New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-10
THE ILLINOIS BISHOPRIC.
THE HOUSE OF pEPUTiEs CALLED TO TASK
~, BY A DIOCESAN CONVENTION. -'-.r

THE HOUSE OF pEPUTlEs CALLED TO TASK
~, BY A DIOCESAN CONVENTION. ~ I'D
ELECTION OF BISHOP DE KoyEN IN u1LNoIs--fhh
HOUSE OF DEPUTIES IN THE ATTITUDE OF An
BcCLEsIAsrIcAL COURT PRoNoUNcINa a SEN
= TENCE OF JUDICIAL CONDEMNATION ofoN fi'oS
sEyMoUR-rHE BISHOPS THE PROPER 'opor''
Some trouble is threatened IN the fro'estaht
Episcopal Church in the Diocese OF Illinois IN eohse
~ Inc election of DR. De Koyep Bishop The pro
eeedprs OF that Convention which have notyet become
xeueral.y known and the remarkable paper adopted
concerning the action Of the Lower House oil the Gen.
eral Convention in rejecting Prof Seymour, will doubt
less cause cor siderable stir and controversy Be-
fone the Convention met a number OF prominent
members wrote letter toProf. Seymour stating that
having pains TO ascertain the voice of the diocese
It was their opinion that he could be elected Bishop by
decided majority" he would again consent to be-
come candidate The action Of the House OF Deputies
in refusing confirm him spoken OF as without
precedent, uuustihable and revolutionary resulting
IN great wrong him. Prof Seymour In reply re-
fused TO allow his name to he used again, saying:
should never for one moment have embarrassed the
diocese Of Illinois. as the event mas proved lunWth
did By accepting the office TO which was chosen nay
been aware of The feeling OF many OF my nretSh Vi
the clergy and lay throughout this country toward me-
manifested in the technical majority, , Out
numerical minority OF the House of Deputies against
my conservation Ny life aud ministry had been passsu
FOR % years in tue midst of my own people, anu tUn
proacn or breath OF disspproval, from the hrs aud
holding the highest ana most responsible oice whion
presbyeer can occupy. as representing the whole
church 10 presiding over the General Iheoioglcal Sn
S a5y 6 S1Twsa as nam" sshopeiecs Of I'LL
pois with entire commence US 10 tne iv.I dSe
aud belief. nor is there now, any just reason why l
should NOT DO confirmed. Irrespective OF all personal
STelen Of tnc i House OF Clerical and Lay ia
the recent General Convention win not nave nIM
fnith 10 believe, be sustained by the sober seconu
thought OF the present generation OF me lp
ment OF pOsterIy. do not wish to be nnderstooa 10
SAYING this 10 reflect in the slightest degree upon he
mOyes O the members OF the House Oh IIetlc% d 3n
Lay Deputies Douotess they tsougnt tI9p wev
God service, and sincerely pray mat tneir gIioVon'
mistake, as consider II, ay no ne sld 10 tnel ctto,
and that no harm may IN a f man ao to
praise Him may override THIS ACTON " the ui'i"'o
good OF AL concerned
On the same day that these letters we're read In con-
venton a committee consisting OF Drs. Geo. B. Cush-
man. Clinton Locke. c. Ii. W. Stocking. F. NJ Gregg
MoMurdy, Corbyn, and Lloyd, and the Hon. S. Corning
Judd. Judge Treat Judge Otis, Dr. Fowler ana Messrs'
C,ssall and Clark, appointed TO Draw up paper
respecting the action OF the House OF Deputies OF the
General Convention in the Of Prof. Seymour On
he next day. Feb S, the Committee submitted u long
report iu which they said: ..,
The House Deputies in effect, II not in fact resolved
itself ecclesiastical court and pronounced )u-
cal upon DR.. Seymour and upon the as
sumed false doctrine" he held concerning the
eucharist What the House OF Deputies maj ngntully
do iD The case of an election to tle Episcopale within
months preceding of tue General Conven:
uon tn3 same may tue si.andng co'1i h nr ot
rogative IN regard to such an election occurring
auy other time during the recess Oh the
the Lower House OF the late General Convention had
the rght ~ assume Judicial functions aud Try Dr. sy
mOur, pronounce ")udicial condemnation" OF MS
supposed doctrines then 40 standing committees may re-
themselves into many conrI aud Try our pres
ent 0iShop-elect and pronounce Judgment Oh CohS9m
nation" upOU his supposed doctrines The trial VI Dr.
