New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-26
VOWS REOEI WE'D By DIR. POTTER
crr1pACY POVERTY AND OBEDIENCE.

THE ASSISTANT BISHOP CRlrlCISfD-MR HUNllNu-
TON THE CANDIpATE FOR ORDERS.
Considerable discussion has been excited IN me
Diocese of New-York over the action OF Assistant
Bishop Potter in administering VOWS OF cchDacy,
novortv and obedience 70 a Young man nameu
HUNTINGTON. although not a relative OF the ne"
ROTOR of Grace Church. Mr.. Huntington wished 70
ioin the Order of tho Holy Cross, recently
founded I'm America, of which hlnse1 ana one
other man are the only members Dr. Potter nn-
mlnistered TO him the requisite vows ana III so 90
ing IS thought By some to have gone TOO iai
toward mn official recognition OF monastlclsm III
,hc Protestant Episcopal Church, although
Il is helicvad that the Bishop was actuatcd by de-
s,,o IN r,cocnize cvcrv wing Of the church a
Tr-rxr rcportct has obtained tho views OF sev"iai
rrisror1l rlctpvnpn IN reference 70 The matter
uo.. ~ ,ho,n shaved sjwo reluctance IN publiciy
rti.r,src to ncii0n ~ hoif srrrr'of, hr' rnnv on
.he, gail that ,hrt rora1fcl his rrti'n - nun
,t.t, N. .pir+r .b rriihtrii in srt i'diHst'rsm
ite bgt t,tttf p,83he. ~ ttt chr'rh - 80
tne....iiIn. aslA 4" ! -W rHt ~ at'rfi'hf t'h
~. b.atpi.a 49, lNA ~ ar~''' 'f''rr fNNa ~ ~
HUutiu,iQ0. ilaFF aiAafa Wf" priNarf ~ N'fN-
a.,e.su. aad r-ali q euheNef ~ mat h''fe''p'.
asdauseIuus - tAp best interests ~ IeilHiN"' rs
apprehrud them. dn NOT, h0"eFfE 'hlNh 'h"'
there Is az prcslat "a tho GHu!ch any defllh zen
dency OF tins kind, nor any danger OF IH'ulN
In pcdlmvaI practices. am not willing % say by
what consideration believe the Bishop to have
hecn influenced in taking this step. | have fire.
ouently talked with him upon the subject ana
know what his views are, but cannot speak for
Inn, csnecially as believe that he Intends soon to
make n pubic statement himself. defining his
posIton. As 10 the authority of the Bishop to adj
minister VOWS of ccllbacy. poverty and Obedience
the canons of the church give him no such
mower. II is not ono of his episcopal functions,
and in administering these vows he must
act IN an altogether unofficial capacity. Such n
ceremony conducted by him has no more binding
force than if conducted by you or me-
The Rev. w. :. Rainsfo.d, OF ST. tieorges Church,
| whose cordial hearty manner and athletic figure
form most striking contrast to all that Is ascetic
| and monastic said: I'D rather not 60 back on
,bc Rish"p It's subject on which feel strongly.
Int don't con sider il the province of clergyman
| to sit in judgment upon the acts OF ms spiritual
Do Won consider the action of Bishop Potter IN
| administering vows to Mr.. Huntington inju-
dicious Z" asked the reporter OF pr DO Costa, OF
! the Church OF II. John the Evangelist.
! - No. was the lacohic reply.
| "IIas he any authority us a bishop to administer
such vows, which does not belong to every other
| man p
q suppose he has"
! l. there any decided tendency in the Episcopal
| Church toward mOnaslclsm
| II see no special tendency in that direction.
! though | believe the world to-day to be under
| rreat OBLIGATIONS TO the religious orders. IL any
| one desires of his own free Will TO enter
mon that mode of Lie see 10 objections to his do
| ing So ,
diocese of Rhode Island, but for some time engaged
in literary work in this city, spoke with consider
| able warmth: % consider the action of Bishop
| Potter IN the matter" said he. injudicious and
nncalled for. tending to evil and not to good. If
| the Young man wished IT, remain bachelor. let him
! do so and probably no one will complain. ! myself
| am bachelor az sixty years But why make such
| an ado about 50 simple thing and proclaim 1t to
| tLe world II seems as II this step were return
| Co tho dark days before the Reformation. The
| cauons of the church give the Bishop authority
TO administer such VOWS but az present there seems
| TO be a tendency to regard everything which is not
| expressly prohibited as sanctioned"
| ijr Rylnnce Of ~. Marks Church. had nothing
10 say IN direct reference TO the VOWS administered
by Dr. Potter but he had much to say about what
he called ecccsiastlcism III general. " would make
no criticism of the Bishops action. ! care very
little for ccc!csiastcism. lis iancies ard focs its
fnihlcs and weaknesses. are matters of indifference
- me | ON not affected by It's retIOgade toward
| modInvas,n. 10y its turning back the hands upon
The dIal-plate Of time by Its insults to the spirit OF
| The age For all this | care very little except
when real injury is done 10 the cause of Chrsts
! ligion.'
Dr. Potter is In Florida upon a three weeks vaca