New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-11
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
BISHOP W. s PERRY CRITICISED.

u te fIVtcs'aht EpscOp5l Church VINO 90 nOt seem
capable Of understanding the extreme seriousness Of
inc position In which they Just now placed Not |
only are they compelled 10 make known TO the people
Vi the United states whether not their Church has
room Tor man Ike Phillips Brooks, but they are |
bound, at whatever cost Of anguish TO the eccle-
siaStica! heart to do this in perfectly manly and
straightforward way. They are no longer dealing |
with single diocese much less with secular" news
papers and reckless public opinion, but with the |
whole Church Of Which they the overseers That |
Church acts by representatives, and majority Of those
representatives declare for all practical purposes the
VIII OF the whole Church. majority Of the stand |
ing committees, that is to say the Representatives OF
the Whole body Of the clergy and laity of the
Protestant Episcopal Church. except the bishops has
already decided that Phillips Brooks is perfectly fit
person to be consecrated Bishop Of Massachusetts,.
Nor has this decision been reached without due con-
sheraton or solemn warning. II Is calm, WELDON
sidered determination founded upon the real merits Of
the case Bishops, like other people, can make them
selves contemplate If they choose. They exercise
their mere power without giving or having any
sensible reason for their action. They can set aside
for mere fun, II they silly enough, the deliberate
determination Of the whole Church Of which they are
members, Just as the Queen Of England could refuse
her consent to every act Of Parliament for whole
year. But neither Queen nor bishops are laws Of
nature and when they make themselves not only
ridiculous but mschevous, 1t is about as certain as
death warrant
The merely secular" mind may be incapable Of
deciding whether Ike Phillips Brooks is ft to be
q bishop. 1t may be true, and very likely Is t4at
average piety wOuld feel at ease With men Ike
Bishop Seymour of Springfield H., or Bishop Perry OF
Iowa men whose intellectual dimensions couId
scarcely overpower with awe the smallest soul There
are only too many bishops who are In their own per
sons, conclusive proof that @spirunl7 authority
and high Office in the Church wholly independent
Of those qualifications without which nobody would
be intsted with power in the ordinary affairs Of life
The Bishops then Of the Protestant Episcopal Church,
Judging by supernatural faculties and by tests which
the secular mind is unable 20 understand, have both
the power and the hight to refuse their consent to the
conservation Of Phillips BROOKS They have also the
power to try prevent his conservation b. privately
circulating the idle gossip Of irresponsible snderers
and writing sly and cowardy letters, IN confidence
to be mailed every bishop IN the country. They
should be reminded, however that this is a power
which it would be very unwise to They are,
doubtless, far too dignifed to care about public
opinion; but Il may be worth their while to con-
slider that their dignity might become slightly I'M
paired If public opinion ceased to care about them
king may cease to be a king, not only by losing
his head, but by losing his subjects.
When a writes letter TO more than
sixty other people with the view Of Influencing
their public action; when he writes such letter
letter he makes statements repeats anderous gos
sip, that any gentleman would feel it disgrace 70
listen 30, he is guilty OF very impertnent act. And
If he supposes that ne win be protected from the con-
sequences Of his impotence by writing or printing tho
words in confidence at the top Of bis communication
re must be stupid be within the reach Of argu
ment. II is only intimate friends who have the right
to inrude secrets upon one another. And mpert-
hence becomes something like business when the con
fdentisl7 letter writer deliberately askS TIE correspond
ent upon whom he thrusts himself to put snsht upon
the reputation OF very distinguished man for sece'
reason, 10 contemplate - admit Of being revealed.
These very rudlmentary instructions in the art and
consideration Of the Right Rev William stevens Ferry
lent prelae 10 be Informed TINT the confidential letter
he wrote 70 his brother bishops Las long ago become
public property The generosity Of Offering his ADVICE
nnasked on so serious matter the conservation OF
bishopelect might have received, a. II deserved
nothing bat gratitude, like the unasIed and also con-
hdential7 advice Of Bishop Sey uOur; buI II "as d
very different thing TO offer that advice on tne du-
thory OF an "a; trotr co. S(n Francsco
unknown woman " on tralh lot otn fT"lIC9cDo
wrote DR.. De COSTA says this person-not INC
Bishop, but the On the train" who i warm
personal friend OF mine ana c-"oTher WIN i nc :,
Social reformT) of this talk with Mr. BrOoks ana an
perfectly willing if my name is omitted, tnat It should
be used" The letter from this cautious Pnianiropt
the warm friend II Dr. De costa. contains also most
insulting remarks about the Rev heper Ne"ton, "i,H
the Bishop Of Iowa Sos no lmproPreoy III ~
n is said that Phillips Brooks Is not ecc 5ia'tcil
enough. At any rate nob1dy will deny that he IS
man that ne is far above circulating mancouS leue.s
III confidence for the purpose OF danaglhs bIoler
clerCyman's reputation lie may &c aa.Il+ ulC'' az
a truly ecclesiastical OF his own importance Dut
II is some trhng compen saton that he Is also free rom
The Characteristic ecclesiastical vices OF cruelty ana
c0varyljce Every sensible person viii ADMIT tia'
the Protestant Episcopal bishops are bound 70 exercise
the utmost possible caution In conserving or fcus!g
IN consent Ia the conservation Of bishop elect II
they should refuse 10 consent 70 the consecrauon Oh
Phillips Brooks they will have discharged what every
bodv will assume that they believed to be their d1y
th0gh such action will undoubtedly be IN me Lenest
degree dangerous Rut II there be the slightest sS-
ricion nUch moro II there be reasonable certainty
mat their refusal secured by the circulation IN
conqdence, Of s'ander0us letter by woman whose
onorancp Of THEOLOGY is proved by That very letter ID
Le benea+h contempt tle refusing bishops must n't
~ o"' y - e,clotr sCRCTATOR.
New-YOrk, July TO- 1871