The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-16
TIE ORDER OF THE HOLY CROSS.
Bishop Alfred Lee Vigorously Denounces the
Action of Assistant Bishop Potter.


admission of Mr.. Huntington by Assistant
Bishop Potter, to the Order of the Holy Cross,
which made stir among the Episcopal clergy
and laity, several weeks ago, acquired fresh in
terest from the publication of correspondence
on the subject between Bishop Alfred Lee, OF
Wilmington, Del, and DR.. Potter. The CORE
spondence is given out by Assistant Bishop Pot
ter for publication in next Saturdays issue of
the Churchman, accompanied by predatory
note, in which he avows his willingness to sub
nit his action to the judgement of his fathers and
brethren in the Eplseopate. Bishop Lee writes
with the utmost respect and affection, but
with plainness and candor" of the establishment
and distress occasioned by Bishop Potters un
exampled act in requiring of him Mr.. Hunting
toni we'll known Romsh monastic vows. In re-
gard to the ceremony and it's bad influence on
the church at large, Bishop Lee writes:
''In that service not only is the whole monas-
tic system sanctioned by you in your official
character, but attributed to Divine inspiration.
the solemn language of our ordinal being
adopted This system issno untried experiment
1t has been trial hundreds of years, and, with
whatever of sincerity and zeal it started under
| in different forms the fruits have been evil and
pernicious 1t was utterly repudiated by the
Church of England at the reformation, and has
since been rejected with loathing by several
Roman Catholic countries Sacredotal celibacy
has history of shame. suffering and SIM traced
in indelible characters. The corrupt morals
of the priesthood where Romanism is in
the ascendant is notorious fact
and a frightful comment on the attempt
| to override Gods laws and to set up purer
standard than that of the holy Scripture No
attempt, however specius, to introduce the sys-
| tenn in our church can fail to awaken earnest
| and indignant condemnation"
| The letter goes on to entreat Bishop Potter
not to repeat the act wishes that it might be
| undone. and closes thus Sin 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 ceremony did not commend itself
| wholly TO his taste or Judgment, but the facts
did not warrant the inference that it implied his
| sanction of the whole monastic system" The
| young man had taken a vow of celibacy, sobriety
| and obedience to the rules of the society with
which he united himself, this being in substance
the same vow taken by every woman
| had the sanction of the church, he did not
! see why brotherhoods might not exist for the
| same purposes Bishop Potter discaims gnor-
ance of the history of religious orders, and says
he is surely not indifferent to their possible dan
gers; perhaps they did not deserve to be spared
| They certainly rnerited scanty forbearanoe in an
! age when multitudes were perishing while mem
bers of religious order were chanting litanies,
spending their days in splendid religious func-
| tons aud debating over questions of upholstery
and embroidery. Then Bishop Potter contin-
| ueS:
'But what is the situation in the case Of the
| two young men who have been admitted to the
brotherhood to which your letter refersl Here
| are, first, one young man, and then another,
who feel profoundly moved by the condition OF
| the goddess thousands and tens of thousands
who crowd our tenement-houses in New York
| Do you know, my dear and honored presiding
| bishop, what a tenement house in New
| York ISL Do you know the profound and
widespread apathy of the Christian community
| concerning these schools of poverty. misery
/ and almost inevitable vice. Do you know that
| our own church mission work has, thus far, but
! touched the fringe of this awful mass of sorrow
| and SIM All this these young men came to see
| and know by personal observation and actual
contact. and they said and said as l believe
rightfully, IF we are to reach those people we
must, first of ali, live among them; it will not
and then to walk over to mission chapel and
/ go about among the tenement house population
three or four times week. If we get close to
/ their hearts must get close to their lives !"
Bishop Potter then enters into the question of
/ the effect of his action upon the church
and his right to administer the vows
=! and then says that if the episcOpate decides
/ that he did wrong he will release Huntngt
| from his obligation SO far as he 1.-THE Bishop is
concerned without, however, surrendering my
own Judgment as to the expediency and propri
ETY. of my action, unless convinced by argu-
ments more sufficient and conclusive than have
| yet been addressed to me-"