i^ ■.« CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE ®l)e Comtnumon of Saints:'' DISCOURSE DELIVERED IN ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, BROOKLYN, N. Y. ON SUNDAY, THE 36th OF JUAfiCH, A. D. 1848^ BY EVAN M. ^OHNSON> RKCT BX1753 .jee"' """"™'"' '■'""'^ "The communion of saints" : Clin SROOKLYN: 3 1924 031 024 494 PRINTED BY I. VAN ANDEN, EAGLE BUILDING, 30 FULTON ^STI^EET. i848. Lfe PREFACE, The author of this discourse is not a member of any Col- onization, or Anti-Slavery, or Abolition Society whatever, and fully believes all these would be unnecessary, if the Catholic Church would do as she ought. It is with the.humble hope of calling the attention of Her members to what he esteems a neglected duty that he is induced to publish this. DISCOURSE I COR., XII., 13 AND 14, 25, 26 anb 27 verses. " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one lody, whether we be Jews •ox Gentiles, whether we be hand ox free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit ; for the body is not one member, but many ; that the members should have the same care one for another and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. Now ye are the body of Chri.'st, and members in particular." In the Apostles' Creed, Christians are taught to believe in " The Holy Catholic Church ; The Communion of Saints." Every one, who pretends to be a member of the one Catholic Church in the world, receives each and every article of this Creed as containing a truth not to be disputed — one article may not be excepted. He that rejects one, denies in fact the w^hok. For instance, if a person believe every other Arti- cle of the Creed and deny the existence of 'The Holy Ghost,' he is an heretic ; so, if he deny the existence of " the Holy Catholic Church ; the Communion of Saints ;" he is an her- etic. The doctrine taught by these clauses in the Creed and as more fully explained in other Creeds and the teach- ing of the Church is this, that the Church which is holy, is also Catholic ; that is, universal, as it exists in the whole world. It is one. However separated as to locality, howev- er high or low the station in life, of its members, or however they may differ as to their ideas of the supremacy of It» earthly Head; it is One, assit is the body of Christ. All are united in the belief, that Christ is its Divine Head ; and the Holy Ghost its animating, living principle. Individuals have been and are made, andwill continue to be made mem- bers of this one body of Chr^t by Baptism. " For by one Spirit v^e are all baptized injlo one body." The Head of the Church instituted the l|oly Sacrament of Baptism, in wWeh He implants (without ;ffeference to the fitness of His earthly agent,) through His Ministry the seed of Divine life in the soul of man. He has also made provision for the nurture of the " plant of renown." He gives His Holy Spirit, in answer to the sincere prayers of the members of His Body. He enables, them to confess and forsake their sins — ^to become more and more holy and blameless. He feeds their souls with angel's food, " the manna that came down from heaven." His Body is to them " meat indeed and His blood drink indeed," Thus, in communion with Him the Head, any member of this one Church may thro' the grace given by the Holy :Ghost, become one of the num^ ber of the Saints — any member of this one Church may by neglect, or thoughtlessness,.(or sin, or waywardness, drive away the Holy Spirit and never enter into the joy of his Lord. It was the great object of our adorable Saviour by His humilia- tion to raise our fallen humanity, that any of our race may be en- abled to become " Sons of G^d." Those, who in this one Ca- tholic Church, do cukiv^te the graces of the Spirit and through obedience and self mortification and "fasting" and "pray- ing" and "alms-giving" an^d "serving God day and night" with sincerity and humble obedience, thus showing that the righteousness of Christ is jn them, are called Saints.— They are Iloly,- in s, very peculiar sense, because Christ is Holy and they are one with; Him. " He in thejn and they ia Him." All such, wherever they may be, whatever m«y be their condition in life, bond or free, stand in a special rela- tion to one another as members of the great Body of which He is Head. This relation is called "the Communion of Saints." It is through the Spirit of " the Father and the Son," animating the whole body and enlivening every mem- ber of it, that Christ communicates His grace, through His Sacraments; and it is by the, same Spirit that believers have " access by one Spirit to the father." As the Spirit of a man enlivens the body of a man, so does the Holy Spirit enliven the whole body of the Church. Thus, the faithful have communion one with another and with Christ the Head. Whether then Christians believe that the Bishop of Rome or the Bishop of .Constantinople is the Head of the whole Church, or that there is but one Head and that is Christ in Heaven, and that each Bishop is Head of the subordinate branch committed to his charge, and that each individual Christian holds his communion with the great Head through his own Bishop, they are substantially agreed in believing this doctrine of " Communion of Saints^" If we look into the Scriptures we find that this doctrine is most distinctly brought to view, as enforcing various duties of an highly practical character. Our Saviour himself said to his disciples, "A new commandmerlt give I unto you that ye love one another; as I have loved you,, that ye also love one another; by this, shall all men know that ye are my. disciples, if ye have love one to another;" Says the Apostle, " We being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Let love be without dissimulation. