National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-24

worship FOR NIL comers, ana nOtninR
else, the number Of communicates might
well be cited TO measure the philan-
thropy Of the contributing body Of the
parish; but, while not seeking to behttle
the spiritual value OF the church, to
all alike, whether pewholders or not, 1t
must be borne In mind that that is subject
with which neither the vestry nor the ma
iority in its statement has assumed to
deal"
"In connection with this matter Of the
spiritual value Of the parish work, the reply
seems TO show a great vitality In the num-
Der OF organizations claimed TO bo In sue
cessful, operation in the parish. Docs not
that evidence the energy and vitality Of the
parish, as Is claimedP ....
"Any one familiar with the history OF the
parish knows that the only really valuable
association now existing, namely, the La
dies Association, was In full and vigorous
operation before the accession Of the pres
ent rector. The various committees and
clubs enumerated In the reply are In reality
nothing more than Subdivisions Of the as.
sociahon, created for specialization OF
tion's joint care. The only individual or
ganizations outside Of the Ladies' Associa-
ton and Its subdivisions seems to be 81.
Marks Friendly League, the Parish Guild
and the Ascension Debating Society; OF
which Of the guild, as is admitted by the
reply, there now exist only remnants
and as TO the debating society, II is also
exercises are now, for time at least, sus-
pended" .
"Judging from the quotations from the
diocesan Journals, set out In the reply, there
seems to be wide difference In the esti-
mate of the rector by the majority OF the
vestry and by Bishop Pinkneyp
at is one OF the significant features OF
1.Fa k,aN h. taaf fssts0N 0NNfN
lection and vindication to the ample and
| generous unselnshness Of the bishop. To
| take the tributes Of the bishop, never
| known to be wanting In fullness OF gen.
| erosity, enunciated at various times, prior
| 10 the manifestations by the rector, which
| have invited the criticism Of the majority,
and in ignorance OF those manifestations,
strikes the majority as a queer method OF
| proving character, Had those testimonials
| to the merits and worth OF the present
rector, over-generous as they are, been
made by the bishop In the full knowledge OF
the later workings OF the parish, which his
absorption In labors elsewhere rendered in-
| possible, they would be justly entitled to
the highest consideration. But given as
they were, at periods either ante-dating the
| indications Of the rector's real disposition
in his administration or under circum-
stances forbidding real knowledge on the
| bishops part of what was going on within
| the parish, their projection into the exist
Ing controversy can scarcely be deemed
| tu1ieious.n -... ... ....l....
! HThe question is asked In the reply,'Why
did the majority, knowing The rector TO be
what they describe him to be, elect him less
| than three years ago TO the rectorship made
| vacant by the death OF Bishop PinkneyP"
"The answer TO this is very simple. The
vestry had either to seek at that time a
severance OF his relations to the parish, or
else go through the mere form OF giving
him the promotion to the vacancy which
had been promised him when he was
called. This latter action was taken as a
matter Of course, without any consideration
| Of the question one way or the other.
| Besides, Il is to be observed that two OF the
most Objectionable Of his acts, namely, his
absolute refusal to part with the parsonage,
and his action in setting aside the regular
election Of the vestry last chosen, had not
then occurred; nor had he given In 80 pro-
nounced form many Of the minor exhlbi-
tlons of autocracy now taken exception to.
Indeed, It has been the subject OF common
remark, both within and without the vestry,
that since his elevation to the rectorship,
bis disposition to arbitrary dominance In
the affairs Of the parish has been more fire.
quent and more marked; and one OF the
very minority signing the reply has him
self, within that time, declared in the
presence Of two Of the majority that the
rector's transfer from the parish would be
| tU its great advantage"
'But the rector has evidently been prom
| inent in the affairs Of the church both here
and elsewhere; the enumeration OF his vari-
GUS official positions on page 2S OF the re-
ply would seem clearly TO Indicate thisf'
| "As to this, can only congratulate the
minority OF the vestry upon their very In
innate and extensive acquaintance with the
rector's history. Of course, we all know
that both Of those gentlemen were mem
bers Of bis parish In the state OF Ohio, and
also assume that they know the circum-
stances Of his severance from his church In
that state. Under these circumstances this
is peculiarly fortunate, as all who have
spoken to me on the Fsubject seem not to
have received the same complimentary ac-
counts of his administration In that charge,
and have heard It said that this Is not the
first, nor the second, controversy that he
has had with his several flocks In the course
of his ministratlons. 1t is, further, a sub
that they so carefully preserved the files Of
the New York Herald as TO have at ready
command the issue Of October 81, 1888,
characteriZiDg the great speech OF DR..
Elliott, Of Maryland. The well known
modesty Of the rector forbids the supposi-
tion that he could have furnished TO the
minority this brief, but adequately
|
life. Indeed, this very statement
sshow the justness OF the complaint
Of the vestry that the rector Is welded to
the politics rather than to the doctrines OF
the church, and that having been In early
life a member Of the bar before taking
holy orders, he even yet consistently OBJ
serves the analogy OF his life by making
the order OF his attention first the law and
then the gospel"
"What was the vestry's object in having
any secrecy about their proceedings '
"Simply this, that the subject OF possi-
bic severance OF the relations Of the rector
and the parish might be introduced and
considered both by the rector and vestry,
without any undue publicity or injury to
either the rector or the parish. The yes
try understands It to be an unwritten law OF
the church that a request by the yestry Of
the rector's resignation is such an indica
| tion ttat bis further usefulness to the parish
is.out of the question; that his retirement
sooner or later is thereby made a mere
question of time. II the expectations Of
the vestry in this respect had been real
iZed, there would have been afforded the
rector an opportunity to change his charge
in seeming harmony on all sides, and with
out danger to himself, In securing another
field for his labors, or posslbl,
impairment OF his usefulness therein
II the yestry erred in this conception 1t wa
mistake OF judgment, but as Is conclu
: sively evidenced by It's adoption Of the reso
, lutions Notwithstanding their publicity, an
canvassiDg Of the question In the congrega
tion would have made no change In tn
! conviction Of the vestry as to the adyisa
bility Of its intended action. Aud II is no
TO be forgotten that the rector's friends Il
the vestry themselves urged this secrecy, Il
presumably the same disposition enter
, tanned by the majority, namely, the desir
, TO avoid controversy and impairment OF th
rector's usefulness elsewhere. 1t was on
, Of them, and not one of the majority, VIII
moved the postponement Of the questio
! for time, In order to give the rector q
| nnnnrinnlLY To nrennre hlmRelf for WIN