The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-24
LETTER FROM
BISHOP COLEMAN

Your letter appearing with sucl
extraordinary haste in the public
prints, would have been answered
sooner but for the absence from hom
Of both DR.. Rede and myself.
Its contents both surprised and
saddened me.
They surprised me by the want o.
that necessary information which you
could have obtained SO easily.
| They saddened me because of the
controversial and uncharitable spirit
which they disclosed.
| Let me first say that am inform.
ed that the permission to use the I'M
occupied building inquestion was OBJ
tained Of the only parties who were
supposed to have control OF it.
This was after careful inquiry and
we had, as ] am further informed. the
assurance to this effect Of the Presby-
terrain minister last officiating there.
| i may add that, SO far as know,
there has been no objection to oul
procedure on the part Of any resident
in Stanton.
We had offered to pay for its use
anysum that might be deemed prop
err
For the valued courtesy thus ex.
tended to us, made grateful &C.
acknowledgement before beginning my
sermon.
Shall l tell you the text OF that
sermon? "The Love Of Christ Con.
straineth Us.
In the outset of my remarks. l laid
particular stress upon the constrain.
ing power Of this love as that which
had prompted the series. Of Lenten
services and sermons contemplated.
! cannot recall one word that
spoke that was out OF harmony with
the spirit of the text, or that was not
the preaching ofthe Gospel, to which
preaching there you are pleased to
say that there Is no serious Italics,
mine, objection on the part Of the
New Castle Presbytery.
Nothing was said or done on that
occasion which could have been more
foreign to the animus which you have
50 gratuitiously imputed to the rector
of the parish and myself.
Much stress Is laid upon a phrase in
the newspaper announcement of the
service as to "the ways Of the Episco-
pal church.
This had reference simply to the
ways OF worship belonging to our
branch Of the Catholic church.
If anything more like preaching
the Gospel can be found than is found
In our Book of Common prayer, COM
gosed as it is either Of the express
words Of Holy Writ orof other words
In exact accordance Herewith, l
should be most thankful to know of
it from Yourselves, or from any other
source.
That there was not the slightest
intention to take advantage of these
services to enter into any controversy
is incOntestably proved by the fact
that the several preachers were left
wholly to select their own themes. the
only suggestion that was made being
that they should be the simple cd
truths of the Gospel.
We could scarcely have been Tempt
ed to harbour the thought of prosely-
tizine from your own communicable
which have never spoken except in
terms of kindly regard when we we're
about to use building that had been
abandoned by your Presbytery for
several years-the Sunday School
even having been closed tor several
months and in town which, as far
as have learned, contains only two
families owning allegiance to IL.
will not exchange with you any
controversial and irritating terms,
They do not make for that peace and
unity among the deciples of Christ
for which He Himself longs and which
il should be ours to cultivate and en-.
large.
AS your letter was SO speedily com.
muncated to the daily journals, l may
perhaps, be excused if l persue the
same course with my reply.
remain, with all kindly consdcra.
tion, Yours faithfully, Leighton Cole
man.
p. S. While not acknowledging
your authority in the promises, yet.
as matter of charity and consistency
1t is purposcd to continue the Friday
cvccng services in the public hall Of !
Stanton, inconvenienL and unattrac-
tive as that may be.