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love ; in honor preferring one another." The same Apostle -lexhorts the members of . .phrist's body to " bear ye one, another's bnrdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" — again, "we are members one of another, be ye kind to one another, tender hearted." I will not quote ferther from the Scriptures on this point. Saints in all ages of the Church have considered these and such like parts of Holy Writ, as enforcing upon them the discharge of these duties and the exercise of these affections thus prominently brought to notice. It has been and it always will be the most decided test of Christian character, the best evidence both to one's self and to others of the existence and growth of the divine life or of its decay, that, when a Christian examines himself, he finds he discharges these duties and exercises these affections or thathe neglects the one and does not cultivate the other. A person may profess to beheve in the doctrine of "the Communion of Saints" — that all Christians are one in Christ and made partakers of His nature ; if he do not discharge the duty which is imposed on him, by the Word of God, as an individual member of this one body of Christ, his is nothing else than profession — he does not really believe the doctrine — he deceives himself. In all ages of the Church, this doctrine, taught by the Saviour Himself and enforced by so many and so striking passages of God's word, has powerfully influenced the members of the true Church of Christ and inspired them with feelings of deep comraisseration for the oppressed, and with determined exertions for their relief In the first centuries a community of suffering among Christians produ- ced also a community of commiseration, and whenever any were released from their persecution, or oppression, or bond- age, they immediately sought to obtain the relief of others, who with them were one in Christ. I have time only to state a few historical facts to confirm this statement. About the year 340 after Christ, a canon had been passed strictly pro- hibiting the appropriation of the sacred vessels of the sanc- tuary to any secular purpose. St. Ambrose of Milan, to re- deem captives, when no other means could be obtained, sold the sacred vessels and utensils of the Church, to make pro- vision for what he called " the living temples of God." He speaks in his own defence, and personifying the Saviour, he says, "the ornament of my Sacraments is the redemption of captives." St. Austin disposed of the plate of his Church for "the redemption of captives." In an after age, when the Northern herds overran,the Roman Empire, making slaves of those they captured, the power of the Church was soon brought to bear upon these ferocious barbarians. As soon as they became Christians they were compelled to release their slaves. See too, in the contests of the Bishops and the Church of England, with the Norman Kings ; they held in abject slavery almost the whole population of England. — The Bishops were the friends of the oppressed, and some even sacrificed their lives in behalf of oppressed humanity. We have an eminent instance in the modern history of the Church, where, really believing the doctrine of " Commu- nion of Saints," and acting under the influence of its truth, St. Vincent of Paul permitted himself to he made a slave, that he might go and carry the consolations of the Gospel to those who had been made slaves for their crimes. For many cen- turies it continued to be the Church's rule, that whenever a slave became converted and was baptized, he became a free man.* From these few facts, selected from many hundreds of the like kind, we are sure, that many of the most eminent Saints, of all ages of the Church, have been the friends of the oppressed — have done what they could to mitigate the evils of slavery, and, whenever it was possible, to release men from bondage. We see not how they could have done other- wise, if they really believed that every individual, whether bond or free, that had been renewed after the image of Christ and been received into his Church, had become a part of himself; of the body of which He is Head. " If one mem- ber suffered, the other members suffered with it." There are in these United States about three millions of ' *In some of the Southern States this humane provision of the Christian law has been expressly repealed by Statute. 8 persons of African extraction. The ancestors of these peo- ple were brought here from Africa, as slaves. In these north- ern States slavery has gradually been abolished ; in some of the western States it has never existed. These descendants of Africans with us are all said to be free. In the southern States, slavery exists, as it ever has, in all its rigor. Some few colored persons are free, so called ; but so great are the difficulties, created by the law, of liberating slaves, that the number of free persons of color diminishes rather than in- creases.* It is computed thatthere are two and a half millions of slaves and four hundred thousand of free persons of color in these United States. In these, there are twenty-seven Prelates of the Roman Communion and twenty-nine of the Anglican Communion; the one holding their Apostolical suc- cession through the Roman branch of the Church ; the other through the Anglican. There are subject to the former eight hundred and ninety-two Priests, and to the latter about four teen hundred and twenty-seven, making in all fifty-six Pre-' lates and two thousand three hundred and nineteen Clergy ia these United States. Many thousands of our most distinguished public meii« men of influence and character, belong to one or other of these communions and attend upon the public ministry or service of these Prelates and Clergy. These all, both Clergy and Laity, in their daily or weekly religious service, before God's holy altar, in his Church, renew their oaths of fidelity to Him and the Church, by repeating the Apostle's Creed and say, " I believe in the Holy Catholic Church ; the Comrau- Jnionof Saints." Now, I would ask, how have those, who profess this faith, discharged the duties which we have seen are required by the Holy Scriptures, towards this class of their fellow chris- tians and fellow men f Here, in these northern States, free *In many Slave States it is unlawful to manumit a slave unless hecoosent to go out of the State ; or, I believe in some cases, he must go to Libena. r States, so called, what is the actual and true state of the case, as regards the colored people. I will not speak of their de- privation of many civil rights, which all others enjoy, but I shall speak of their religious privileges. Here, in many of our cities, we have established colored churches with colored persons in Holy Orders to serve in them. Now, why was this separation of Christians made, and why continued on account of color .'' Is it not purposely to keep these latter in a separate external communion? Is it not on purpose to perpetuate caste in the Christian Church i Indeed, this is