The New York herald., 1874-10-07
THE CHURCH CONGRESS.
First Annual Meeting Of the Church
Congress Of the United States.
ADDRESSES BY EMINENT DIvIMEs,


Episcopal Church held Its first meetings yesterday
In the morning. at hafpast ten O'Clock, there was
the service OF the holy communion In Calvary
church, corner OF Twenty-1rst street and Fourth
avenue. Bishop Whippe, of Minnesota, oficiated,
assisted by Bishops How, OF Nebraska, and Clark,
OF Rhode Island; the Rev. DR.. e. o. Washburn, OF
this city; the Rev. william r. Huntington, OF
Worcester, and the Rev. George D. Wildes, OF this
city, Prior to the beginning OF the services
Bishop Whpple, coming to the altar rail-
alluded to the custom Of the Roman
armies on going into battle OF raising
their right hand anc taxing an oath to be true
to their country. He said that when we leel weak
and weary we should not only look upward with
strength and hope, but we should take an oath Of
OF allegiance to Christ our King. 1t was meet that
the first OF these gatherings should take place
around the Lords table, and that, casting our
eyes and hearts upward, we should take the pledge
OF loyalty to our Sovereign. The communion
rites werethen administered.
The Afternoon Session.
AT half-past TWO O'Clock the first regular sessi on
OF the Congress held in Association Hall,
which was well filed Dy distinguished audience.
In the absence OF the Bishop of New YORK, the Rev.
Alexander Ii. Vinton, d. D., OF Massachusetts, one
of the Vice Presidents, took the chair.
The proceedings were commenced by the singing
~ sAo "JhAn SohAaShSiLeI pOuOiu VIC sioIIcs vi
the Lordr After the singing oil this hymn prayers
In accordance with the printed form were offered
by the assembly.
DR. vINToN's ADDRESS.
DR.. yINToN said that he thought he might be able
to congratulate this Congress on its experiment.
for so 1t might be called. 1t was an interesting
experiment, for the discussions will tend upon
the unity OF the Church OF Christ. There was
one special feature that denoted unity in
the Church Of Christ, and that was the missionary
work. work in which there is laboring for Christ,
no matter what form that labor might take. All
coveted the ultimate oneness in Christ All this
however, is feeling and isllove. But the intellect
seems to stand apart. Was it not conceivable
that the mind of the church could be brought into
a unitya That was the object Of the Congress.
Was there not q possibility OF rising TO higher
level, where the light is purer and where we Can
take a widespread view Of the dogmatic truths
which men hold There is an elevation to
which the mind OF the Church could be
lifted, where prejudices and the sharp angles OF
difference shall be rubbed OF. What has the
Church Congress done ior this 1t has IN
vited representative men of every style, class,
school and order OF thought to AID in the dis
cussion OF what ? why, the seed principles Of
thought; prin ciples in which they can be agreed,
though they may in their practical application be
somewhat divergent. This coming together in
order to see each Other's differences Is the couse
quence OF thus Congress. 1t IS therefore for TINS
reason that those who came together in this Con-
| gress may be benefited and strengthened by the
contrast OF men OF different views. There will be
was not this purpose wnolesomes was It not ali
congregation join with him In the Invocation -
'Come: Lord jesus, come powerfully, come quickly.
A ~ PAPER By DR.. J. COTTON SMITH,
The subject appointed for the afternoon session
was the Limits OF Legislation as to Doctrine and
Ritual" The first paper was read by Dr. ]. Cotton
Smith, IN the course Of which he said that what
evcrlimits there may be in legislation with regard
to doctrine and ritual 1t impossible overlook
authority ofar as the Scriptures were concerned.
The only authority that could be recognized as to
and that only IN the form Of erisatlon There
was an underlying philosophic principle which
glimmers all the way through these discussions,
and that is the condition and the welfare OF the
Church. He regarded special legislation with ref
erence to doctrine and ritual with very great dis.
gress that 1t allows unrestricted utterance OF
every opinion. The General Convention was only
The fact OF the equality Of the doceses was apt to
throw the power into the hands OF small dioceses.
BY this means there IS very imperfect represen-
tation.
The Rev. q. MILLER THOMPSON then followed In a
paper on the same subject.
The Rev. DR.. ANDREWS, who was announced as q
speaker by an error OF the programme, read q
paper on the same subject as the preceding clergy
men.
The Rev. B. s. HUNTINGTON said that II thirty
years OF service in the Church gave him right to
ask questions before an audience IKE that he had
some questions to ask. The paramount object or
the preaching OF the Gospel was to souls, and,
therefore, 1t was incumbent upon those preaching
possible to all classes Ot minds Was 1t nOt there
fore, unnecessary that there should be legis-
laJiOn that should interfere with that which Is
on -essentialS The one great and grand essential
OF the Church was to preach the Gospel. ANY young
S S Se na ns d Is
some minor doctrine; that was. In the Judgment
OF the speaker, o matter that should not be
affected by tine legislation OF the Church. In this
broad view Of the subject could they not unite on
the broad, high level Of Catholic cnurchmen, II
We could not tolerate a high rituallsm the one
side and q revised prayer book on the other :
Rev. Dr.. wAsHBuRN said that the danger OF the
Church was not likely to be on the side Of over.
freedom 1t is therefore, on that account That he
would not support very stringent legislation
plice Is q matter OF costume or q matter OF doc.
trines 1t is not possible to tell where doctrine
begins and where this aesthetic sentiment ends.
He believed this ritualistic movement was trace
able to the history Of the Church ITSELF II we look
back TO the Oxford movement OF thirty-hve years
ago 1t originated out OF the great issues OF doc
trine. 1t IS what is the relation OF the personal
faItn to the sacrament. only a free discussion
will bring true Church and lasting victory.
Bishop wHIPpLE, of Minnesota said that he be-
lleved every word said by Or. Thompson and Dr.
Andrews as to preserving the Catholic ratn OF the
atonement In the Son Of God. He had NO SYM
patny with that KIND OF notion a. which sald that II
thinks he is right DID 1t not matter to man
who was lost in one OF our large prairies where he
The real question Is this, What are we going to do
with the millions OF souls that are to 0e saved2
he once asked distinguished prelate In London,
some years ago. this question, "Wny do You
permit IN the. streets Of London these
seems that those are the only preachers who have
found out that the people have SOULS" loud and
hong continued applanse.) He tine speaker) re-
JUiced II Christ was preached IN any way. He
beneved that there was quite too large body Of
canons to-day to tell them what bishops may or
may not do He did not believe that there was an
Eastern diocese more loyal than those churches in
the Western diocese. He had said to q clergyman
camp IN his olocese, where the congregation would
be composed OF men like the sons OF Anek, and
where he should be compelled TO read "Dearly
beloved brethren" by the light OF iickering
tallow CANDLE what he should do. The Bishop
said, ~ replied, go brother, preach to these men
M ond n ms w har farul nf