New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-03
BISHOP POTTERS CHARGE.
HIS VIEWS CLEARLY PRESENTED TO THE
DIOCESAN CONVENTION.
USMISTAKABLE LANGUAGE on SOME RECENT
QUESTIONS IN THE cHURcH-IYTEREsTING
REMARKS on THE "REMoNsTRANCE"
AND THE OPPOSITION TO THE

AND THE OPPOSITION TO THE
ELECTION OF BISHOP BROOKS.
Bishop Potter's Charge to the Clergy. made in ST.
Barthoomewis Church. before the Diocesan Conven'
ton Wednesday, touched all the questions which
are now agitanng the Church and he gave his views
In no uncertain language. While he did not attempt
to define the bounds OF the liberty which might be con
coded Christian scholarship and learning In recasng
the formulas OF theology order 10 bring them into
closer harmony with modern life and thought he said
that as to those bounds In the case Of men IN holy
orders there should be doubt. He laid his views
down clearly on this subject.
Another point which he spoke of in unmistakable
language the question OF ecclesiastical trials Ho
also made references to the remOnsance signed by the
clergy OF the diocese last spring Throughout his Ian
guage was carefully chosen. showing how fully he
appreciated the importance Of the vital points which he
touched on.
a Tribune reporter tried to get copy OF the
Charge for publication on the day on which
it was delivered and again Thursday, but Bishop
Potter declined TO furnish IL. The Evening Post
however, published large part Of the Charge yester
day afternoon and extracts given herewith Bishop
Potter said In part:
What shall be the bounds Of the liberty which shall
be conceded to Christian scholarship and learning,
am not now called upon to define but what ought to
be those metes and bounds in the case of men who
are in Holy Orders, there ought to be no doubt
may TO have been in any particular articles Of
the creeds, those other formuares, which are most
surely part Of the doctrine and worship OF this
Church. else she has neither must be accepted by
any one dealing honestly with his ordination vows as
explicitly interpreting them.
We believe that the ground idea Of Revelation Is
absolutely true and has the security for the only
mental and moral freedom the race has enjoyed
And we must say that think the opposite view, II
IL is 20 be urged with sincerity and ability at ALL should
be urged by who not continually using lturseS
which imply the very creeds they denouncng. and
offering up prayers which pure mocker1es unless
God has really manifested Himself specially in Jewish
history, and become incarnate in one human career
equally majestic and submissive.
ais, then, one who is honestly perplexed con
corning fundamental verites Of the faith to stihe
these perplexities and to go teaching or affirming
as truth certain things concerning which he is no
longer persuaded that they the truth but is rather
persuaded that they not the truth? What
is the duty Of one In Holy Orders who cannot
approve the conform 10 the order Of the Church
whose minister he Isl Is he TO throw up his COM
mission and retreat from his Office and abandon the
communion OF the Church Of which he is a member
am by no means prepared TO say that any such
oonstralnt s laid upon him, Or II 1t Is, that such
step should be resOrtad to, last and most
sorrowful extremity. But no less clear that in
such case in the case c. g. for l have In this
matter a strong desire 10 be precise and specific
as cam of who has parted with faith IN the
supernatural element in the Holy Scriptures In the
person and work of Christ 1t IS the PLAIN duty OF such
a one TO suspend his ministrations and temporarily
al any rate TO retire from the exercise Of his sacred
ofice, and address himself with prayer and abstinence
and most searching and candid inquiry, to an ex-
animation of the questions at issue. maintain
further that it is the preemient his duty, at every
step of such inquiry, TO bring his impressions or con
cusons 10 the bar of the Church's consistent ana I'M
varying teaching, and TO try and test What uSturOs
him by her clear voice.
But If neither this any other voice can answer
the questions or relieve the peFpeNities Of such
one then 1 am unable to see how honestly his work.
his Office and he can do otherwise than part company
1t is competent TO any one in the ministry OF the
Church who may desire from her councils or other
wise an interpretation of her teachings to ask for 1t
but long that teaching remains so plainly what
1t is his liberty while in the ministry ends there
II any one among thinks otherwisef any class OF
men In holy orders shall be seen with one hand
milling down the very pillars Of the temple. while with
the other they are seeking to grasp every possible
honor dignity and emOument which pertains 10 thelr
orice-and IL the Church. whose servants they are
shall tolerate so monstrous inconsistency, then one
Is compelled to say that the one and the othef VIII
equally deserve even though they may not receive
the scorn and ont,mpt of all honorable men.
THE effort which have lately seen in this Church
10 defeat the confirmation Of eminent Presbyter
elected to the episcOpae, and TO defeat 1t by methods
which in the Judgment of all decent people ought TO
rebound to the lasting dishonor Of those who employed
them was an effort ostensbly 10 compass that defeat
on grounds Of doctrnal unsoundness, but really be-
cause the individual concerned did not happen TO hold
prevalent view Of the Apostolic succession. 1t does
not seem TO have occurred TO such persons that differ
ent view was long held by a venerated and sanity
man who was for the first fifty years OF Its
history the presiding bishop Of this Church ana tnat
William White by no means the only presiding
bishop who had such view. 1t seems quite as
little 10 have occurred 10 such persons that II such
view is positive disqualification for the Episcopate
IL would have excluded scores Of men from the
House OF Bishops some Of whom have lent TO II much
the noblest Iustre with which ii has ever shone 1t
does not seem 10 have occurred TO them, either that
what IS true Of the American Is quite as true OF the
Anglican Church. Least Of all does it seem to have
occurred 10 them that this endeavor TO force the
view of one party school a. fnallty upon the
whole Church is simply much partisan insolence
But IL is high time that at least that much did occur
to them.
It is commonly supposed. at least am often told
so that I am keenly averse TO ecclesiastical trials
among us l am quite free to confess that under the
present law Of this Church, shall very reluctantly
initiate one myself, for confess that to expect as
in some aspects OF our present canons
thew seem to, that the Ordinary shall
serve as grand jury, prosecuting attorney,
and iudge all in one, is simply legal absurdty. II
the clergy want their brethren tried let me tell them
in the planest possible English that they must get
behind the Indictments and shoulder the responsibility
OF bringing those accusations which too many OF them
are ready enough to repeat, but little more
ready 10 disown when explicitly they called 10
account for them When they do that they VIII dis
cover az some Of them have already discovered, that
the machinery Of the law VIII be set in motion quite as
promptly as they could desire
Referring 10 the right Of petition, the Bishop said
n va a sacred refuge, but when II Is invoked II
woud be well, as l think you Will agree with mt,
that ii should be so employed as at least 10 seem u
recognize the simplest laws Of courtesy. IL IS not
nv plrpOse here 10 speak Of the contents Of certain
Remon STRANGE signed by some Of the Clergy OF this
diocese last spnng-smpy because the history OF the
Whole business makes 1t impossible. am not
think il will be owned, stickler for official pTeroga
fveS and fancy there few persons IN the Eplso
Soai'Gf.c. rhn are acnstOmed 70 trent such