Daily Republican., 1885-01-16

VI uofy 10 esyb lno ceremony
OF the admission Of Mr.. Huntington
BY Assistant Bishop Potter, of New
York, 10 the Order Of the Holy Gross,
which made q stir among the Episcopal
clergy and Iaity several weeks ago, &C
quires fresh interest from the publ
cation OF correspondence on the subject
between Bishop Alfred Les, of vii.
miDgton, DEL, and DIR. Potter. The
correspondence is given out by Assist
ant Bishop Potter for publication in
next Saturdays issue of the Church
man, accompanied By predatory note,
In which he avows his Willingness to
submit his action to the judgment Of
his fathers and brethren in the episco.
pates.
Bishop Lee writes with the utmoet
respect and affection, but with plain
ness and candor, Of the astopishmeut
and distress occasioned by Bishop
POtter's unexampled act, after requir-
ing Of him Mr.. huntington the we'll
known Romish monastic vows
In regard to the ceremony and Its
bad influence on the church at large,
Bishop Lee writes In that service
not only the whole monastic system
was sanctioned by you, In your Official
character, but attributed to Divine
inspiration, the solem language of our
Ordinsl being adopted. This system
IL no untried experiment. 1t has been
on trial for hundreds of years, and with
whatever of sincerity and zeal started
under different forms the fruits have
been evil and pernicious. 1t was utter
ly repudiated by the Church of En-
gland ut the Reformation, and has
been since rejected with loathing by
L aauapoI Va Ill ~
SacerdOtai celibacy has Q history Of
shame, suffering aud sin traced in in
! delible characters. The corrupt morals
of the priesthood where Romanism is
| IN the ascendant Is q notorious fact and
frightful comment on the attempt to
override Gods laws, and TO act up q
purer standard than Holy Scripture.
No attempt, however specious, TO in
troduce the system In our church can
fail to awaken earnest and indignant
condemnation
The letter goes on to entreat Bishop
Potter not to repeat the act, wishing
that 1t might be undone, and closes
In Christian love, your own friend
and your fathers friend
In his reply Bishop Potter regrets
that he should have occasioned his
friend alarm and distress. The cere-
nony did not commend itself wholly to
bis taste or judgment, but the facts
did not warrant the inference that IL
implies his sanction or the whole
monastic system The young man
had taken the VOW of celibacy, poverty,
and obedience to the rules of the
society with which he united himself !;
being in substance the same vow taken
by every woman who joins a sister
heod. As sisterhoods had the sanction
OF the church, he did not see why
brotherhoods might not exist for the
same purpose. Bishop Potter disclaims
Ignorance of the history of religious
orders, and says he IL surely not in.
different to their possible dangers.
Perhaps they did not deserve to be
spared. They certainly merited scanty
forbearan ce in an age when multitudes
were perishing, while the members of
the religious orders were chanting
litanies and spending their days in
splendid religious functions an d
over questions of upholstery and en-
Embroidery
Bishop Potter in concluding his long
letter says that If the episcopate decide
that he did wrong he will release
Huntington from his obligation 30 far
as he (the Bishop) is concerned, with.
out, however, surrendering my own
Judgment as to the expediency and
propriety of my action until convinced
by arguments more sufficient and con-
elusive than have yet been addressed to
me-. The letter ends saying that,
pressed as he is by manifold duties,
tnis must close the correspondence on
his part"