New-York tribune., 1878-01-18
ECCLESIASTICAL PLE1S1NTRIES.

Etf LEDIIOIlt1L Il LI|-icJ-' iHff>c'
DR.. j. II. Hopkins has the rare faculty of
making an ecclesiastical controversy racy and
entertaining. His logic has a keen edge, but
his caustc humOr exciteS more irritation than
his arguments. Not long ago he conducted
IN our columns post m0rtem examina-
ton of that dignited religious body, the
General Convention of the Protestant EpiS-
copal Church, and it must be confessed
that instead of cOncealing his amusement
he did his work with the grim cynicism
of Shakcspearean grave-digger. After years
of wrangling over canon, rubric and ritual, an
orderly and harmonious convention had been
held, and conservative churchmen were rejoic-
ing over the restoration of peace to the fold,
when suddenly something that sounded like a
bugle-blaSt broke upon their ears, while the
agility with which this Ritualistic champion
littcd across the field of controversy suggested
war-dancc; and IT was not long before the
booming OF the first gun was heard from
Illinois, where Dean Seymour was elected
Bishop. We have been able to publish
only few of the responses to this letter
which we have received from churchmcn OF
all grades. but the files of the press of the
denomination have borne witness 10 the alarm
and annoyance which was caused among the
staid members of his religious communion.
This morning DR.. Hopkins reviews the cor
rcspOnlencc and replies TO his critics
with his usual vivacty. He is betrayed
ut once into his habit of badinage.
He not only makes the dry bones of theology
live and rattle, but he puts a twinkle under
meath each temple and gives grotesque ex-
preston to the upper and lower maxilaries
If his brethren were startled by tho tidings
that Rituallsm was neither sleeping nor dying.
but marching on triumphantly and making
mroads in the church, what will he their
amazcment when evidence is furnished that
the leader of this irrepresSible faction is
Bishop Coxc-thc very prclate who led the
skinnl>h line and forced the fighting when
DIR. Scymour and DR.. De kOvcn were
thrown out of the bshoprcS to which
they had been elected whose zeal in repressing
the Romanzing tendencies " of High Church
domination in the General Theological Sem
mary has famed out again aud again, and
whose voice has always been the first and the
lou,iest in warning his fellow shepherds against
the wolves that in purple aad fine linen, ii not
in Sleeps clothing, were plotting against the
peace of the fold 1t happens that DR.. Coke is
the most indscTeet if not also the most Jealous
and eloquent of bishops, and we doubt not that
this ingenious attempt 10 prove that ne Is the
leader and Great Panjandlum Of the Rit-
"ualstc conspiracy" will he relishcd every
where except Ill the episcopal residence III
Buffalo.
Now, although these pleaSantrcs may be
REGARDED bv sensitive members Of the EpiscO-
pal Church us ill-timed and ill-iudg'd, there
il much genuine caTneStne>s underneath them
The recent convention in Boston WAS most
practical religious gathering. There was COM
paratiyely little controversial debate; work in
new fields, through new channels, and with
new ardor, was planned and ordered. The in
spiring thought which animated men
oG all schools in the convention was
the development OF the working pow
or of the denomination at home and
abroad. Bat the Rltualists are not
afraid of hard work. They have firm hold
upon the Anglican Church to-day, mainly be-
cause their ministratiOns among the lower and
middle classes in cities have been conducted
with extraordinary earnestness and success
Not only have their services attracted
classes that were repealed by palmer
ritual, but they have gone into the by
ways and garrets, and worked hard. Their
millinery and mummeries may be ridi
culed, but their capacity for work is not
TO be despsed. Nor are the American High
Churchmen droncs in tho Episcopal hive.
There has been. it is true, unnecessary buzzing
over canons and candles, but the honey of
good works has been stored in Bt 'toh and
Now-Iork. If the Episcopal Church is TO I'M
dertakc aggressive labors in large cities as
well as in domestic and foreign mission fields,
it can ill afford to spare these Jealous High
Church workers. Is there not room enough
for all