New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-13
UNFOLDING THE TWO RECTORS
THE REV. DIR. DONALD ON THE PROTEST
HE TELLS HIS CONGREGATION THAT HE THINKS
no

HE TELLS HIS CONGREGATION THAT HE THINKS
1T WILL COME TO NAUGHT.
Tho Rev. DR.. +. Winchester Donald rector OF tho
Church OF the Ascension, IS OF those VINO re1useu
10 sign the protest against the action OF the Rev. DIS
g. Ieber Newton and w. S. Rainsford In inviting non
Episcopal clergymen 30 preach In their pupite Dr.
Donald was one Of the Episcopal ministers who TOOK
part I'm the installation Of the Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbott,
the other being ths Rev. Dr. Phillips Brooks, OF Boston,
who seems likely to be made Bishop OF Massachusetts
DR.. Donald yesterday morning explained TO MS CON
gregatlon his for not Joining In the conoem-
nation of the alleged uncanocal practices OF the two
clergymen He took for his text part of Corinthians
10 90 "An things are lawful for me- but all things
are not eypedlent" His position was that the acuon
Of Drs. Newton and RainsfOrd lawful. although
in view Of the disturbance 1t caused In the Chreh II
was inexpedient. He preached without notes. ana
spoke in substance as follows
"The disturbance in the Church in this diocese is
well known to the members of this parish and Is my
purpose to speak Of its causes and the real clrcun-
stances attending it. ! fear that many OF you may
think that the is than II really Is ana uaV
te outcome of IL all will be more serious than II s
in fact likely TO be. The protest IN my !uogmehu ID
almost certain to to naught. In the hrst place,
IL is addressed to nobody, and IN the second place IL
can be addressed to no one. There is nobody com
peent to receive It, and it win therefore come to MOTH
ing IL is now marked private and CONFIDENTIAL ana
II will remain so, In my judgment, because tpere Is
no one TO receive It,
ait should be plainly understood that there IS no
charge of heresy against the ministers VINO asked per
sons not ordained in the Episcopal Church to preach
IN THAR churches They simply exercised liberty
which was considered lawful by men whose services
to the Church have brought thousands Of souls TO
| Christ The sole difficulty is the character OF the
ministry of our own and Of other churches IL is
matter of canon law, which is amended every time
the General Convention meets and which may be
| Will
non Episcopal clergymen be asked to preach In Epls
copal churches. There are three orders OF the min
isry in our Church. bishops, priests and deacons II
IS however the most foolish of all statements TO say
that all readers of the Bible and OF the writings OF
the early centuries Of the Christian believe that
these three orders have existed continuously from the
time of Christ. Many men of learning declare that
there is no proof that the three orders existed from
the time Of the apostles to the middle Of the second
century. Splendid scholarship In the Episcopal and
Catholic churches disagreed and apparently hope
lessIy disagreed, on the question
"The canon on the subject of the protest reads as
follows NO minister In charge Of any congregation
OF this Church or in OF vacancy absence, no
church wardens, vestrymen or trustees of the con-
gregation shall permit any person to ofcate therein
without sufficient evidence of his being duly licensed
or ordained to minister In this Church, / say in the
interest of peace that is held by every one that no
man can be accounted lawful minister Of our Church
who Is not cplscOpdly IilS -
saving that any not so ordained Is not a lawful
minister of Christ of any other Church The ribres
of the prayerbOO for the direction of ministers
| in pblfc worship. This is better than If each man
were left to his own devices. The rubrics are not
laws but directions can open this book TO ru6rlc
10 be read and to another which 1t Is physically i'm
| nossible to obey. The law of the Church Is based
on the canOps which are very explicit and are TO be
obeyed. 80 A.. OH, -. ,,s
was not what il is now. Some Of the in 1t were
driven ont on account Of some misconduct and came
10 this country. They would seek places In churches
here, and TO keep out ungeslraoe men the law wa,
England 10 show his credentials before officiating here
| In the whole history of the Protestant Episcopal
| Church I'm this country no one ever asked non
| FniscopaI clergyman TO administer the sacrament
rhe from the Beginning of loyalty to the Church
have invited outsiders 10 preach Let us see the uI
ference The prophet and priest nave distinct onlces
The prophets message must bear the stamp OF Delng
Chrisf;s truth. The priest is set apart by consutu
ioyred ~ do He is to do those things which me
bcs cav shall be done by the Clergyman 70 pcrlorI
functions allied to those OF the DisHoP' po7O 'iu
| deacon and Of no other one. ,, 1. aoos M,
"' - ,nronose 10 obey the canon. but IL 1oes MOI
forbid men who are not ordained IRON speahhS, anu
| g. never has and never Will ANY man VINO mas a
message from God has right 10 ueiiver !. uer ,
Sitiops Now as to the question OF expedeney' Lnsl
IUr ~ -" statement from would be out OF place
~ e. %ouever n melancholy spectacle tnat uns Pro
test should be launched ag fitf1Iness Of that time
ceived stab when this protest became noseo ABROAD
a. tbe nress We are not TO deny that We nav uDern
IL ne nav mt aside the exercises OF IL Tor the eaht
OF peace Let look on tis tbo great trrth ot
,rdItv as persons who recognize He Sreat ueSn q,
l & that INV their fruits ye shall know theIn
the saviour, ~ cergvmen accused Of brealdng the
70 DC al law as of merchants, lawyers and DOCTORS