seymour was in secret session. without eiaton 70 tne
the accused; ana he not being allowed, Wheh
the extraordinary proceedings, TO De present 10 near
the accusations or TO confront tne Witnesses DTousn
yet to DC informed, III his secusOn as 10 the pro
ceodngs OF the nqusitlon. And what must DC inc tor
ture Of present Disncpeect IT, iOstead OF one D9a
sition, he must pass the ordeal OF 45i
The theory that a diocesan convention can only nomi-
nate the candidate for Bishop, who may be rejected or
confirmed by the House of Deputies or the Standing
Committees at their pleasure which theory the House
OF Deputies to have acted upon In the case OF Dr.
Seymour declared to DO system OF Capitalization
the church dangerous as 1t is odious" Against
theory the Committee cite the fourth article of the
onera Constitution, which declares tnat the Bishop OF
diocese shall be "chosen agreeabiy to such rules as
snail be fixed by the convention OF that diocese" BY
Canon 10 Of Title H. the bshopelect must produce
before his conservation, "ro the House of Deputies
or the Standing Committees (as the case may required
6rst evidence OF their appreciation Of his testimonials
QUOT the choice OF the diocesan conyention) sec
ondly evidence Of their assent to his conservation
tuot that they confirm his nomiDstiou); and
W,
timony.'" The proposition that the House
of Deputies or the standing committees may give or
withhold their assent 10 conservation, the COMMITTEE
regard as unenabe and opposed to the spirt OF the
Constitution Its effect wouid to deprive dioceses OF
choice OF their own bishops ana transfer IL 70 the
House OF Deputies the standing committees which
could arbitrarily refuse assent until the man OF their
preference should DO selected But the rules are not
susceptible OF this construction. the assent must
follow as OF course, If the testimony OF Tie
required certificate can be lastly gen Yae point
the testimony III the required cerncate eau no
eentiully giyen IIe certificate Is ING eylGenGe "
consent intended and IN fact prescribed Iy the law
makers," and clause of Section expressly declares
standing committees shall be il the form prescribed Tor
the House OF Clerical and Lay Deputies ia General Con-
venuOn'" Tne Committee say:
The simple truth is tDaI House of Deputies
the standing Committees possess any Juhelal
powers whatever The former If merely le&isiatNe
body, and may also may the standing eonnttees 10
Ger cases. Witness; but any, eyen the slightest
si uslrpaton Tnst ths is true especially in reference
TO any OF trial OF presDyters Or deaeoDs IL all
manifest from the fact tlat tne laws OF the
Church make specific provision for such trial. ana III
wbicn neither HOUSE vi tue General Convention nor inc
Oae such tri the sixth aracle OF lac Gen
Constitution, left to the dioeeses respectively and
the dIferenc doceses have provided therefor.
The House OF Deputies and the various standng COM
nttees are composed in part OF laymen. Inc tleory
that such bodies may exercise judicial powers In cases
OF bishops elect is yiostiye vi that ~elestaDshed
principle law in church and state, that every msu Is
emitted De tired by his peers for onenses Charged at
least that he shall not be tried by his interiors
The Committee further contend that the information
that would warrant refusal to grant testimonials TO
bshopelect be equal in weight and degree that
which would justify his bishop in denying him letters
dismissOry Thcy ask:
Can there any rash as to contend that DR. sey-
uour was not entitled 10 letters oismissory from ns
bishop last October that present bIshopeect
mot eDtiIlcd such letters from MS bishop at the
present time TIE only Justification for departure by
the Of Deputies from rules above referred TO,
possible III whole diocese should become
hereto choose bishop when the ordinary restre-
tons could be suspended. Tue error in religion which
would Justify the house OF deputies or the stand