, 1875-09-26

26, 1S75.-SIXTEEN PAG:
divine, perhaps the most eloquent and prom
| nent, wrote - have always regarded the Churot
OF England as the central framework and life O
Professionalism in Great Britain, aud the Protest
ant Episcopal Church in America a5 containing
| the same elements of durability and life. .
have occasionally mentioned this to our minis
| ters and chiefs and chief members and to oul
| Bishops, suggesting that our services arc TOT
| exclusively oxtemporo and i,npulsige, and tina
| We neod more formal aud more stable pubic
service, in view Of tue culture Of tho vast mul
tltudes now attending cur ministry. Z I'M oi
opinion that tho Methodist Church will
yet provide 4 liturgy tor her people, te
be used By churches pceferring it.
!. The question is o2e OF gfow1h III eFa,y
| church, and vii make itself respected. =. .
| You ask whsther this Episcopal Church may be-
I como peace-maEar Among ihe diverse and too
| quotations are pregnant with great and glow-
ing problam and may say, in the rcry oataot,
that have been accustomed to suppose that II
it could be solved successfully at ALL tho central
element in its eo!ntion would ba found IN the
Protestant Episcopal Cbu1ch- Being q direct
ofsnoot from the Church Of England. and
bearing in herself, as she docs. tho order an
thority. doctrines, and forms OF public worship
in this Church, which is the mother OF the
great mass Of the Protestant Churches Of this
Il 4
in reference to this question. Her doctriaes and
forms OF public wo1ship are sufficiently general
to alloy Of such variety OF opinion and PRACTICE
as might well satisfy tho general body Of
Cnristlaas."
The Commission made their report to the
Geuorsl Convention Of 1886, in which thoy oe-
clare that they haze earnestly sought to dc7iae
some plum to hsnl thase divisions; that taey re-
joice in the sentiment OF the Church Is to
Christian unicn, and Of much OF it as existing
49,: TN..-
mend an increase Of charity. Of dealing justly
with systems that may have denerits, by re-
pressing a spirit OF selflaudst!on, by infus1ng
into our worship, preaching, and policy more of
the ancient aud historical, and also Of tho popu-
lar and practical, by more cordial manner to-
wards ministers Or all religions b. considering
whether We cannot safely lessen canonicai i'm
pedsments in the way OF ministers, and yet pre-
serve sufficient guarantees for soundness, and by
fruitfu1neas III good works. The Committee
closed With unanimously recommending the fol
lowing resolution:
That TO indicate the desire Of this Church to pro-
mote union among Christians. and As an organ Of
communication with different Christian bodies In
the subject, 1t is e1pedient that se Bishops be
elected by ballot It each General Convention as Com
s for hs onssS Tny to 0'
The House Of Bishops adopted the report Of
the Commission, as follows:
That In view OF tho deBirableness Of union among
Christians and as pledge Of willingness to eommu-
and In order to conference il occasion opportunity
anoud occur, this House will appoint by ballot
nnittee Of i've Bahops as an organ Of Communication
conference with such Christian bodies or individu-
ais az may be desired to be entitled
There WIS no response from any religions
body to this tentative effort on tho part Of the
Episcopal Church, and the Commission expired
by the death Of all the Bishops appointed Is it's
members.
r. -. ~.
in New Jersey, representing every shade OF
opinion In the Church. from advanced Rituailsn1
to the baldest Low Churchian7 addressed q
memorial to the General Conference Of The
Methodist Church, then meeting in this city.
They said:
We heartily synpathizc with tho eor: for the union
OF al Christian people In ono communion. We believe
that, when there is hearty desire among a Christian
people for such union, means will bo found To
1t. What We need in our humhe opinion, Is not at
present discussion Of The mode Of organic union be-
tween the Methodist and Episcopal todcs but an &C.
Of its Importance and the appoint
ment Of Commissioners BY both bodies to hear sug-
Geatons. receive communications, bold meetings for
delberntion and discuss propositions until thsre Il
tdectual and unanimous action,
We respectfully ask your body, II consistent with |
your views Of Proprets, to appoint commission Of
Bishops and clergy to meet similar commission 10
ba appointed By our General Convention. General |
Com mmimion-tbat u, for the purpose OF prunot-
ing union among ali Christian peope-haa existed by
appointment ct our General Convention for years.
- 1uele Mas Auk clergyman Oh tne episcopal
Church who refused to sign this memorial. They
.eGarted union between the Methodist and !
Episcopal Churches as that which must come
irst. They we're .awhrB OF the fact that the
Methodist body had preserved almost intact our
orms (eDjoiuing them ''invariablJ IS to be used ~
or administering baptism, celebrating rhe Lords
supper, the burial Of the dead and the dedica-
ion Of church edihces, and for conferring the
hree orders Of the ministry, and lad added
hereto substitute for confirmation, and had
reserved the Articles Of Religion" and had
rescribed fasts on Fridays. and "a abstinence,
nd fasting every week." and had enioined sea-
ons for special religious effort corresponding
, the season OF Lent, and had preserved by
radtion or otherwise the very words OF many
t our prayers, and had required tho Lords
rayer to be used on all occasions of public wo--
hip in concluding the first prayer, the congre-
alton being exhorted to join in it's audible repe-
tion," and that the "Doxo!ogy be sung at the
onclusion OF each service, and the Apostolic |
anedicsion be invariably used in dsmissing tho
and had preserved the respon-
We system Of our Churca-the Psalms Of David
! many OF their churches being 1esponsirely
sed, and their people in their discipline, being
earnestly e1hurted especially to respond
the prayers OF our ritual" and had prescribed I
II lessons from Scripture for their congrega- !
ons. ard obliged their preachers to publicly |
Iteohlse their children and the signers further