all but openly avowed in the report of the committee of the con- vention of the Episcopal Church in New York, upon the ap- plication of one of these Churches to be admitted to the con- vention. t Who would say that the colored Churches enjoy the same privileges as Churches, or that the individuals composing them take the same rank as Christians, as the members of white Churches, or of those individuals belonging to white Churches ? Then, what shall we say of those persons of color admitted to Holy Orders .'' We have a Theological Seminary, where it is thought the Students enjoy peculiar advantages of a literary and theological nature, and where some think their religious and pious habits are impfoved and strengthened. To this Seminary, a young man of color, IhoUgh he be baptized with the baptism of the blessed Jesus, both with water and the Spirit — though he have received grace and strength by the imposition of the chief Pastor's hands — though he have received the body and blood of his once sacrificed Saviour and Lord — though thus his humanity is exalted to a participation of the Divine Nature, and though he be hereby enabled to live godly, righteously and soberly, yet he cannot be admitted because his skin is not as clear and his complexion as bright as others, who are permitted tAppendix A- 10 to enjoy these opportunities for intellectaal, moral and religious improvement ! What a jcomment this upon the doctrine of " Communion of Saints !" Such are compel- led to seek their education where best they can obtain it. — ' When such have received Holy Orders, they are empow- ered to admit members into this Holy Fellowship of which we have spoken; to "remit or retain sins;" to offer the Holy Sacrifice on God's Altar, and to distribute to penitent sinners the bread of life. They are to stand in the im- mediate presence of Christ at His Altar, to intercede for the people. This is their high calling in the Church of Christ, But they can only do this in the presence of colored persons ; : to permit such to minister in white congregations would, even now by many, be considered an outrage upon decency.* How is this feeling and this practice at variance with the doc- trine of "Communion of Saints." How earnest should be our Prelates and Clergy to enforce upon their hearers the im- ^portance of carrying out the principles involved in the belief of this doctrine. The Church with us should take the lead in abolishing all those remaining distinctions on account of co- lor, which interfere with a cordial reception of this doctrine and the full enjoyment of every Christian and Spiritual privilege by each member of the Body of Christ. If the Laity are brought to see their duty as Christians , they will soon be con- vinced of it as Statesmen; then, all those laws which tend to continue caste, and all those customs which pepetuate it, will soon, with us, be done away. Of the whole number of Prelates and Clergy in both branches of the Catholic Church, eight hundred and twenty-eight are now exercising their holy functions and preaching the gospel of " peace and good will" among men in the southern part of this Union. Their con- *In one of our Northern Churches, the .Priest happened accidentally, on ad- ministering the Holy Elements at the Communion, to deliver them to a colored communicant when one white woman had not received — she rejected the offer- ed bread, because it had not first been given her. This produced such a preju-- dice against the Pastor that he was obliged to leave the place. II gregations are composed, for the most part, of persons of in- fluence and intelligence. Indeed, I think we may say that if we consider the Anglican Church as it exists in most of these States, and the Roman Church as it exists in Maryland, Louisiana and Missouri, it may fee affirmed with confidence, that the persons who attend on the congregations connected with these Churches exercise a great influence, and if united on this one subject, would exercise a controlling power over the civil and religious institutions there existing. Let it be remembered ihat it is professed by all these persons, "I be- lieve in the Holy Catholic Church ; the Communion of , Saints." Within the part of the country where this doctrine is or ought to be proclaimed are, as we have said, two and a half millions of slaves. I am willing to admit that many of these Clergy do labor for the spiritual good of this colored race — all thanks and all praise be to them for this. Let us consider under what disadvantages these labor in prosecuting their " labor of love." I am compelled to bring into view the state of the slave laws as they exist, to show that so long as these laws remain in force, but little hope need be entertained of any success in extending the Catholic Church among those who are subjected to them. God forbid that I should refer to them for the sake of exciting hostility or hatred towards those who permit them to remain, but rather, should this dis- course ever reach such as these, to exhort them to labor day and night. for their amelioration or repeal. From a work written by a lawyer condensing the laws by which slaves and people of color are governed, (for there is one set of laws for whites and another for blacks, even though they be free,) I make extract of the following propositions, which bring prominently to view the general character of these laws. L " The master may determine the kind and degree of la- bor to which the slave shall be subjected. IL The master may supply the slave with such food and 12 clothing only, both as to quantity and quality, as he may think proper or find convenient. III. The master may, at his discretion, inflict any punish- ment upon the person of his slave. IV. All the power of the master over his slave may be exercised, not -by himself only in person, but by any one virhom he may depute as his agent. V. Slaves have no legal right of property in things, real or personal ; but virhatever they may acquire belongs, in point of law, to their masters. VI. The slave, being a personal chattel, is at all times, liable to be sold absolutely, or mortgaged, or leased, at the will of his master. VII. He may be sold, by process of law, for the satisfac- tion of the debts of a living, or the debts and bequests of a deceased master, at the suit of creditors or legatees. Vni. A slave cannot be a party before a judicial tribunal, in any species of