National Republican., 1875-08-02
xr1scofAL cANozIcAL Law.
Ihs fsial Of Bi,nop whittineh.m.

q n
The Trial Of Biihop whittingham.- -
The following account Of the proceedings Of the
board Of Inquiry into the charges made against
Bishop Whittingham Is taken from Saturdays
Baltimore AmerieGn:
The board Of inquiry appointed BY Presiding
Bfehop Smith to Investigate the charges against
Bishop whittingham, Of the Episcopal Diocese Of
lecture-room Of Grace church. As on the nrst
day Of the session Of the board, there were thir-
teen Of the hes sixteen %emosrs present the Two A ao.
one from the Diocsse Of Central PennsYlvania
not putting In an appearance. The same retk
Ssy a. 10 WAT Tspsgrsd dUrns tS. session. Was
observed yesterday. Before the commencement
Of the REGULAR proceedings there was discussion
to connunicate 9 portion Of what took place 70
the prers, and thus prevent the papers from re-
lying on mere runner. After due dsliberation It
communicated BY the board 70 the press. Not.
vithstanding the strist secrecy eniotned on all
connected with the meeting Of the board, the re-
accurate. The following facts are not based on
mere rumor, but may be relied on a. being strictly
hsTsS9GTs %1.h Hs1 I Charles aSs oa
ganization OF the board, elected chairman. E.
Wyatt Blanchard, esq, Of Baltimore, was ap-
rectsd with the board was asked BY = reporter
who the secretary was, and he replied that he
was Q very efficient one, but he could not diyulge
tanned that Mr.. Blanchard had beer appointed
secretary. Amer the appointment Of the presi-
dent and secretary the next business was the So.
lection Of Church advocate, who, IN the language
Of the canon, "must be lay communcant Of this
Church and Of the profession of the law, aud who
r ed
and be the party on the one hand, while the &C
cused Is the party on the other" The canon also
the sessions Of the board as prosecuting counsel,
"but shall be at all times on hand and 10 readi-
ness to give his advice on all questions submitted
to him BY the board" There was considerable
debate before the board decided on its choice Of
the person to fill this most important position.
snsix psn ssi.tsd 81 rSe 1royf0snt
Der Of the bar, and will be remembered as being
o candidate before the late Democratic conven.
He attended the sessions OF the board of inquiry
yesterday. II q majority finally conclude that
there are sufficient grounds to put Bishop Whit
to prepare presentment, which presentment will
be signed by such Of the. board as agree thereto.
The Pressntmsnt thus signed viii be : srans%ltsed !
also copy to Bishop Whittingham.
THE PREsENToRs.
Five OF the seven prosecutors were present at the
meeting OF the board yesterday, viz; Rev. Alfred
NJ. Randolph, ID. D., Rev. George W. Petcrkin,
General Isaac R. Trfmdle, William Woodward,
and Fendall Marbury, esq. Among the witnesses
present were were Rev; Dr. George Leeds Rey; d: Dr:
been reported that the latter gentleman was
elected secretary Of the board OF Inquiry, which
was Of course, incorrect, as he is not member Of
the board He Is in attenpance as q witness only
Rev. Augustus p. Stryker, who was summoned
as witness, has not responded yet.
at the morning and afternoon session Rev. DR..
Randolph, on the part Of the presentors con-
tinued the reading OF the documentary evidence,
which consists mainly Of the correspondsnce which
took place between Bishop Whttingha and the
standing committee in regard TO their pressntment
TO him Of the Rev. Joseph Richey and the Rev. O.
B. Perry the rector and assistant rector Of Mount
Raw nr nj
amined and cross-exsmined the witnesses IN pre-
cisely the manner lawyer would In q trial In
knowledge Of the facts set forth in the document
ary evidence. Hon. Daniel Clarke was called
upon, in his capacity Of Church advocate, to de-
eide several points Of law which arose. At p. m.
the board adjourned to meet at p. N.
EVENING SESSION.
