Year: 1863




test. He is too much absorbed in his Di.
vine Masters service and too zealously de
voted to his sacred calling, to be induced
TO abandon them for politics. If you had
been engaged H. the same calling, proba-
bly, you would not have made the protest.
j, for one, sincerely regret you did


our protest also charges Bishop Hop
kins with being an unworthy servant of
Christ. Is not Bishop Hopkins now Off
ciating Bishop in the Diocese of Vermont ?
IS he not faithfully and diligently per-
forming the duties God has called on him
TO discharge, while you have retired from
those He has called on you to perform,
and have entered into the political arena
with the whole weight OF your character in
order to influence the result of the coming
election ? Do you not know that Bishop
| Hopkins is the most learned on the Bench
OF Bishops, a prelate whose piety and lear
| ming is an honor to the Church F.? Why,
then, do you denounce him as an unwor-
thy servant of Jesus Christ, when you
know that all he ever wrote and all be ev-
er said, was done in the strict dsch ,rge of
his conscientious duty? Judge not,
that ye be not Judged" II would certain
ly be more honorable and praiseworihy in
you to attempt to answer his letter than
denounce the author. fyou cannot an
swer jt-theu, in the rage of conscious de-
feat-do not bear false witness against
your neighbor," and when you repeat the
Decalogue in the ritual Of the Church
when you come 10 that commandments
think implore you, OF this bearing Of
false witness which you have been guilty
of towards Bishop Hopkins.


In this connection, il would be well for
us all TO recollect our Saviour's warning.
" Why beholdest, thou the mote that is in
thy brothers. eye, but considerest not the
beam that is in thine own eye? Or how
wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull
out the mote out Of thine eye, and be-
hold beam is in thine OWE eye? Thou,
hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of
thine own eye, and then shalt thou see
clearly 10 cast out the mote out of thy bro
theirs eye"


Your protest taken altogether, is in form
of solemn judgement, not of argument.
Saint Paul says "Who art thou that iudg-
est another mans servant? to his own
master he standeth or falleth, Yea, he
shall he holden up. for God is able to make
him stand ;''and | would say to you, in the
language Of Gamslel, 'Rsirain from thi.
man and let him alone for if this counsel
of this work be Of man, it cannot over
throw it lest baplyy ye be so found even
TO fight sgains: Gcd." Men there were in
that day, dazzled by power and money,
who we're even ready 10 fight against
God II such there be now, let US hope
and pray that you at least, having the
learning, will also have the plety and the
virtue of Gamaliel, and thereby "mc gniiy
your office.


You will pardon me for troubling you
so long, when | assure you that my only
motive III writing this letter is to do my
duty as a citizen, (hunIble though am,
and to vindicate the character Of Bishop
Hopkins, an ornament of the Church and
an honor to his country, against unjust
aspersions and mis-statements. resolved,
therefore. that ifthere were no one else TO
raise voice in his behalf, | would make
the attempt, and would humbly follow
the example of my Divine Master, who
scourged the money changers, political
hucksters and contractors who presumed
to defile his Holy Temple, with whip
of small cords" With the ardent hope
that peace may once more bless our own
distracted and bleeding country, and that
we may once more call dwell together
in unity" under that Constitution which
our fathers gave US, and that the Union
which rests upon it may be restored to us
and our children, and be the Sun Of Lib
erty to the oppressed Of every land, and
the harbinger of brighter hopes to every
people, | close with the last two para
graphs of Bishop Hopkins letter, in
which is 10 be found the fullest yindica-
tion OF his character as a Christian aud
patriot. l


In conclusion. would only say, that
I am perfectly aware how diStasteful my
must be, on this very serious
question, to the great majority of my res
pected iellOw-citizens, in the region where
Divine Providence has cast my lot. II
would assuredy be far more agreeable il
could conscientously conform to the
opinions Of my friends, to whose ability,
sincerity and zeal am ready to give all
just commendatiou. But it would be mere
moral cowardice in me to suppress what
believe 10 be the truth, for the sake OF
popularity. II cannot be long before |
shall stand before that Almighty and
Unerring Judge, who has given US tho
inspired Scriptures to be cur supreme
directory in every moral and religious
duty. Ny gray hairs admonish me that
may soon be called to give an account
of my stewardship. And have no fear
of the sentence which He will pronounce
upon an honest though humble effort 10
sustain the authority of His word in just
alliance with the Constitution, the peace,
and the public welfare Of my country"


With the fervent prayer that the
spirit of wisdom, unity and lraternal kind |
ness may guide our national Congress, the
Legislatures Of the several States, and the
sovereign will of the whole people, to
happy accommodation of every existing
difficulty"


With great respect, am yours, &c,


s. T. VAN SAINT.


256 South Fifth sereet, Philadelphia


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