, 1875-02-08
Dr.. Powers Enters a Vigorous Protest
Against De KoVen,
Declaring Him q nAtted for the
Office Of Bishop.
That He. Was Elected by Pettifogg;ng
and Political Craft.
The Danger Of Dominant Priesthood
in the Church.
Press Comments upon tho Elcc-
ton Of DIR. DC Koven.

ton Of DIR. DC Koven.
1.-THE VERGE OF HEResY."
TUE REV. NIL. suLL1vAN's VIEWS.
Tho Rev. Edward sullivan, Rector Of Trinity
Church. preached yesterday morning to largo
congregation, many OF whom wero attracted by
tho announcement that tho recent election OF
Dr.. Dc Koven to tho Illinois Episcopatc would
constitute the themo Of tho discourse. Tho text
was from Romans viii. Is, "Al things WORK to-
eesher for good to them that love Cod" md the
sermon vas rs follows:
Tne doctrine Of au overr1lling Providence
was ono Of the fundamental trutus most firmly
believed by the great Apostle Of tho Gentlles.
It hold lnrge place in hs creed, ride by side
with tho doctrines Of tho atonement and tho
resurrection. and contributed sery materially 10
Lis ,nental peace. BY rocoAciling, him 10
mnny scoming inolna1,ttcs in tho Divine gov
erument OF tic Chutcb, which,, on any other
thaury, would havo surely disturbed. II not Ut
torly destroyed. his faith, That false teachers
should bo permitted to spring up. within t4e
Church and sow in her virgin soil the sceds Of
most dangerous llorts.es that her enomies
without should not bo restrained from their
iercely violent assaults by coma supernatural
Interpolation In her behalf; that ho himself,
hindered III tho work assigned him by that buf-
feting "thorn III tho Aesh," trying lis patience,
aH 1t I'D. and Weakening bis influence, apparcnt-
y, with hla advesaaries. BY. making hin,
in his "bodly preaeuee contemptibe, "--xll
tllcsa seeming contradictions tonight would
havo utterly undermined his faith and pnr-
assZca hts overy enolgy. wero it not that over
against them, and In tho other scale, hc lad
visible fluctuations OF his own aud tho CAu7ch's
history, there reignel tho secret counsel Of
God'a sovereign will, guiding and governing a'l
according to tho dictates Of its own ihtelIib!e
purpose. and making osea hindrancos seemingly
hostile 70 the Church'a progress "worh together
st. Paul's faith In this respect wsa idoo.
tical with DavidH, when lie wroto, "Tno Lord
ro,Kuesh: ho lhe peopla uever 80 impatient; He
sltteth between tho chcrabin,. be tue earth
never 30 unquiet." !" Clouds md darkness arc
round about Him." set "rjgIlteousuees ad
judgment aro the labitalion ot Ills scat" Nor
WIS such 4 faith unwarrauted In cithor Paul Or
David. The doctrine that tbs world, still micro
doned to the tender metcIos Of q blind, uni1,-
tolllgont. meaningless thing called = chance"
or.cousigned to the guardianship Of M arbitrary.
iuc1orabla tyrant called natural law" but
rather nrs directly administered by supreme
aud al!wiso lawgiser, who has CONSTRUCTED buth
upon predetermined plan, ant iA hhuitlabtly
ahle to provide that th's plan shall bo executed
successfully. ofon IN Its minutest detail. Thia
conviction, repeat, tB not nero human opin-
iou,-at is not oven logical deduction, labori-
odsg wrought out from foregoing p1oniscB,-
rather it iB direct Divins revelation, which
comes to us with the SANCTION Of ahs highest
and most inasputable Of oil authoritios. bearing
the lp,gTl.nasur Of tho Son Of God Himself,
who declared, IN reply 70 tho speering Bkopicitln
OF tile PharsoeB, u NY Father Hotkoth hitherto,
and work." "All things work 1ogeshor Tor
good TO them that love God.n
It la in tho light OF thu Divine pledge and ag-
surancs that llnve been endeayoriog, for my
ssif, and that I would hep you, DretLrou, ii
can, 10 regard the event which, both fur our
own Diocese aud for tho Chulch ut large, has
Issues most momeutous. 10 say that grave ms-
RtylnEs oppresa NO. a. from my standpoint
contemplate the possible results, but fosbly OK.
preRscs What feol. It may 10 tLat 10 Home that
lug but = very contracted view Of tho Ohnrch'A
broad and iar-roacbing Aorizon,-a view which
would bo vastly wiaenod and ou]a1ged wore l 10
rise above the iovel Of ono-sided individual opn-
Of CATHOLIC truth. But heto each must Judge
Tor himself. according to hss own apprehension
Of truth, such ~ It IL. Neither Gail 1 500 Will.
tue eyes OF 1situallst, nor lutuailst with mine.
the great law Of individual idiosyncrasies. The
force of surronndinK circumstances aud com-
panionslips, all these combine to mold each
1nind after . type and, fashion Of
its oEn IL religion aud theology; and
Christian charity that wilo latitude shall De
lett, within which each shall bo at liberty TO de-
tetmine for hn,solf, III oil things non.espential
to Tho faith, according to hlH owu honest and il-
telliKept choica. This Apostles did so,-shuy
did not all, OF Ia all things, 1900 oyo to eye .;
nay, aB though to remind hoih uB md them that
inspiration ia not freedom from hu1aau i1tlrmity
thoy sometimes commended together 50 sharply
~ to ba compelled to separate mud select eac,
hia owa path; but, Ill this conceded, it st!
holda tue that aucL latitude has limits, and ID
confined Mlthln boundaries Oh either laul tho
ove!pasalng o& which involves tue Church iu
peril, aud imposes On every faithful wAtclu1au
on Ziou y walls tue obligation uf Lifting hia yoico
and giving warning.
1t will 10 saIeu: Do then charge The theol.
ogy which tho recent Convention hunolea by
oisyaeinE l. to tho Eplscopate Of this plosoHs
sense Of having oyerpassed shese iu,tta 40 far ~
eohdenauod by tue CLulch, ! answoe, No.-huE
IN tho souse Of having tranggreHged 10 faS aa to
stand On tho veTy verge "f lsresy. aud oonsa.
aeeItl1 ot !nsol'ng the Church in peril IL Lifted
up " one ct 1es loftteat placer Of tlust, and
e'wss, fss and my answer 70 echoad back by
declaration Of 10Y sentiments now that the olec-
Of ob!oquy and indignant situpersttou that
9lsco1d, rather than tho promoter Of peace Rua
harmony; u q Eactiaus distu1bss, vlo, iustead
u mysvlf Accepting, and per.ua1,ng oiheza to
aoeeps the situation gracefully, hAs only ADDED
fuslto tbs tsIus of oppoxltloa, but "nons Of
thsas tIibun t,nrA ma h bfuohsaa i.xtr. ,,.s ~.