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Bishops, Priests and Deacons: Dr. Bedell.

CHAPTER V.

EPISCOPACY.

"The only amaranthine flower on earth

Is virtue; the only lasting treasure, truth."-CowPER.

We have already directed the eye of the reader to Episcopa cy, as one of the strong muniments that add to the safety and glory of Zion. And as we linger a moment at this point, to mark well her bulwarks in obedience to the divine command, we are led to enquire at whose instance, and by what authority this battlement has been reared up to strengthen the fortifications of Zion? We shall find it necessary to go round about this bulwark and mark it well.

It may not be improper to remark that by Episcopacy we mean that particular constitution of the ministry, which re cognizes three different grades in the sacred office-Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.

It is observed in the life of Dr. Bedell, a work to which we have already had occasion to refer, that that devoted minister of Christ had it in contemplation, just before his decease, to prepare a series of discourses on the subject of Episcopacy. We cannot but deeply regret, that his valuable life terminated before the accomplishment of this intended work. We feel confident that no man in the church could have done it with more success. Whatever he wrote would have been animated with a spirit of kindness and love to christians of all other denominations. And his known piety, acknowledged worth, and delightful manner of presenting truth, would have commended a work of this kind to the perusal of every class of readers. The church which Bedell, and Martyn, and Newton, and Scott loved-at whose altar they ministered, and in whose bosom they lived and died, is the church which

This work not polemical: Two letters to a friend.

I wish the reader to examine. All I ask in relation to the distinctive peculiarities of this church is, that they may not be condemned before they are examined and understood.

The author cherishes the hope, that he himself may be animated with at least such a measure of the kind, and catholic and liberal spirit, which pervades all the institutions of this church, as not to write or spread upon these pages any thing that will appear harsh or unkind to any who truly love the Saviour. With one of her sons, who wrote in her defence, he would say:

"These sketches are not designed as polemical pieces. The author has no desire to enter the field of controversy. There are too many men of war already in the world, and he is determined not to increase the number. All that he requests from his readers is a candor of judgement, and a permission to express in public his own approbation of the peculiarities of that church of which he is an unworthy member. While he feels himself cordially disposed to embrace in the widely extended arms of christianity, all those of whatever denomination "who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," he may surely be allowed, without offence, to give a preference to that church, to the doctrines of which he has solemnly subscribed his hand."

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In this chapter we design to draw the argument in favor of Episcopacy principally from a little work entitled, "A candid examination of the Episcopal Church, in Two Letters to a Friend." We have not the pleasure of an acquaintance with the author of these Letters, but understand that they are a faithful history of the manner in which the writer's mind was affected by the successive facts that were brought before him in relation to the Episcopal church. We have taken the liberty of using such parts of these very interesting letters, as are adapted to our object.

"My Dear Friend,—

"You have expressed your surprise at what you are pleased to term my apostacy from the faith of my ancestors, in hav

*Biddulph. See his Essays, p. 26. This is a most delightful workwritten in a lovely spirit, and should be read by all who wish to see illustrated the spiritual character of our Liturgy.

Mistaken views of S

ing joined the Episcopal church in this place, and have requested me to give you a full statement of the reasons by which I have been governed in this, to you, unexpected and extraordinary proceeding. Convinced as I am of your candor and sincerity, and knowing that the discovery and support of truth are with you paramount to every other consideration, I am confident that you will not condemn until you have thoroughly and without prejudice investigated the subject, and that you will not the less respect my vindication of myself although it should be presented to you in the style of a plain and an unlearned man. I am sensible that I am not sufficiently qualified to engage in religious controversy, nor have I a wish to possess such ability; still I think it a duty incumbent upon every one, not only to examine and to think for himself, unbiased by interest or fashion, but to be able to give a reason for the faith which he has adopted.

"I was educated, as you know, a Congregationalist, and it was not until I arrived at the years of manhood, that I understood any thing of the various sects into which the Christian world is divided. I do not recollect ever hearing the Episcopal church mentioned, and I had no doubt, but that the only sure way to heaven, was that pointed out by the clergyman upon whose ministrations I always attended. His faith I considered to be the faith of the gospel; his explanations were to me authoritative and infallible, and it never entered my head that it could be possible for the church to exist in any other form, either as it respects discipline or worship, even to the minutest particular, than it appeared in the place of my nativity.

