Year: 1862

Interesting Debate ON the Relations OF


Church ana state-RcstOratlon or De-


graded kasnisters-Thc Final Ad3onrn-
a ment. &c.


RicnrH DAY.


The Genera, rriennal ConycDsnn reaeembled yestcr.
day morning a the usual hour Prayers beng read tho
House oraanized moro numerous assemblage Of vsi-
tors than usual crowdng galleries Instead OF the
ers one was wont entering Tho build
ing were policemen al doors and In aslcs Go II the
church members present feared collision Ia cafance
between the ,ay champions Of either side Of the
question before the House. One good effected by tho
policemen keeping clear tho several aiscs.


motion made for final adjournment, to take effect On
Thursday next, opposed and Withdrawn.


REsroRanor OF a DEGRADED MINISTER.


Tho Rev DR.. MEAD, behalf Of the Committee Ca
mons presented report reference to 6,entitcd
by Presbyer or Deacon" TIE reverend Doctor tLen
moved the following


Resolved That canon 6, section 2, title 2 be amended
~by adding TO it the following prcviso;


And provided aso that II such minister's after having
the ministry, and ing been deposed, should
desire restoration thereto they may address memorial
the bishops Of this Church. IN the diocese wherever lie
sides, in which memorial he shall express such desire ac
companiod by q statement that lie has abandoned the
ministry or communion Of any other church or
society TO which hc may have attached himself,
from honest conviction Of the errors Of doctrine
discipline Of sucn church society; and that ior
the space OF three years Immediately preceding bis me-
mortal he has been living in lay communion with the
Protestant Episcopal Church TO whose ministry he
asks restoration Whercupcn the bishop 10 whom such
memorial shall be addressed together with any two OF his
brother bishops whose aid he may desire for that pnr-
peso and by and with the advice and consent Of the stand
ing committee OF his diocese, shall finally investigate al
the with the OF the mcmorialiss,
and the bishop shall have power with the appreciation
both of the bishops assisting him in the case,
toned standing committee. TO restore the memoriais to
the ministry Of the Church. il he is satisfied that such
restoration viii be for the cory Of God and the edying
Of the Church.


Resolved, That the following words in paragraph 2,
section 2, canon 10, tito 2,yz;No degraded minister
shall be restored are hereby repealed


Some debate followed upon the question, after which
vote taken and the resolution carried in the
affirmative.


The House then took the order OF the day which
the consideration the report the Committee Nine
on the condition of the Church with relation to the pre-
sent state OF The country


Hon. MURRAY HOFFMAN rose to speak in support Of his
amendment, offered p eviously. He would explain the
difference between the resolutions offered by him and those
reported by the committee. In the first place, he
pressed his Of the character and intelligence and the
admirable in which those resolutions Of the
mcc had been brought before the House still he felt
the conviction that these resolutions not in
with the principles advocated aud the line OF duty
pointed out in the resolutions he had the honor to submit
In the other resolutions there not word Of condem
nation reproach or the rebellion and schs which exist
ed The seeded States His resolutions stated that in the
opinion of this House all ministers other persons who
have voluntarily united the acts and the proceedings
before set forth have fallen into the sin OF re.
belion and schsm, and have greatly offended by their
separation from their Church. He used that language
advisediy and after much though and reflection He then
proceeded to quote in support Of his views OF the
Church OF England the tenth of Maryland in 1s47
and DR.. Hawks' compilation of church canons, TO show
that the Episcopal Church South in state OF schism
lie ancient history show that loyalty gov
ernment one of the principles Of the Church, and


that the Church was thus incorporated at the Council Of
Nice when the Emperor Constantine adopted the Chris
tan emblem az i national symbol ylo and s'en. linen
msnt which was continued up to the present
day in all awsbding countries of the world lie regret
ted TO attempt made TO remove those ancient land
ks which their fathers mad set up. lie believed that
deeper calamity could heial the church-no heavier
blow the expansion OF civilization, OF religion and


liberty than this ignoring OF the mutual duties OF Church
Slate. No darkencd shadow fell upon the
prospects of constitutional liberty throughout the world


it was not within the province Of The 10 de-
fend the action Of The schismacs and traitors OF the
South and If II even were within their pro
vince 10 do so they ought TO refrain from IL,
because IL was unchrstian and urcharitable to
do so, and because moreover they did so they would
excite jus. resentment against the Church embittering
tho feelings o. separation hat already exists, and rem
dcrng more dcult the task Oh restoration and recon
Citation No man more deeply depo;et than he da lhs
severance Of he ties, political and religious, whct had
bound them all together in peace and harmony He wish
cd that they might be once mere together in the
bond OF feeling the children OF Israel when they
called upon the Lord 10 smite the enemy. The
immortal Washington, the Father of his Country in his
Gay looked with pride the glory beauty OF tie
Church. the sweet harmony Which then pervaded all its
relations, and the great good it was TO the country
which was So % %seaerously protecting and cherish,





70 the country. But could that noble see it and
look upon its divisions and is suerngs, how his heart
would be acerate1. lie (Mr. Eohman) saw no hope be-
fore them lie felt that the last hour OF the grand old
Church Of the United states lad come, at All events,
under its present organization lie light upon the
hills lie saw no shining feet on the wayno messenger
OF peace upon the mountains Hc nothag but the
Church under s present oFgasization surrounded by
the darkness OF the shadow Of death He wep to think
o. the destiny Of the Protestant Episcopal Cnurch OF
United states ren asunder by those who should have
sustained ii under It's grand most benecen widespread
and liberal constitution And If Others felt his emo
tions they too would weep, like Hsgar in the
wilderness, watching the life or her infant where 10
For himself he felt like the lonely jew con-
emr.atiag the ruins of Jerusalem, feeling that u
the structure where he had been used 10 worship was
again be reared that stl there would bs more mourn
ing the departed tempe that than rejoicing
the glorious structure that had been newly raised
With these dark anticipaons. which f'iced him ike
the coming Of sad events casting their shadows before
he believed he was now parting forever from the
as II existed under its present constitution. he
%ept for the departure Of the glory OF the
between him and ii, between him and those who with
him had sustained It's greatness. had watched from
ensus he would weep the breaking asunder Of those
tender ties and associations.


Hon, r. c. WiSrHsor rose to reply. He said he re.
greed the determination TO by the gentleman
had last spoken, as implied in the close OF his
(Mr. Honmaas, speech. That gentleman had said
that be believed the last hour Of the Church
had come that he believed we would never
be again united nstlona Church The gentleman too
has formally taken leave Of the Church Now he could
mol help thinking that The amendments to the resolution
appended to the report framed in the fall faith
belief that attempts compromise and soncistIon
that all hopes OF the reunion OF the Church Of the
country oughi 10 be abandoned That not, he be.
leved the OF the Convention Was the Convention
ready Tor the declaration OF such belsfy Does the gen
tleman despair OF the country He (Mr. Ho1mani
swers 10 but he dsspairs of re Church. Nov they
were ony dealing with the Church. and II
was moss important tina. their resolutions
should not be framed upon the principle
OF despair should not be imbued with the spirit OF des.
pair We hope and believe in the reunion OF the Church.
and to that end the COMMITTEES unwilling give vt.
terance TO words which would farther separate them
from their erriHg brsthren The who could despair
the Church would despa.- Of the country lie looked
the action OF the ChsSc Of
the peace OF the country ~ well as bringing back their
brethren 20 their original status IN the Church. Mr. Win.
throp then went TO say that he would willingly alter
the paragraph In the resolution 70 read that ths
Church could lie nseDsibe OF the deep and griey.