, 1874-09-23
CHURCH CONGRESSES.

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CHURCH CONGRESSES.
Tho Forthcoming Convention Of tho Protestant
Eplacopal Church, which viii bo bold III New
York Oh tho Gth OF octqbcr, and which will DO
ntsondod by 30 Bishops and over 800 c1orgy and
laYncn from all pnrts OF this country, bids fair
to be tho ,noAt notable gathering Ut this donomi-
1ation Which has yet taken place. not alone from
tho general importance OF the work on its nro-
gramnle. but also because thoro is ovory proba-
biity TINT D direct issue may bo malo between
tho clorgy and tho DiBlopa which may result in
q schisM. The prospect Of this Ia 40 itnluinant
Tint the RituallHtic questions Which havo hereto-
fore agftatod High aud Low Church are aircady
regarded nj Of secondary Importance In compasi-
son with this new question, which Involves
collision fetwoou the progressive aud consorva-
two clements OF tho Church. THU Quostlon,
which uyorahaaows all othors, is that OF Church
Congyoases, and ita history IL substantially ~
follows:
It appears that some time Hinco the Rev. Dr..
Washbnrne, m omnont Ep!acopAlian clergy
nlau, duriug yiBit TO England became i'm
pressed with tho Importance Of Church Con-
gressos, which aro held thoEo periodically for
discussion Of secular maltors having bearing
upon tho prosperity Of tho Church. After his
roturo lie advocated tho syHtom in pamphlet,
which was wldcly distributed, and which resulted
III q mooting at Now Haven In May last, ut
which about fifty clergymen from tho dioeescs
1f Nav Enrk HhHI}n
Massachusetts woro present. Tho aystom of
Church CongrosHos was broacted ut this moot
ing, and all present wore found to be In
Favor Of IL. During tue noxt two months
tho viows Of tho clergy in general wore
sought, and so many expressed tAomsclyoH
favorab}y TINT il was thought best to
sssue call for Church Cougresa to b hold IN
New York at tue sauna time aa tho tnooting OF
tho Convention. Thus lar all had gone nnootl-
ly, but tho majority Of tho Congress- wishod to
have the sympathy OF tho Bishops, aud especially
tho sanction Of tue Bishop Of tho diocese, to g1vo
thor aessions somo dignity and show Of authority.
Lolters wore accordingly addressed to eomo Of
the prominent Diahopu, asking them to taks cor
tain positions in tile forthcoming Cougrosy.
Much to tAo astoniahlnent Of tho managers tho
first letter came from Bishop Coke, Of tho Dio-
ceso Of Westoru New York, not ou1y poremptorily
declining tho position uf Vica-presideut, but OK
pressing his Tery decided disapprobason Of tho
whole scheme. This was followed by lottor
from bishop Pottor, who had been invited
to act az President, also declining the
position ind expressing dlaapprobasion at
this uew departure by tho clergy. Bishop Pot
tors !aster WAS long one, aud in 1t 10 ses forth
very explicitly hls reasons for not approving
their scheme. He opposed 1t, lrst, upon tho
ground that 10 had not boon consulted In tho
preliminary proceediuga; second, that the ma
jollty OF tho Diyhopa and many Of tho clergy
disapprovod Of it; third, TINT the annual Dio-
casan Consontlon Of Bishops, clergy, and lai.y,
the local Conventions OF tho clcrsy, and the rri-
onnial General Convention. with its House
of Bishops and its House Of Clerical
mud Lay Deputies, wero sufficient tor
all purposea Of discussion In tho Church;
and fourth, that ii the Congrcss were
held It would only hinder tho work Of tho Con.
yention. THO clergy, however, aro not dismaycd
at tl.is position OF bishop Potter or the other
Bishops. They claim tLat tho Congress- laa
nothing to do with Legislation, has no official
authority, aud therefore cannot iutcrtoro with
tho Convention aud that llis refusal to preside
cannot and will not prevent thsm from meeting.
DR.. nylance. il MI interview, exprosaod hlmselt
worry forcib}y and as Ae Ia ono OF the prime