The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-02-11

Guy sNSh lnASkleLenCe VIII tu6 te1L
Sacred Scripture Is out OF the question
but, for an uninspired document no sucl
exemption can be claimed. Now thi
Church, alter the example Of the Churcl
OF England, has In her Preface TO TIL
Book Of Common Prayer lai1 1t down a
q rule that: 1.-THE particular forms OF Di
vine Worship, and the Rites and Cete.
monies appointed to be used therein
being things In their own nature indlfIer
ent Ond dIterdbls, and so acknowledged, |
IS but Reasonable that, upon weighty ant
important considerations, according TO Thu
various emergencies Of times and occa,
sions, such changes and alterations Itoult
be made therein as to those who are IL
authority should from time to time seen
either necessary or expedlent"
Wise and ample provision Is thus madt
tOremedy just such evils as those OF which
you complain. ?
But you despair Of relief In this way
pronounce II an absolute impossihlity ?
represent the effort made In thisdirection
by the nine Bishops ina letter TO then
brethren, as "dgnal failure" ending ii
Q "morhtying DISCONTINUED HAVinl
been present ii the HOUSE OF Bshopl
during the entire proceeding, to whict
you SO slightlngly refer, and having
watched 1t with Intense interest for thosl
whom 1T was intended TO relieve, and
having carefully committed It TO writing
at tie time, ] feel At liberty TO correct the
erroneoua impression you have received
Before an opportunity offered for pre-
senting the Letter oil the nine Bishops, the
whole subject was introduced In prom
ising form, and with very appropriate
statement by one Of the majority. The
discussion, which continued for several
days, was conducted not only with exem.
plsry courtesy, but in q fraternal spirit,
which will notsoon be forgotten 'by.thnse,
who witnessed 1t with admiration and
gratitude. Instead Of widening the dis
lance between those who differed, that
distance Diminished with every days de-
liberatiops. The measure al firSt pro.
posed was from time 10 time variously
modified with most amazing concord,
and at last adopted and signed, as pub
lished, by the whole House, with only one
exception. The names OF iorty.eight
Bishops are affixed 70 the Declaration.
This result you will scarcely characterize
as q "mortifyfng discontinue" You, my
dear brother, may think and say that "the
Declaration" Is not In aany sense" "a GAIN
to those for whose reliet the nine Bishops
were concerned. can assure you that,
though what those Bishops sought was
but partially attained, yet Il was SO much
beyond what they hoped from first
move, and was yielded SO handsomely,
that they thanked God and took cour-
age" i will add, that when the Declare
ton as adopted was previously submitted
10 Bishop McIlvaine with the INQUIRY,
"How does this strike you ?" he very
emphstically replied, with a smile Of
unmistakable satisfaction, 1.-THE best
Thing yeti" But the Circular ad-
dressed by the nine Bishops to
those, whom they sought to relieve, and
which was prepared and sent 10 the press
after the Declaration was adopted, and to
which l beg leave to refer you, may en-.
force briel report, and perhaps modify
your views of the transaction and its re-
suits.
1t placed you, and others who agree
with you, doctrinally, 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 inseparablY connected
with the administration of Baptism, and
that the contrary view twas not held by
the trainers Of the Prayer Book, nor in
tended 10 be expressed in the Service, and
is not therefore the doctrine oil the
Church." and moreover, sustaining you
Ia this your conviction, by this, Declare
ton OF lorty.eight Bishops in Council,
who state that, "being asked, in or.
der 10 the quietirg OF the con.
sciences OF sundry members Of the said
Church (P. E. Church in U. 81, to de.
clare our conviction as to the mean.
ing of the word degenerate in the
Office for the Ministration Of Baptism Of
Infants, do declare, that, in our opinion,
the word degenerate Is not there so
used, as 10 determine that moral change
in the subject Of Baptism Is wrought In
that Sacrament"
That efforts would be made by some to
explain away the meaning and force OF
this testimony was TO be expected; but
there II stands, 10 be understood and used
agreeably 10 the express design Of the
signcrs and proper import Of It's terms :;
and, as the nine Bishops and very many
others thought, worth considerably more
than nothing" both in itself, for the ex-
cellent spirit In which 1t was done, and
the hope thus given that as It should be.
come apparent that other measures were
needed "lor the preservation OF the unity
OF the Church, and the cutting of
occasion from them that seek occasion of
caVil or quarrel against her Liturgy"
such measures would be adopted.
Another consideration, which you urge
with much leeling, Is the latitude which
the Protestant Episcopal Church has as
sumed toward the great bulk of Protestant
Christians" OF course, you do not mean
"the Church." for you say in the same
immediate connection that her standards
of doctrine remain unchanged, and the
XIX and XIII Articles in the PRAYER
Book still testify to her original Protest.
ant stand on this question! therefore
understand you to mean, what you indi.
cate by "the prevailing opinion" the cur
rent OF public sentiment" Such "senti.
ment" and "opiniop", you regard as i'm.
perlous and nno6urching IN reference to
all Ministers not Episcopally ordained.
Public opinion" when counter to our
own, may be annoying, but it is Of
no authority. Prevailing sentiment /"
Is too variable and fallRcious to be
entitled to the consideration and IN.
auence which you seem 10 allow It
even when you denounce It as PERM.
cious. Under such circumstances, it
would be more like yourself to stand i'm
moyably witnessing for the truth, trusting
to Its power for triumph, and not to seek
relief by getting away from opposition.
Your known spirit authorized me to an
tcipate calm but unfinching mainte-
nance Of right position in a right cause.
confess am disappointed. fE
When, In any matter involving con.
science, be Il In referanca IN faith nS nran.