action, against his master, no matter how atrocious may have been the injury received from him. IX. Slaves cannot redeem themselves nor obtain a change of master, though cruel treatment may have rendered such a change necessary for their personal safety. X. Slaves, being objects of property, if injured by third persons, their owners may bring suit for the injury. XI. Slaves can make no contract. XII. Slavery is hereditary and perpetual." All the laws to regulate the intercourse between slaves and their masters are based upon these propositions. These laws are exceedingly severe in the penalties which they inflict. They recognize the unlimited right of the master over the person of his slaves, or his creditor, or assignee, or executor to sell them in any way, young or old, married or unmarried, to be transported, if the purchaser will, to any part of these United States where slavery is established. Hence, it often 13 happens that such sales are made solely withreference to the greatest amount of money to be realised. If this can be ef- fected by the separation of father and mother from their child- ren or from one another, it is done without scruple.* In most of the principal cities from Baltimore to the extreme south, there are slave marts, where hundreds and thousands, young and old, are exposed for sale by those who have pur- chased them on speculation. I will mention no other of the many, many hardships and sufferings' which slaves are called to endure under the operation of these laws. Those who are called free persons of color, though they may not be sold as others are, yet are under the most rigid restraints, and are governed by laws almost as severe. To all persons of color, ^ either slaves or free, it is unlawful to communicate the ele- ments of learning. The individual who instructs such to read or write, is liable to conviction as a public offender. — But, my hearers, I will go no farther into detail; it is a subject on which I delight not to dwell; I have said enough to show you what is the real condition of colored people in our south- ern States. Recollect, then, that some of .these very persons have been baptized into the Body of Christ, have received His Body and His Blood and are one with Him and one with us, as the members of His one Body. He died to redeem them as well as us — to raise their fallen humanity, that they may become Saints here and heirs of His kingdom hereafter- Such, no doubt, some of them are. In view of all this, let us look at the practical operation of what are called efforts to extend the Church in this quarter, *An acquaintance was travelling in Virginia — he met a large number of youths of both sexes, from ten to fourteen years of age. They were under the charge of DRIVERS. He said, "where bound?" "To Alabama." "These slaves are all young," said our friend. " yes 1 we find it most profitable to buy young ne- groes and take advantage of their growth." Some of these children perhaps, had Christian pareitts, and had been, by Christ's ministers, " baptized mto His Body," made His " children and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven." They were torn from their parents and consigned over to the drivers, to be sold on speculation What an awful thought, tosell and make merchandize of pacta of the Body of Christ!!! 14 among these people. Bishops and Clergy have not been found in any great number, who defend this system. Many are the number of those who are doing what they can to in- struct these oppressed human beings. Some of our Bishops have framed catechisms, to be taught them orally. Many of our Clergy labor among these people, by teaching them to repeat their catechisms, to join memorher in parts of the Church service, and they read and explain to them the Scrip- tures. According to their reports, they succeed frequently in adding numbers of such to the communion of the Church, and we hope to the Communion of Saints. They tell them, that it is the duty of every truly penitent sinner to be bap- tized with water and the Spirit, and to give his children to God, that in Holy Baptism they may receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and be grafted into the Body of Christ. Those who are fit to be confirmed, he presents to the Bishop for confirmation. Such young persons as come to him desiring to be] united in Holy Matrimony, he marries. Those that give evidence that " Christ is in them," and who lead holy and godly lives, he admits to partake of the ever blessed Sacrament of His Body and Blood. Trace now the progress of a single individual through this training of the Church. In infancy, he is baptized ; his pa- rents or sponsors were made to promise that he shall be taught the Creed, The Lord's Prayerand the Ten Commandments ; that he shall, at a suitable age, be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him. When he comes to confirmation, the Bishop says : " Defend this thy servant with thy heavenly grace ; may he continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more until he come to thine ever- lasting kingdom." He comes to his Pastor to be united in Holy Matrimony, and he is made to promise to live with his partner till death do them part. I ask, how can a Minister of the Church require these promises of his Christian breth- 15 ren, when he knows that the children do not belong to the parent, nor wives' to their husbands, and that at the will of the master, or in consequence of his embarrassment, or debtj these ties may at once be rent asunder ; the father sold to one, the mother to another, the children to others, and all perhaps to go Texas or other parts, where they can never enjoy the small Christian privileges which they have had ? How discouraging this to a Minister if he have a real and firm behef in this doctrine of Communion of Saints. What a damper must this thought, that all these promises and all these exhortations may have been made or given for nought, cast over all his efforts.