Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-02-18
AFTER BISHOP POTTER AGAIN.

NICAt Vi 11oAVOhj Lug i""N' VIM 10 ~"
in New York, on Tuesday night dictated
letter to Bishop Potter in which he de-
clared that the Bishop and "the blasphe-
nous idolators" whom the Bishop "pro-
tects" are afraid of the writer. He asks
Bishop Potter whether he is a Christian
and whether he can continue to betray
his conscience and his church. The
letter follows
Sir:-In accordance with the state
ment made in the summer, | have re-
turned to the United States to carry on
my campaign against treason and dis
LOYALTY in that church over which you
preside in the diocese. | have thought
it right to notify yon of this fact. DO
not expect the courtesy of reply, and
if I received reply, judging from pre-
vious experience, | should not expect
it TO be a courteous one. You gave
away your case last summer by sending
me an abusive and ungentlemanly letter;
for abuse is generally the sign of
weak cause. You and the blasphemous
idolators whom you protect are
afraid of what 1 may do. in New
York. l may or may not make
public protest. l. may be coun-
selled by my friends that argument
will have more weight with the Amerl-
can people than forcible outcry. In any
case, my presence here last sum-
NOR and NV return this winter illustrate
the old Scriptural saying, "the wicked
flee when none pursueth. " | write tins
letter to make an appeal-almost des-
pairing appeal, for can scarcely expect
it TO succeed-t0 your conscience ana
your sense of duty. When you were
consecrated to your sacred office you
were asked if you were ready with all
faithful diligence to Danish aud drive
away from the church all erroneous and
strange doctrine, contrary to God word,
aud both privately and openly. to call
upon and encourage others to do tie
same" In the presence Of God and the
congregation invoking the name of your
Maker, you replied: Il will do 50, the
Lord being my helper" Sir, this was
q solemn, a terrible promise. You know
that in the thirty.frst article our COM
mon church declared masses to be "blas-
phemous, public and dangerous deceits." ."
They are celebrated openly in many
churches in your diocese-actually in
the church Of St. Mary the Virgin
and St. Ignatiu, in this city. And you
said to me, in spite of the solemn prom
ise you made, in the name of God, that
these proceedings have your sanction. Sir,
are you aman? Are you Christian? Can
you go on betraying your conscience and
betraying your church? You may call me
a meddlesome interierer. You may say
that the Church of England, whose min
lister am, has nothing to do with the
Protestant Episcopal Church in America.
You may defy history and ethnology and
say there is no unity between the two
branches of the Anglo-Saxon race.
Be it so. If you wish TO sever the love
that exists between England and Ameri
ca / will not press the point. | will
only appeal TO you as a man. Can you,
as a man, 90 on defying the eternal laws
of conscience? Can not move you to DO
your duty; to put down this canker
worm Of priestcraft, which is eating out
the heart of our Anglo-Saxon nationality?
make this appeal in Gods name. May
God Judge between us.
Mr.. Fillingham in an interview said
II have come to begin my fight against
idolatry iu the Protestant Church and to
protest against the consecrated wafer and
the other stolen rituals used by some OF
the so-caled Christian churches in this
country"