New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-17
FIGHTING VICAR" HERE
WRITES BISHOP POTTER.
Declares That 'IdOIatOrS' ire
Protected IN the Church.

The Rev. r. G.. Fnhugham. the fighting
vicar" OF Hcxtor. England. late last night die
tated a letter 60 Bishop Potter in which he de-
clares that the Bishop and the hIasphemous
idolators" whom the Bishop protects are
afraid of the writer. He asks Bishop Potter
whether he is a Christian. and whether ac CA
continue 90 hetray his conscience and his
church:
The letter follows.
Sir. In ac-o-daucs with tho statement 4 made lr
the summer. } have returned 20 %" United states
LOYALTY IN mai chIrch over which YOU rrssid, iu
this diocese have thought b. rirEt t' notify you
reply and if ] received a reply judsIug from lre-
N'ous experience. should not sNge'l u G -. - p" a
mer hy sending au abusive and urEeut lerlaHiF
cause You ana The bIasphtrnous idoIators whom
you protect are afraid Of what ! may do in N""
may be co,,nSelIsd by my friends that argument
viii have more weight with the American people
n any csse. my presence here last summer and
saying tho wicked fee when mono rursu"th'
7 write this letter to make an eppeal Almost
succeed-to your conscience and your sense "f
when YOU wero cousecrated TO your sacred once
you we're asked If YOU were ready with al falth-
trsrr ~ '' Coz. Word and both privately ana
same" In the presence OF God and the congrega-
piled = viii Do So the Lord being my helper
Sir this was a solemn. q terrible promise.
You know that iu the thirty-hrst article our com
mon Church declares masses TO be "hlasphcmous
fables dangerous deceitS.'' They celebrated
openly iu many churches in vou~ diog es'--1ctUaiy
in the Church Of -. Mary the Virgin and ST lgna-
titus in this city. And YOU said 10 me. n Spie OF
the solemn promise vou made in tho larue of God.
that these proceedings have your sHncuon SIT,
YOU "a mani Are yoU a Christian can YOU
Ro on betrayinE your conscience ana betraNihs
thurch'
You NAV call me n rnaddIesomo Interfere. You
NAV say that the Church of England. whose min
lister ] am has nothing 60 do with the ProtcstHNt
EriscOuaI church iu America. You may defy MS
-d ofhro'rgv and say there Is no unity ne
tween the two branches OF the Ango-Saxon race.
il II YOU wish 20 sever the love that
exists between England and America. ! viii not
man can yuli as a man go defying the eternal
laws Of Conscience Can not move yOu 10 90
YOUR duty: 20 nut dowr this canker worm ot
priestcraft which is eating out the heart on our
Gods name May GOD judge between us
Mr.. Fillingham arrived yesterday morning on
the Cunard liner Iverna. Il have come" he
said. TO begin my fight against idolatry in the
Protestant Church and 10 protest against the
consecrated wafer and the other stolen rituals
used by some of the so-calle5 Christian churches
in this country.
Mr FUlinghaUl was indignant At the report IN
one Of the evening papers that he had remained
below most Of the voyage suherinB IRON the
eject Of the motion Of the ship.
Il ask Won especially 10 deny this Tor me,
he said 10 a Tribune reporter: FOR II there IS
one thing I pride myself on IL is being goo'
sailor 7 did not miss a single meal
Mr. FiUingham viii remain in this country
FOR soulc five weeks. in ten days he will leave
for short lecturng trip In the South