* *I wish to enforce this idea with a few examples. Bishop Meade of Virginia, one of our Evangelical Bishops, was once a slaveholder. He has given hia slaves freedom on condition, of course, thatlhey leave the state ; some have gone to Liberia, Now I do not know whether Bishop M. believes the Catholic doctrine, but I suppose he holds a doctrine of " Communion of Saints." Sup- pose one of his brethren in Christ, when he offered to him the alternative of perpetual banishment from his home, his family and his friends, or else contin- ued slavery, had said "my dear Pastor, you taught me that as a Christian 1 must do to others as I would have them do to me. Now, how would you like to have banishment or slavery offered to you, and you be compelled to choose either one or the othet '" Says the Bishop, "But you know that the law is such, I cannotgivg you freedom except on this condition." Says the slave, " But who makes and alters laws? what have you said or done to try to procure the repeal of such a law ?" What could the Bishop say ? Go a liitle farther South. Here resides our Evangelical brother Barnwell of Charleston, S. C He established a paper to disseminate the blessed doctrine uf God's sovereign grace. Would not his paper haye been more useful, had it in- culcated the cloctrine of " Communion of Saints?" He and his congregation, which is composed of some of the most distinguished and influential laymen in the State, have contributed one thousand dollars per annuam, to support Bishop Boone in China. Suppose an intelligent Chinaman were to say to Bishop B. : " Is it true, that in the country from which you came to convert us to your reli- gion, millions of men, women and children are slaves — have no rights as men and are bought and sold like beasts of burden ?" He would be compelled to say "yes." He might be asked, "Did you raise yoiu: voice against this evil ? Do those you send you here, strive to procure the repeal of those laws, which, heathens as we are, we should reject with horror ?" What could Bishop B. say to this ? Go a little farther South. We find that Bishop Elliott established a literary in- stitution where young men were to be educated for the ministry, to be supported by slave labor. Suppose Bishop E- to have succeeded in the conversion of some of these slave laborers, might not one have said, " Bishop E. is it not hard for one, whom you call a brother in Christ, to work hard with no pay, to be exposed to all the hardships of the slave law, not be even the owner of his wife and chUdren, that these young men may be educated to preach the gospel of peace and good will ?" He would say, " It is so indeed, but the law is so and I cannot help it." He might say, "What have you done or said in opjposition to this law, where have you protested against this injustice done to your fellow Christians'" Go farther South. Bishop Polk, who is said to be a most amiable person, is the owner (so repprted) of tnree hundred and fifty slaves. We have no reason to think that he does not attend to theit spiritual and temporal interest aa a kind 16. What then is to be done when such a state of things ex- ists in the Catholic Church ? We apprehend the mission of these Prelates and these Clergy is first of all to the whites ; to those who wield the power of making and altering the laws. The excuse, usually made by the Clergy to justify those practices which seem to be, and really are, inconsistent with the Divine precept of " doing unto others as we would wish they would do unto us," is, that they must submit to the civil law. Granted — but who makes the law ? Do not the mem- bers of the Catholic Church constitute a large proportion of law makers ? The Clergy should constantly, unitedly and perseveringly, insist upon the repeal of every law, which imf poses a burden on their Christian slave brethren, that they would not willingly submit to, if they were slaves themselves. The painful question now comes up, how has this duty, in our whole country, been discharged ? Where have been the Prelates, where the Clergy, of either branch of the Church, that have had the Christian fortitude and boldness, fearlessly to preach the doctrine of Communion of Saints, and insist upon the discharge, by the members of their flocks, of the duties required by its belief? There have not been wanting those who have palliated and excused these customs and these laws in the United States, by which one class of Christ- ian brethren in the North are purposely kept as a distinct, se- parate and neglected people ; in the South are oppressed with bondage '• grievous to be borne," and are compelled to sub- mit to laws and injuries a parallel to which cannot be found upon earth.* master should. Suppose one of these of the numher of his own commu- nicants, one whom he himself bad baplized and confirmed and admitted to the Holy Eucharist, should say, " My dear master, I feel my situation to be very in- Secure, at present ; I am happy under your cere ; I have the company of my wife and children ; but suppose death were to remove you or misfortuDe to overtake you, then, what is to become of me and mine ! Where, then, will be the Christ- ian privileges which I now enjoy as a member of the Body of Christ?" Tke Bishop might say, " I know the laws which prevail here, are severe and seem to be at variance with the teaching and practice of the Church, but I did not make them-" " But who aits still and permits these laws to remain in all their severity 5 What have you even said or done to call the attention of Christian people to their enormity and effect their repeal !" *Even in Cuba the laws are far less severe. 17 But where have been the exhortations, the counsel and the instructions of the Clergy of the Church ? In the Pastoral Letters of our House of Bishops, which ought to have great influence in this land, we look in vain for an allusion to this subject.t These laws and these uncatholic practices have existed since our country called itself free and independent. When and where has any portion of the Church, through its accred- ited organs, the Bishops and the conventions within its bound- aries, entered its solemn protest against this oppression and degradation of some portion of her own members, even the members of the Body of Christ ? It is not to be desired that the Church, as a Church, should enter upon a crusade against slavery, and should denounce all those, who, perhaps not by their own consent, are owners of slaves. But she ought, where slavery does exist, to insist that the laws should be so altered, as to give to her colored members the privileges to which they are entitled as co-members with themselves of the "Body of Christ," and where it does not exist, that all those practices, and customs, and exclusions, be abolished, which tend to .separate one Christian flock from comjnunion, as Christians, with another. If the united voice of the Church were put forth it would be heard, it would be regarded. If the exertions of every Catholic in this land were directed to ameliorate the condi- tion of the slave and to elevate the character of the colored people — if their prayers were unitedly to ascend before His throne in whose hand are the hearts of all men, that He would dispose all Christian Rulers to "do justly and to love mercy," then might we hope to see this all important doctrine of '■* the Communion of Saints" held, not as a speculative theory, but as a living, acting and influential principle. God grant that we may live to see this ! tAppendix B- APPEIDIX. THE CASE OF ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH, N. Y. A.