THE CONVENTIONS OF 1789. At the meeting of the General Convention of the Church in the Middle and Southern States, in July, 1789, a letter from the Rev. Samuel Parker, enclosing an invitation from the Clergy of Massachusetts and New Hampshire to the Bishops of Pennsylvania and New York, to unite with the Bishop of Connecticut in the consecration of the Rev. Edward Bass, their Bishop elect, demanded immediate attention. This measure, as we are assured by Bishop White, was set on foot by the energetic Parker; and, as appears in the sequel, was not so much intended to bring about Mr. Bass's consecration, as, by the presentation of a case in point, to effect that union which was the desire of the great body of Churchmen throughout the land. The tendency of this measure had not escaped the vigilant eyes of Bishop Provoost in New York, and the attempt was made by the most prominent Layman of Massachusetts, Dudley Atkins Tyng, Esq., to interest the various vestries of Massachusetts and New Hampshire in opposition to Mr. Bass's consecration, on the ground, that none but the Clergy had been permitted to participate in his election. It required the most determined and painstaking effort, on the part of Mr. Parker, to counteract this opposition, to the strength of which he refers. in a letter we shall subsequently give. But by his judicious measures, the growing discontent was allayed, and on the third day of the session the following document was introduced. "An act of the Clergy of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, recommending the Rev. Edward Bass for consecration, was laid before the Convention, by the Right Rev. Dr. White, and is as follows: The good providence of Almighty GoD, the fountain of all goodness, having lately blessed the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, by supplying it with a complete and entire Ministry, and affording to many of her communion the benefit of the labours, advice and government of the successors of the Apostles: We, Presbyters of said Church in the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, deeply impressed with the most lively gratitude to the Supreme Governor of the universe, for his goodness in this respect, and with the most ardent love to his Church, and concern for the interest of her sons, that they may enjoy all the means that Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, has instituted for leading his followers into the ways of truth and holiness, and preserving his Church in the unity of spirit and the bond of peace, to the end that the people committed to our respective charges may enjoy the benefit and advantage of those offices, the administration of which belongs to the highest Order of the Ministry, and to encourage and promote, as far as in us lies, a union of the whole Episcopal Churc in these States, and to perfect and compact this mystical body of Christ, do hereby nominate, elect and appoint the Rev. Edward Bass, a Presbyter of said Church, and Rector to St. Paul's, in Newburyport, to be our Bishop; and we do promise and engage to receive him as such, when canonically consecrated and invested with the apostolic office and powers by the Right Reverend the Bishops hereafter named, and to render him all that canonical obedience and submission which, by the laws of Christ, and the constitution of our Church, is due to so important an office. And we now address the Right Reverend the Bishops in the States of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania, praying their united assistance in consecrating our said Brother, and canonically investing him with the apostolic offices and powers. This request we are induced to make from a long acquaintance with him, and from a perfect knowledge of his being possessed of that love to Gop and benevolence to men, that piety, learning and good morals, that prudence and discretion, requisite to so exalted a station, as well as that personal respect and attachment of the communion at large in these States, which will make him a valuable acquisition to the Order, and, we trust, a rich blessing to the Church. Done at a meeting of the Presbyters whose names are under written, held at Salem, in the County of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the fourth day of June, Anno Salutis, 1789. SAMUEL PARKER, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston. T. FITCH OLIVER, Rector of St. Michael's Church, Marblehead. TILLOTSON BRUNSON, Assistant Minister of Christ Church, Boston. A true copy. Attest: SAMUEL PARKER. At the meeting aforesaid, Voted-That the Rev. Samuel Parker be authorized and empowered to transmit copies of the foregoing Act, to be by him attested, to the Right Reverend the Bishops of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania; and that he be our agent to appear at any Convocation to be holden at Pennsylvania or New York, and to treat upon any measures that 1 may tend to promote an union of the Episcopal Church throughout the United States of America, or that may proye advantageous to the interests of said Church. EDWARD BASS, Chairman. A true copy. Attest: SAMUEL PARKER." Following the presentation of this important document, as we learn from the journals "A letter was also read from the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury, Bishop