Lynchburg Virginian

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

PROT. EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.

Bishop Onderdonk.

The following is the memorial sent in by Bishop Onderdonk, to the House of Bishops:

To the Right Reverend the Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the United States of America, the right worshipful brother, the Bishop of New York, respectfully and earnestly tenders this his very respectful request, that they will, by such act as may seem to them right and proper, in the way both of relief from the sentence of suspension from the ministry, passed upon him by a majority of their body, through an Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese of New York, January 1st, 1845.

I make this request through, with an ardent desire to serve my Master in the faithfulness of our holy office. Severely as I have been afflicted, I humbly hope that, by the overruling providence and grace of God, the period, now nearly three years, of my present heavy trial, that has not been, and will not be, without a blessing, in a state of almost entire seclusion from the world, I have earnestly endeavored, in reliance on the Holy Ghost, and with constant prayer for his influence, to keep a perpetual guard over my heart, to detect its evil tendencies, to discover, for greater future watchfulness, wherein they have led me astray, and to cultivate the spirit of humble penitence, meek submission, and evangelical faith, devotion and charity.

I trust I am not presumptuously hoping that hence, as well as from the sacred studies and meditations to which I have applied myself, God will graciously allow fruit to grow, both in my personal devotion to a godly life, and in earnest and faithful pastoral labor, should I, in his merciful providence, again be permitted to minister among his people.

Praying that the Lord will so incline your hearts, and direct your counsels, in a matter fraught to me with such deep and painful solicitude, and so momentous interest, as will most accord with his glory and your duty, I am, Right Reverend and Dear Brethren,

Your, in bonds of Christian respect and love,

BENJ. T. ONDERDONK,

New York, Oct. 17.

The Churchman, from the columns of which the above memorial is taken, adds, the editor professing to have conversed with Bishop Onderdonk about his plans:

It was a part of Bishop Onderdonk's plan to wait after sending the above, for the remainder of the week, and if then uninformed as to its favorable effect, to send to the General Convention a memorial praying for its interposition in his behalf on the ground of the illegality and invalidity of the sentence.

Which memorial having been sent in to the House of Deputies, the necessary inference is, that the Bishop was disappointed of the favorable effect he anticipated.

On Friday, the following proceedings took place relative to Bishop Onderdonk, (as we find them reported in the New York Commercial Advertiser:)

Rev. Dr. Jarvis, from the joint committee on the resolutions from this Diocese, said the committee were ready to report. At his request the report was read by Judge Chambers, of Maryland.

After some prefatory remarks on the importance and delicacy of the question, the report went on to say that the committee could not, with entire unanimity, agree upon recommending any additional measures, and they had resolved not to recommend anything on which they were not unanimous. 'The great difficulty was, that any measures proposed must become precedents. They proposed, therefore, certain canons which would prevent a recurrence of such difficulties, and thought that the remedy included in those canons would be more full than at first sight might appear.

No. 1 of PROPOSED CANONS--Of the remission or modification of judicial sentences by the House of Bishops.

The House of Bishops may at a triennial or a special meeting altogether remit and annul any judicial sentence which may have been imposed or shall hereafter be imposed by the Bishops or any of them, acting as a judicial tribunal, or in modifying the same so far as to designate a precise period of time or other specific contingency in the occurrence of which such sentence shall utterly cease and be of no further force or effect; provided, that no such remission shall be made except at a meeting of the House of Bishops, during the session of some General Convention, or at a meeting of the House of Bishops convened after three months' notice in the time, place and object of the meeting, given personally to each Bishop or left at his usual place of abode; and provided further that nothing in this canon shall be understood to repeal or alter the canon xxxix of 1832.

Second PROPOSED Canon.--Of the penalty of suspension.

When hereafter the penalty of suspension is inflicted on a Bishop, priest or deacon of this church, the sentence shall specify on what terms or at what time said penalty shall cease.

THIRD PROPOSED CANON--Of the performance of Episcopal duties in vacant dioceses; or in a diocese the Bishop of which is under disability.

Any Bishop, assistant Bishop, or missionary Bishop, may on the invitation of the convention or standing committee of any diocese where there is no Bishop, or where the Bishop is, for the time, under a disability to perform Episcopal offices by reason of a judicial sentence, or from any other cause, visit and perform Episcopal offices in that diocese, or any part thereof, and this invitation may be temporary, or it may at any time be revoked.