-St.Philip's Church in the year A.D. 1846, made application to be admitted into the Convention of the Episcopal Church of New York. It was moved by the Hon. John C. Spencer to lay the sutject on the table. This was not carried, the vote stood: Clergy, ayes 54 noes 88 — Laity, Ayes 70 noes 54. — The application was referred to a select committee to report to the convention, consisting of Wm. H. Harison, Esq., Eev. E. M. Johnson, Rev. Dr. Sher. wood, the Hon. J. C. Spencer and John A. King, Esq. The following was the report of a majority of the committee. * REPORT: COMMITTEE ON ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH. The Committee to which was referred the subject of the admission of St . Philip's, and other colored congregations, into repreeentatiou in the Conven- tion of this Diocese, report : That in their view, the question referred to them is one exclusively relatmg to the temporal government of the Diocese, and is wholly unconnected with the religious rights or duties of the applicants. The Convention is but a part of what may be called the civil machinery, instituted by human wisdom, for the purpose of regulating the Society, by which, and for whose benefit, it was established. It is no more a part of our Church in this country, in a religious view, than are the civil establishments and the connection with the government in England, part of the Church there. In both countries the arrangements for the administration of the government of the Church are the result of experience and adaptation to circumstances. Among the con- siderations of expedisncy, which any body of men, uniting together for a 20 common purpose, would deem the most important, must be that of determi- ning with whom they would associate, and who should be permitted to parti- cipate in the government of the Society. Thus, for reasons of expediency, females, however worthy, are by our canons excluded from being representa- tives in our Convention, and are, by law, incapable of being incorporated as members of Churches. Candidates for orders, are, by a canon of the Gene- ral Convention, prohibited from being members of that body. These instan- ces are sufficient to illustrate the principle on which our Church organizations are founded, and to show that they are entirely distinct from the religious rights and spiritual privileges of those, who, in a spiritual view, are members of our Churches. If it be an incident to Church membership to be repre. sented in the councils of the Church, then have we, in co/nmon with all Christian denominations, from the time of the Apostles, unjustly and tyran- nically deprived female members of sacred rights. When society is unfortunately divided into classes — when some are intel- ligent, refined, and elevated, in tone and character, and others are ignorant, coarse and debased, however unjustly, and when such prejudices exist be- tween tjiem, as to prevent social intercourse on equal terms, it would seem inexpedient to encounter such prejudices, unnecessarily, and endeavor to compel the one class to associate on equal terms in the consultations on tlie affairs of the Diocese, with those whom they would not admit to their tables, or into their family circles — nay, whom they would not admit into their pews, during public worship. If christian duty require that we should, in all re- spects, treat equally, all persons, without reference to their social condition, should we not commence the discharge of that duty in our individual and soeial relations ? And is it not the fact that we have never so regarded our duty or have wilfully violated it, sufficient evidence of the existence of a state of society among us that renders an amalgamation of such discordant materials, impracticable, if not hazardous to our unity and harmony ? We deeply sympathize with the colored race in our country, we feel acutely their wrongs, and, not the least among them, their social degradation. But this cannot prevent our seeing the fact, that they are socially degraded, and are not regarded as proper associates for the class of persons who attend our Convention. We object not to the color of the skin, but we question their possession of thosq qualities which would render their intercourse with the members of a Church Convention useful or agreeable, even to themselves We should make the same objections to persons of the same social class however pure inay be their blood, or however transparent their skin. It is impossible, in the nature of things, that such opposites should commingle with-auy pleasure or satisfaction to either. The colored people haye tbeni- sejve^ shown th»ir conviction of this trijth, by separating • nation probably will be, that such Churches and congregations will not be re- sponsible to, or under the government or control of this Convention, but will leraain subject to the ordinary jurisdiction of their Bishop— and when their members become adequate, may have church councils of their own for their own peculiar government. All which is respectfully submitted, ' Wm. H. Hahison, Reuben ShirwooA, J. C. Spencer. New York, Oct. 2, 1846. This report was never aubmitted to the Committee at all. The minority re- pert was drawn up without a knowledge of what the majority report would contain. Its author hardly need say that this is entirely opposed to the doctrine of "Communion of Saints," and to the exercise of those Christian graces which a belief of it imposes upon the members of the Catholic Church. The fol- lowing is the minority report. MINORITY REPORT: ST. PHILIPS CHURCH. The undersigned, a minority of the Committee appointed by this CoaTention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of