Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-29
AIEXANDRIA VA, MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 20. 1903
AIexanoria 6azeftf.
Entered at the POstof6ce Of Alexandra, Nir'
giuia. as secondelass matter.l
BISHOP PoTTER's REPLY.
Bishop Potter of New York has replle

n
to the open letter sent him by the Rev.
r. c. Fipingham, vicar Of Hexton,
He,tfordshire, Eugland. Furthermore,
he has written to Rev. DR.. G. NJ. Chris
tian. rector of the church of which the
complaint was made, advising him to
appiy for a detail Of the police, and IN
case the 9exton vicar and his followers
preseat themselves and interfere, to
direct the police to throw the party into
the street. Bishop Potter written from
Cooperstown, in Otsego county, as iol-
lows:
Reverend Sir; In The public prints OF
Yesterday l find letter from you ad-
dressed 10 me and later, this letter reach
ed me through the mail.
You call yourself a clergyman OF the
Church of England, but | doubt it. For
a clergyman is, usually, a gentleman,
and aware that he may not print a
private letter until its receipt has been
acknowledged by the person to whom 1t
is addressed.
That YOU are lunatic is much more
likely, for only lunatic could suppose
that the Church in New York is govern
ed by the laws of the Church of England
or that you could compel me, or any in
cumbent in the Diocese of New York, to
enforce, or to obey, the laws OF the
Church of England.
The rector of the Church of st. Mary
the Virgin possesses my respect and
confidence; and though his modes OF
worship may be as little to my teste as
to yours, he is not following them with
out my priyity and knowledge.
/ have advised him, therefore, to ap-
ply for deiail of police, and have in
structed him, in case you and your fol-
lowers venture in any way to interrupt,
or interfere with, his service, to direct
the police to throw you and yours as
sociaies into the street, Happily, we
have a law in the State of New York
which deals summarily and efectually
with disturbances of public worship.
Very truly yours, II. G. POTTER.
| Bishop of New York.
To the Rev. r. G. Fillingham.
On receipt of Bishop Potter's letter
Saturday, Rev. Mr.. Fillingham adj
dressed one in reply, and, in spite of
the Bishops cutting words about people
who make letters public before those to
whom they are addressed have received
them. he made his letter public, as he
had done the first one. His reply fol-
lows
Right Rev. Sir: l am in receipt of
your extremely violent and insulting
| letter of Saturdays date. suppose so
extraordinary production was never
before lenned by a professedly Christian
minister.
You are, or affect, to be, unaware
that open letters are frequently written
to public men. You are also unaware,
apparently, that the Church Of which
YOU are an officer has declared that she
has no intention of differing in any
thing from the doctrine, discipline and
worship of the Church Of England. /
suppose you are also unaware Of the
fact that the ritual of ST. Mary the
Virgin does differ absolutely from that
discipline and worship.
| will not follow you in your own
choice expressions and describe them as
"lunacy," but it is certainly a singular
exhibition of ignorance.
note that you condone and are
privy to the illegalities and idolatIy
practiced by the rector Of st. Mary the
Virgin. / also note your threat of
phvsical violence-that you, a minister
Of The gospel, advise another minister to
throw MS into the street ; but | can
assure YOU that no threat will affect
those who are prepared not only to act
but to suffer in tile cause Of Protestant
ism. Very truly yours,
II. G. FILLINGHAM.
To the Right Rev. Henry G. Potter.
This correspondence grew out of Il let
ter which the Rev. Mr.. Fillingham ad-
dressed the other day TO Bishop Potter
concerning the services which the
writer said he witnessed last Sunday
morning in the Church Of st. Mary the
Virgin. He described the sacrifice OF
the mass, the burning Of incense and the
elevation of the host, declared all to be
contrary 10 the doctrine Of the church,
and called the whole ceremony proiane
| I IL