1t reassembled at the latter hour, with full at
tendance Of members and witnesses. Il is under
stood that Rev. DR.. Leeds was one Of the wit
past 10 O'Clock, while the board was still In ses-
sian, Hon. Daniel X. Magruder, Of Prince Fred
erick, Calvert county, and q member from the
Diocese of Maryland, startled all present by as
serting that some one was attempting to gain an
entrance to the room below by means OF window.
Mr.: Magruder Immediately made for the door,
and directed the gentleman who is kept there
constantly on guard to search the alleys In the
rear and on one side Of the lecture to see If
there was any one prowling around. No one was
found, however and the board resumed its session.
which was continued up to IL o'clock, when It ad,
journed to meet again this morning at 10 o'clock
A Brief Statement of the Case Which Is Now
the Subject Of Inquiry.
For the first time In the experience of the Epis.
copal Church bishop is charged with violating
canon law and preliminary steps taken to place
him on trial. There are circumstances surround
ing this case which, grouped together, make It
one Of the most serious and lamentsble in the his
tory Of the Episcopal Church In this country. The
bishop thus arraigned is not q young man, but
venerable in years and in the Episcopate He has
long been respected for his learning impartislity
ano nruearsnee, giving ample ertdoHes er naasur-
fty OF thought, executive ability and decision OF
Character essential TO the exalted position he oc.
cupies 1t does not surprise Us, therefore, that at
tie diocesan convention In Baltimore last May
Bishop Whittingham, referring to the impending
trial, should take occasion to utter those sad i'm
pressive words which are pregnant with weighty
thoughts, deserving careful consideration, indI-
eating, as they do, condition Of things which all
tinkerirg Of diocesan and general conventions
has heretofore been unable or unwilling to rem.
edy. In substance, his address was an acknowl-
edRment that apparently his lifelong labor as q
bishop was o failure. There was q time" he
said, when my opinions and wishes were deemed
worthy Of respect" Here is the secret of the
present deplorabls state of things In the EpIsco.
pal Church. The eYer-incressing tendency to in.
dividualism, Eocalled liberty and freedom Of &C.
tion has been the curse of the Church.
There seems to be no fixed, we'll defined stand
ard Of faith or ritual; but on the contrary, mani.
fest design OF each party, the high and the low.
and Of individuals in each party independent Of
one another, to act upon purely Individual basis
Hence, on the one hand, we have seen low church
men atiltating with other Protestant denomina-
iops in direct violation OF canon law. In the case
OF Bishop Cumnins the question was settled
logically by his quietly Withdrawing with few
kindred minds and establishing q new church,
the Reformed Episcopal. On the other hand, the
ritualistic wing Of the high-church party has
often stirred the ecclesiastical air into breeze OF
excitement on account Of ay and fantastic colors,
which are repudisted as plumsge borrowed from
Ss EnTISn q h0me .; LIZ Les Logical Sy far than
his followers, the ritualists seek by some unde-
1ned means to enter the charmed circle Of
ternaIs Of Catholic ritual. Although freouensiy
ard emphaticslly dlsowned, and devoid OF uni
formity among themselves, they seem to follow
and dogmstiZe and arrange ecclesiastical matters
as seli-cSnstituted judges and law givers.
We have thus briefly alluded to the two parties
preciste some Of the practical results which they
exhibit IN this diocese. Mt. Calvary church, In
Baltimore, has long been known as q ritualistic
young men Of zeal and piety, but as extreme high
churchmen. Some months since, at 0 funeral,
1ssd Sc from the service Of the
prayer" Now 70 pray for soul about to be de-
parted is no crime, but to pray for q soul five
seconds after death is q violation Of canon law
IN the Episcopal Church. On this account two Of
the clergy were presented to Bishop whiting
ham for trial. As he did not deem It prudent to
prosecute the case, he took no action In the mat
now charged. -...
In conclusion, we are inclined to fear that the
Episcopal Church has not yet decided what the
O.. hence fre0ueQt II Ua mt
Of harmony which, at best, must give only faint
idea OF the bitter feeling and local chickering's
within Of which the world knows nothing. E. x.
IcrhlrkrN