New York, to consider the application of St. Philip's Church in this city, to be admitted into commu- nion with this Convention, do hereby Report : That they regret exceedingly to be obliged to differ from the majority of said Committee. They do not make this report with a view- of exciting or encouraging any discussion in this Convention of topics, in no way cannected with the eubject of this application. About thirty years ago, a congiegation 24 of colorad people was organized in this city as an Episcopal Churclr, with the approbation of the Episcopal Authority of this Diocese. It has continued since to conform to the doctrines, irorship, and usages of this Church' mosf uniformly and constantly. It now asks to be admitted to enjoy what its mem- bers consider to be the privileges which other Churches hare, of being r^ceiv^d into the foil fellowship of their Christian brethren, by admission to this Con- vention. The minority of your Committee do not hesitate to say, that, aHhoagh at the time of the organizing of this congregation, it was thought to be i wise' and salutary measure, yet in their opinion, subsequent events should lead us to doubt the propriety or expediency of such organization. It is now too late to undo, in this particular, what has been don6. The mi- nority of your Committee can see no reason why this application should not b* granted, and think there are special reasons why it should. It is said that if was stipulated on the part of individuals of that congrega- tion at the time of its organization, or before the ordination of the late pious and reverend Mr. Williams, that thev would not apply for admission into this Convention. This we believe they did not do ; but we cannot cotKeive bow the present generation, belonging to that Church, can be bound (>y' any stipa- lation of that kind, made by those who, we trust, have long sinee ddparfed hence in the Lord, and been received into communion with (he saints in Para.! dise. The present members of that Church do ilot think as their fathers ditf on that subject. It may be said that if this Church be admitted, ofherVWillf be organized and apply for admission. However much this is to be regretted, yet we suppose such will be the fact, and on this very account, this subject merits the very serious consideration of this Convention. Suppose Cbcirches, now to be composed of colored people exclusively, arc organized in our princi- pal cities — suppose they are refused equ&I Christian privileges with other Epis- copal Churches — that the Conventions of our Dioceses refuse to take them un- der their charge, and into their fellowship — will not these Churches unite and ibrm a Convention of their own 7 Will they not choose a Bishop or bishops of their own? And under such circumstances, would they fin J any didiculty in obtaining Apostolical succession ? We fear the refusal of our Convention to admit into their fellowship this portion of their Christian brethren, will inev. itably lead to a schism in the Church, by the establishment of another Episco- pal Church in tiiese United States. All must admit- this Arimld be asure evil. The minority of yoar Committee bag the Convention to p*nse< befort'thtfy tak«a' step which may lead to sucli a disastrous result. rt may well be asked. Can it be that because those who seek SdWiiSidti hero are of a different race and Comptexion frbm oni'selxfeS, that dmjbt's atS entertained of the expediency of admitting them to urtion with this CdnVen- tibn? Ha-ve they not the Bible for their guide? 00 they read in itthit itS^ (Rvine precepts, its' universarcharity, it's prottltsed re wafds are -lirtiifetf fd'^ailJP nlde or naJtibn ? Was- not the' Gospel vouchsafed to all men, td b* ptticlaM*! to all nations ? 25 The minority of your Committee expressly disavow any other motive in thus recommending the admission of this Church, than that of promoting peace and harmony, and carrying out into practice the great Catholic doctrine of intercommunion of saints, as taught in the Bible, the word of God. These persons who apply for this fellowship have been made, in Holy Baptism, " members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heav- en" — they "eat his flesh and drink his blond," and thus are incorporated into Him ; with us, they are one with Him, and He is one with them. However just and proper distinctions in society may be in other respects, yet as members of one Holy Catholic Church, there ought to be no other distinction than that made by superior self-denial, holiness and virtue. The minority of your Committee would deprecate most earnestly any pro. longed or excited discussions of this subject, or the introduction of questions not necessarily connected with it, and recommend that this Church be admit- ■ ted into union with this Convention. All which is respectfully submitted, Evan M. Johnson, John A. King. New York, Oct. 2, 1846. Had the author of this last report been permitted to know the contents of the former, he would have corrected some of its misstatements and called spe- cial attention to some of its strange positions. He will endeavor to do this now. It is not true, that this question "is wholly unconnected with the religious lights or duties of the applicants," or that our Conventions are "civil machin- ery." I ask, who elects our Bishop 1 Who elects the delegates to our General Convention? All the rites of the Church and its liturgy may be changed, or modified by this body — doctrines set forth and duties prescribed by these, the Bishops and Conventions ; and yet we are told, in this report, that our Conven- tion is only to regulate " the Society'' and is like the Parliament in England in respect to the Church in England. Had it been said that our State Con- ventions were like the Provincial Synods of Great Britain, this would have been true, I ask if the Bishops, in the West Indies, were to call a meeting of a Provincial Synod, is it probable that they would call only the white Clergy, men of their Dioceses ? One would, from this report, think that this application for admission was from thefemales of St- Philip's Church. This is not true. I suppose the fe- males of that congregation wish to be represented as.other females are, by their fathers, and husbands, and brothers. We hardly know what to say to this. "We object not to the color of thi skin, but \^ question their possession of those