papers. the
andaTI Of tie fros: Ees indeed lately said that his
1critj6u il tbs respect, had been nole anti cCbEne.
nna thing il clear: thai, II We take exception
;onsn foc Tic e:xc with which they 80 oat, we
cctt 10 havo sympathy, at least, with strenu-
oas effort remain H.
After rencarxiag the history OF the Cheney
su, .le Church and Slate expresses the opinion
flat aay fair-ulinded man must admit that DR..
Cheney had reasonable grounds for his opinion.
md says:
ys DO no: care to cai1n that he others clearly
n; iadspatab: at liberty to omit passages IN the
itr-cy tn which they may have even conscientious
srruIes Nhot do claim ie that in the case Of suci
u oaisaion that made by Mr. Cheney they cannot
proceeded agaiust wi:eoct vastly greater injury to
f.Caurch thau al good which could possibly result
fncn sach proceedings. We wish merely to show how
unnsceasary and ulwisc, to say nothing more tnese
proceedings hare been, and what erle'ous INJURY
Hnt t1es2 proceedings imply that this is the
ouy method 10 check wlat called irregularities,
I'D that everything would DC IN eonlns'oR IN l1s f
this tort Of ecclesiastical discipline. We beg TO
d:se,.t IRON this whole idea. We believe that the
bess restraint is to be found in tho public opinion
& the Church. The extent 10 which omissions can
b made, aud irregularities pract:ccd, al least upon
';Le sid. cf moderate churchInanshin, is exceed
';ney limited 4 protest ia sure to come from the
rrfh Of Clergyman who goes far in this direction,
ind protest 50 decided that it cannot be dsregarded.
Within the limits to which irregularities III It
phases s1v one call them sol can be carried with
out aron sing the adverse sentiment Of parish 1t Is
ee1:aaly wise for Bishop no. to- know much about
them and to still 1ess Especially is this tho case
vncp the principles of either of the great schools IN
t.. Church arc stake. Then the alssez ta1rc policy
becomes IN imperative duty There arc not 10"
Bishops within couple Of hundred miles IRON
New York who are acting most wisely upon
thts principle, and emitting themselves to tho credit
of ecclesiastical craftsmanship. .
But could there tie anything more Wretchco th-a tae
poie; which succeeds indeed in establishing rs aw n
one diocese that shall declare, at the font tis
which he Is at libcr: deny i'll the pulpit but sue
eeeds only 1t the expense OF driving man CT vastly
moro than ordinary eel and energy, OF unduub:ee
nietv and OF intense love for the Church. With hi
whole parish, on: of our conInunlcu, aod psoousng
st1:s cf feeling which has contributed largely to th
establishment of rirat Episcopal Cnurcn. and ha'
Hade any who do M: sy1nnatlltze with thts more
ueut md who would be least suspected Of it, inward
IL re oice that the "dcgraded tnuste- OF Ch1cag'
ia Bishop in the Church OF dnd. with y; uuquestion
sbe an APOSTOLIC lineage the BiEhop OF ILLINOIS him
reH7
The Rev. DR.. Tying, though anti Ntualist'c IL
Ill his Instincts, does not favor the Cum,n1n
secession. He gives in bis adhesion TO ta
church as il is nnl Bays Bishop Cummlns - has
acted most nnwisely IN attempting to constrac
new sect, OF which there are already too many
Ee is going forth almost alone, and WILL tlnt
himself going further away. and becoming
mora and more solitary, i nomad, seTcres
branch, cloud carried to and fro with th
thCuEes Of the wind"