The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-12


necessary or expedient."
Wise and ample provision is thus
made to remedy such evil Is those OF
which you complain.
But you dispair Of relief in this wa,
I-pronouuce it an absolute impossl-
bility J" represent the effort made in this
direction BY the nine Bishops in let
ter to their brethren a. q signal fall
ure," ending in "mortifying discomft-
urs." Having been present in the House
OF Bishops during the entire proceeding
to which you 60 slightingly refer, and
having watched it with intense interest
tor those v homit was intended to relieve
and having carefully committed it to
writing at the time, I feel at liberty to
correct the erroneous impression you
have received.
Before an opportunity offered for pre-.
septipg the letter OF the nine Bishops,
the whole subject was introduced in a
promising form, and with q very appro.
pirate statement by one Of the major
ity. The discussion, which continued
for several days, was conducted not
only with exemplary courtesy, but in a
traternal spirit, which will not soon be
forgotten by those who witnessed it
with admiration and gratitude. In
stead of widening the distance be-
tween those who differed, that distance
diminished with every days DELHI
erations. The measure at first pro-
posed was from time to time vsriously
modified with moot amazing concord,
and at last adopted and signed, as pub
lished, by the whole House, With only
one exception. The names Of forty
eight Bishops are affixed to the Dec!ar-
alton. This result you will scarcely
characterize as Notifying discomfit'
ure." You, my dear brother, may
think and say that the Declaration"
is not in "any sense" "a gam" to those
for whose relief the nine Bishops were
concerned. can assure you that,
though what those Bishops sought
was but partially attained, yet it was
so much beyond what they hoped from
q frs. move, and was yielded 30 hand.
eomely, that the thanked G ID and took
courage" I will add. that when the
Declaration as adopted was previously
submitted to Bishop Mcllvsine with
the inquiry, How does this strike
your he very emphatically replied.
with smile of unmistskable sstisfac-
ton, THE best thing YETI But the
Circular addressed by the nine Bishops
to those, whom they thought TO relieve,
and which was prepared and sent to
the press after the Declaration was
adopted, and to which l beg leave to
refer you, may enforce brief report, and
perhaps modify your views ofthe transA
action and its results.
It placed you, and others who agree
with Won, doc;rinally, in an easier and
more advantageous position, leaving you
unchanged in your CONVICTION that the
great spiritual change, the new birth
unto Righteousness, is not inseparatly
connected with the administration Of
Baptism, and that the contrary view
was not held by the trainers oil the
PRAYER Book, nor intended to be ex'
pressed in the Service, and is not there-
fore the doctrine of the Church." and
moreover, sustaining you in this your
conviction, by this declaration Of forty
eight Bishops in Council, who state
that, "being asked, in order to the quiet
ing OF the conscences Of sundry MEM
bers OF the said Church p. E Church
| in U. s to declare our conviction as
to the'meaning Of the word 'Regener-
ate 10 the Office for the Minietration OF
Baptism OF Infants, do declare that, in
our opinion, the word degenerate is
not there 20 used, as to determine that
a moral change in the subject OF Bap-
,ism is wroughtin that Sacrament.
That efforts would be made by some
to explain away the meaning aud force
r of this testimony was TO be expected
but there it stands, to be understood
!, and used agreeably to the express design
r Of the eigners aud proper import Of its
. terms; and, as the nine Bishops and very
many others thought, worth consider.
: able more than nothing" both il it
self, for the excellent spirit in which il
i was done. and the hope thus given tina
= az it should become apparent that othel
1 measures were needed for the preser'
r walton of the unity OF the Church, AND
D the cutting of occasion from them tina
' seek occasion oil cavil or quarrel agains
her Liturgy" such measures would b.
= adopted.
!. Another consideration, which you
r urge with much feeling. is the "attitud
= which the Protestant Episcopal Cburcl
l., has assumed toward the great bulk o
= Protestant Christians" o. course yo'
!. do not mean "the Church" Tor you sa
in the same immediate connection tina
y her standards Of doctrine remain un
!. changed, aud the XIX and XXI!
d Articles in the Prayer Book still ,estll
: to her original Protestant stand on thl
,, question, ] Therefore understand yo
e to mean, what you indicate by 9TH
= oreyailiny opinion" the current o
h "nublic sentiment" Such sentiment
d and .'opinion" you regard as imperiou
,e and uncburching in references to al
Ministers cot Episcopally ordained.
;. "Public opinion" when counter t
n our own, may be annoying, but it is
" no authority. Prevailing sentiment
,. il too variable and fallscious to be en-
!. titled to the consideration and infuenc
,. which YOU seem to allow it, even whe
ct YOU denounce it as pernicious. UDde
ID such circum stances. it would be MOI
se like Yourself to stand immovably, wi;
e. messing for the truth, trusting to ii
&c power for triumph, and not to seek II
/. lief by getting away from opposition
il. Your known spirit authorized me to ar
IN ticipste a calm but unflnching maint'
" nance Of a right cause. | confess l al
d. disappointed. .- 20.
10 When, in any matter involving cor
b. science, be it 10 reference to faith
ii. practice, public sentiment is erroneou