qualities which would render their in- tercourse with the members of a Church Convention useful or agreeable, even to themselves." What qualities are here meant ? Do none of them possess those " qualities" which our Saviour recognises in them as all sufficient to make them members of Hia Body? They may have these, but, these are not 2,6 the qualities whicli they must have to belonj to a Church Convention. I am glad it is said a Church and mt the, Church Convention. I have striven in vain to reconcile the following passage with other parts of this report and with the rejection of this Church which it recommends. "Would not our present duty to this unfortunate race be fully performed by extended and liberal efforts to imorove their mind and condition, by intellectual culture, by rehgioua instruction, and, as they advance in intelligence and refinement, by relaxing the. severities of casta, which now separate us, until, by degrees, they become fitted for the duties and enjoyments of a higher social condition, and then, admit them in our public and private intercourse, to free and equal communion?" I answer to this question, yes, it would be — and the best time to begin to discharge this duty is, now : and by rejecting the recommendation of this majority Report, convince our brethren that our intention is sincere and not a mere profession of words. When the author of the minority Report wrote of the possibility, if this Church were rejected, of the establishment of another Church, he did not know that the very thing itself would be recommended by the majority. *' The consequence of such a determination (to refuse admittance) probably vpill be, that such Churches and congregations will not be responsible to, or under the goyernmsntor control of this Convention, but will remain subject to the ordinary jurisdiction of Ihmr Bishop — and when their members becomo adequate, may have Church Councils of their own for their own peculiar go- vernment " (and of course Bishops.) Here is a positive and direct recom- mendation to destroy the unity of the Church, rather, than to adopt the train, ing process recommended in the former extract. I can only say that if the Convention of New York adopt, as their own, the sentiments advocated in this report and the measure recommended by it, they may boast themselves as much as they please, of their adherence to Catholic truth, and speak of the sacrifices they are called to make for their defence of it ; tiie whole Catholic Church will give them liltle.credit for their consistency or orthodoxy. Some time during the last year, in the State of Indiana, a newspaper controversy was carried on in opposition to and in defence of the Church. It was argued by the Church opponents, that by this very report which was quoted, the Epis. ' copal Church did not desire or expect common people to belong to it — that it was for those who thought themselves select members of Society. Let us hope arid pray that our brethren of the Laity, will notbe alarmed at the cry of "Abo- litionism," or any other "ism;" but will strive to disarm themselves of pre- judice and will pray the great Head of the Church, to preserve them from giving just cause of complaint to any, even the weakest, the most oppressed, or the most despised of their fellow christians, who are, with them, members of the one Calholic aud Apostolic Church in the world, which is, and which is to come. S. Slavery Extension.— The Christian Philanthropist will rejoice that pub- lic attention is now* distinctly turned to this subject. It must be remembered 27 that the Mexican States, when they threw off the Spanish yoke and declared themselves free and independent, did, with far more consistency than these States, abolish slavery absolutely and wholly. When the adventurers, mostly from the slave States of this Union, took possession of the State of Texas, they re-established slavery where it had for many years ceased to exist. It was admitted to this union as slave territory. The operation of this, politically, ie, that in Texas two white votes are as good'as five in New York, and the same laws by which slavery is enforced in our slave Slates are in operation there. — Indeed it wasopenly declared to be one principal object in receiving Texas into tliis Union, to obtain a market for human beings and to extend the area of slave territory. We have now in effect conquered New Mexico and Califor- nia. At present there are, in these States, no slaves. The questions now are, shall slavery be again established there, or shall it not ? Shall this great region be settled by freemen wholly or by slaves and their masters? Shall those so vere and cruel laws under which so many millions of men, and women, and children now suffer, be extended over this territory, or shall it be subjected to but one system of laws and those for freemen? As a political question, would any one suppose, that a single individual in these northern States, who calls himself a Republican, in any sense of the term, would either advocate this extension or fall to do everything in his power, by his influence, by his vote, by his voice and by his pen to hinder such a lasting evil and disgrace from being brought upon his country ? Thank God, as a party, the pro-slavery party are few in number and becoming still fewer in influence. If worldly. minded politicians at the North are found who oppose this extension simply from political motives, I ask where are the Christian Clergy at the South? What are they doing ? Has one of them raised a voice against the extension of slavery? — Suppose St . Vincent de Paul were, at this time. Bishop of New Orleans, would ho see thousands and thousands of his fellow men and Christians, marched in chains to perpetual slavery in Texas and not raise his voice in opposition? Would he see an immense addition to this country in his immediate neighborhood, ac- quired on purpose to plant the worst of slavery and to establish the severest slave laws that ever existed, and remain silent? Oh! may a spirit like his be stirred up in the breast of every Prelate and every Clergyman, that whether it cause them to be persecuted even unto death or not, they may fearlessly proclaim their op. position to every law, and every practice, and every custom, inconsistent with the cordial reception of the doctrine of " Communion of Saints" and the dis- charge of those duties which it enjoins. ..„v* .^i