A diocese without a Bishop, or of which the Bishop is for the time under a disability by reason of a judicial sentence from any other cause, may, by its convention, be placed under the full Episcopal charge and authority of the Bishop, who shall by that act be authorized, de facto, &c., until in the case of a vacant diocese a Bishop be elected, or in the other case the sentence be revoked, &c.

No diocese thus placed, &c., shall invite a second Bishop, &c. &c.

Canon III, of 1838, is hereby repealed.

Judge Chambers explained at great length the method adopted by the committee in arriving at these conclusions. They thought it best and indeed their duty to confine themselves to such propositions as were calculated to promote the peace of the Church, and upon which all parties might be united. They leave of course to individual members the proposal of any specific motion on the subject. 'They desire to be held responsible only for their action as a committee.

Opinion on the matter was divided into three classes. Men of intelligence and piety, and numerous, entertain the opinion that the Bishop is an injured, innocent man, and ought to be restored at once and without qualification. Another intelligent and respectable class think just the opposite. A third party have doubts, and think that the Bishop has been sufficiently punished, but that nevertheless his restoration would be disastrous and that his diocesan usefulness is forever impaired. Each of these classes was represented in committee, and in each house of this convention.

The relief afforded to this diocese is found in the third proposed canon. It is a modification of the third canon of 1838, and simply adds to the cases wherein the standing committee may act that of a Bishop under disability by judicial sentence.

The practical effect of the whole report would be that Bishop Onderdonk would remain a suspended Bishop, until the House of Bishops, of their own accord or at his request, should terminate or modify his sentence, and the diocese would have the power, provided in the new canon, of placing the diocese under another Bishop.

In the course of some remarks Judge Chambers explained that the House of Bishops was not to be considered as a court of appeals from diocesan action, but to have the power of modifying or remitting sentences passed by themselves. He also intimated that a general opinion prevailed that the House of Bishops was numerically too large, and that probably hereafter legislation would be taken, confining the House of Bishops to a portion of the Episcopacy. He spoke at some length too, urging mutual forbearance, &c. As the main question is not yet under discussion and will occupy much space when it comes, we do not think it necessary to extend his remarks. He proposed the printing of the report and new canons, and that the subject be made the special order of the day on Monday.

Mr. Williams, of Virginia, said the House had nothing to do with the sentence of the Bishop, but there were principles in these new canons which he could not approve. He wanted to see this principle plainly brought before the convention, whether, when a Bishop has, by his own misconduct, disqualified himself for the duties of his office, the diocese has not a right to choose for itself a new Bishop. He thought no diocese ought to be required to receive back such a man as Bishop, at the dictation of the House of Bishops.

He proposed other canons, as substitutes and amendments, to the effect--that when a Bishop is indefinitely suspended, the diocese shall have a right to elect a new Bishop that the House of Bishops shall not have the power to reinstate in his diocese a Bishop indefinitely suspended, or to restore him to office, except at the request and on testimonial, of the nature of those presented in now by every Bishop newly elected, emanating from the diocese in which he was suspended.

The report was ordered to be printed and the special order of the day for Monday.

Mr. Williams' amendments were proposed as separate canons and ordered to be printed.

On the same day the House of Deputies took up the resolution from the House of Bishops, fixing Philadelphia as the place of meeting for the next Convention, and Dr. Hawks amended it by striking out Philadelphia and inserting Cincinnati, by a large majority.

In sustaining the motion in favor of Cincinnati, Dr. Hawks said that the column d ths Protestant Episcopal Church wasd in' naw from what it was sene years ago, not only in nu u'ers, but i gergra he. exten' ard position. Cincinnati was now the most central city in the Union, and he spoke in glowing and eloquent terms of the great empire of the West. It had become a sort of established thing that the Convention should only meet in New York and Philadelphia. He would say, God bless both them, but he would also say, "God bless Cincinnati." and he longed to see the influence of the Church exerted upon that teeming and interesting population--that vast equality with its forty thousand miles of inland navigation.

Cincinnati was no hule village or suburban town, and he who turned up his nose at Cincinnati did not know what Cincinnati was. (Laughter--Some good natured explanation here took place, and more laughter). It would serve the interests of the Church to be seen there, and he would like, as the brethren to see the West. They would then know what was wanted, and feel more interest in it. Church legislation for the West had been too perfect for the want of such knowledge. He would assure them they would be most cordially and gladly received.