"At the time the Episcopal Society was established in this place, my ideas had, it is true, become somewhat enlarged; I had been in the habit of thinking more for myself, and the course of religious reading in which I indulged was consider. ably extended. I had learnt that a very small portion of the christian world was, in government or worship, such as I had been used to; and I even dared to suspect that my belief was not necessarily right, merely from the circumstance that I had received and encouraged it from my infancy. I found that religion, in all its parts, was to be supported by the sure test of scripture and of reason. In the course of my reading and conversation, I had also learnt that the divines of the

Views more enlarged.

Episcopal Church had been distinguished for their learning and piety; that the best systems of divinity, and the most useful dissertations upon the several articles of the christian faith and practice, had come from their pens; and I was not a little surprised to hear our ministers frequently quoting them as authorities in the pulpit, and to see their libraries filled with the books they had published.

"As I had become considerably acquainted with the clergymen in the neighborhood, I perceived too,that they expressed a good deal of dissatisfaction in regard to the government of their own church, and some would even go so far as to recommend and vindicate the use of forms in worship. This convinced me that there was something wrong in the system, though I could not tell precisely what it was, and from all that I saw, and heard, and read, I felt it my duty, as a man who was to give a strict account of the improvement of his talents, to examine faithfully and impartially the nature of the Episcopal Church, when it was brought to my door, and to act according to my convictions. This examination I pursued to the best of my ability and opportunity, and the result has been a full and an unshaken belief that the government of the church by bishops, priests and deacons, is of ancient and divine institution.

"In my examination of the subject, I first made myself acquainted with the Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in America. I also attended the worship of the Church, and although I was a little confused at the variety of form, yet there was an appearance of solemnity and engagedness in devotion, which was peculiarly impressive. My confusion I knew was owing to my having been used to a different mode, and did not therefore discourage me from a renewed attendance, until I was satisfied with the beauty and propriety of all. Every person will, I think, on first coming to church, especially if he has been acquainted with none but the Congregational mode, be unfavourably impressed with the service. The cause of which is, that he attends as a spectator, and does not perceive the reasonableness of the several prayers and praises which are intended only for pious and devout worshippers. They are not designed merely to be heard, but to be offered; and the humble Christian, who has long

The power of Bishops: an incident.

given vent to the emotions of his soul in their fervent strains, would deem it his greatest loss to be deprived of their use.

"After I became acquainted with the government of the Church, I considered first, whether it was good in itself, and calculated to preserve unity and peace. I had heard much said of the power of bishops, and their infringement of the rights of the people, but I soon learnt that the charge was groundless, and that there was more true christian freedom in the church than in any other denomination with which I

was acquainted."

I must here interrupt, for a moment, this narrative, to reiterate what the writer has just remarked. The Bishops in the Episcopal Church have no opportunity to exert arbitrary and despotic power. Their rights and duties are defined by legislative enactment: and the rights of the clergy, in the lower grades of the ministry, are secured to them by canon law.

I have often heard it remarked by intelligent and well informed christians of other denominations, and my own observation leads me to concur fully in the remark-"That no ministers enjoy so much real ecclesiastical independence, and freedom in all matters of moment, as the clergy of the Episcopal Church." Still, it is evident that with a certain class of people among other denominations, a contrary opinion widely prevails.

In some instances, the most strange and singular ideas are cherished in relation to the power of Bishops. A little incident which recently came to my knowledge, through a medium that must entirely exclude the possibility of inaccuracy, will illustrate my meaning.

In a place where the church previously had been little known, there commenced, through the united labors of several ministers of the Episcopal church, a revival of religion. The whole community were apparently awakened to consider the importance of eternal things. Many were then seen around the foot of the cross, who, up to that time, had been entirely devoted to the world. Age, bending with infirmities, and tottering under the weight of years-manly vigor, walking forth with erect form and elastic step-and youth, blooming and buoyant, with the freshness of young existence, gath ered in one group around the mercy seat, to look up to the Lord of life for pardon and peace. For a while, all sectarian

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