The Portland daily press., 1891-06-01
THE MAINE DIOCESE
Voted Not TO Confirm the Election of
Bishop Brooks.

meeting of the standing committee of
the Episcopal Diocese of Maine was held
Saturday at the Cathedral Of st. Luke the
president in the chair. This is the standing
committee:
President-Rev Charles Morton Sills d. D.
canon resident at the Cathedral.
Rev. VIM. II. Washburn, Auburn, honorary
Rev Walker Gwynne, Augusta, rector st.
Marks church.
Mr.. Geo. K. Is. jackson, Portland, secretary.
Hon; 10 Henry Ingalls, Wiscasset.
MIR. George Ill. Starr, Portland.
Mr.. jackson and Mr.. Starr were both alb
sent from the meeting, and therefore. while
1t was the unanimous vote of those present
that the diocese of Maine could not vote for
the confirmation of Bishop Brooks, techni-
cally 1t was majority vote owing to the alb
sence of two of the committee.
AS has been already explained, the obiee-
tion to the conservation of Bishop-elect
Brooks arises from views which he holds
which are not in accord with the belief
OF some of his brother churchmen. In
sermon preached at Trinity church, Bos-
ton, october 81, 1890, DR.. Brooks said: The
tendency to exclusiveness has shown itself
In our church during the last few years as
never before. 1t is asserting itself In the
desire to change the name of our church and
to give 1t name which shall assert that IT,
and 1t alone, is commissioned to administer
the Gospel Of Christ In the United States of
America. There are only two ways In
which church could stand and make such a
claim. 1t might be our claim that we were
SO preponderant and absorbed so much of
the Christian life of this country that every
thing else was comparatively Insignificant
Now, no man claims this. If the church was
the smallest OF all bodies, yet still, If she had
distinct and separate commission, IL there
belonged to the Episcopal ministry distinct
and absolute right which did not belong to
| the ministry of other churches, then she
| would have the right to claim that she, and
| she alone, was tine apostolic and catholic
church here. Now, there are and al ways
have been In our church those who hold this
| view. There are those who hold that from
| the time of the Apostles down to our own
| Bishop Paddock of Massachusetts, bishop has
been consecrated by bishop by direct touch
of the hand upon the head that as from gen.
Grafton to generation the commission to ad-
minister the Christian Gospel has come
down, and that now in this land 1t belongs to
no one outside that succession. am not
stating anything new to you. You know how
prevailed in our church. Now, giving our
church an exclusive name-such as has been
| urged within the last few weeks, such as /
tell you. my friends, there is exceeding dam
ger the church will receive one of these days
lis the distinct adoption of this theory.
That has never been done yet. There is no
line in the prayer book which declares any
| such theory. / tell you, my
friends, 1 never could for single day
| consent to that. To one who believes that
| the Christian church is the aggregate of
| all who believe and follow Christ whether
| they class themselves as Baptsts, or Meth
| dists, or Presbyterians, or Congregationalists
| or by whatever name-to such one the ac.
| ceptance of such title as this by our body,
which has called itself heretofore by a name
that implies that 1t was part of the great
Christian bodies. is entirely abhorrent."
For and Against.
| LOUISVILLE. KY, May 3O.-The standing
| committee of the Protestant Episcopal
church here has voted In favor of the elec-
tion of Rev. Phillips Brooks to the bishopric
In Massachusetts.
QUINCY, ILL.,, May 3l.-The standing com.
mittee OF the Protestant Episcopal church of
this diocese have unanimously declined tc
consent to the conservation Of Rev. Phillips
Brooks as Bishop Of Massachusetts.