of the Church in Connecticut, to the Right Rev. Dr. White, and one from the same gentleman to the Rev. Dr. Smith. Upon reading the said letters, it appearing that Bishop Seabury lay under some misapprehensions concerning an entry in the Minutes of a former Convention, as intending some doubt of the validity of his consecration Resolved unanimously, That it is the opinion of this Convention, that the consecration of the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury to the Episcopal office is valid. (1)” On being referred to the committee of the whole, this matter was discussed day by day, until Wednesday, August 30, 1789, when, as appears from the Journal "The Rev. Dr. Smith, in order to bring the business before them to a conclusion, offered the following resolves : The Committee of the whole, having had under their deliberate consideration the application of the Clergy of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, for the consecration of the Rev. Edward Bass, as their Bishop, do offer to the Convention the following resolves; 1st, Resolved, That a complete Order of Bishops, derived as well under the English as the Scots line of Episcopacy, doth now subsist within the United States of America, in the persons of the Right Rev. William White, D. D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Pennsylva nia; the Right Rev. Samuel Provoost, D.D., Bishop of the said Church in the State of New York and the Right Rev. Samuel Seabury D. D., Bishop of the said Church in the State of Connecticut. 2d, Resolved, That the said three Bishops are fully competent to every prop (1) Reprinted Journals of the General Convention, Perry's Edition I. pp. 70, 71. er act and duty of the Episcopal office and character in these United States, as well in respect to the consecration of other Bishops, and the ordering of Priests and Deacons, as for the government of the Church according to such rules, Canons and institutions as now are, or hear after may be duly made and ordained by the Church in that ca-e. 3d, Resolved, That in Christian charity, as well as of duty, necessity and expediency, the Churches represented in this Convention ought to contribute, in every manner in their power, towards supplying the wants and granting every just and reasonable request of their sister Churches in these. States; and, therefore. 4th, Resolved, That the Right Rev. Dr. White and the Right Rev. Dr. Provoost be, and they hereby are requested to join with the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury, in complying with the prayer of the Clergy of the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, for the consecration of the Rev. Edward Bass, Bishop-elect of the Churches in the said States; but, that before the said Bishops comply with the request aforesaid, it be proposed to the Churches in the New England States to meet the Churches of these States, with the said three Bishops, in an adjourned Convention, to settle certain articles of union and discipline among all the Churches, previous to such consecration. 5th, Resolved, That if any difficulty or delicacy, in respect to the Archbishops and Bishops of England, shall remain with the Right Rev. Drs. White and Provoost, or either of them, concerning their compliance with the above request, this Convention will address the Archbishops and Bishops, and hope thereby to remove the difficulty. These resolves were unanimously agreed to as the Report of the Committee. The Committee having finished the business committed to them, rose and reported to the Convention the above resolves. On motion of the Rev. Dr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Andrews, this report was unanimously agreed to. (1) The measures thus happily inaugurated are again referred to as the Convention drew near its adjournment, when the following action took place: "The committee for preparing an address to the Most Rev. Archbishops of Canterbury and York, reported an address, which was read and adopted. Ordered, that it be engrossed for signing, and that it be signed by the members of the Convention, as their address, and by the President officially. Ordered, that it be published in the Journal of the adjourned meeting of this Convention. (1) Reprinted Journals, Perry's edition, I. 74, 75. On motion, Resolved, That the Right Rev. Dr. White, Rev. Dr. Smith, Rev. Dr. Magaw, Hon. Mr. Hopkinson, Mr. T. Coxe, and Mr. Burrows, be a Committee to forward the above mentioned address; to prepare and forward the necessary answers to the Rev. Mr. Parker and the Clergy of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, respecting their application for the consecration of the Rev. Edward Bass, their Bishop elect; to answer, as far as may be necessary, the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury's letters; to forward the minutes and proceedings of this Convention to the English Archbishops and Bishops; and also to the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury, and to the Eastern and other Churches not included in this union, to notify to them the time and place to which this Convention should adjourn, and request their attendance at the same, for the good purposes of union and general government; and to call such special meetings of the Convention as may be necessary." (1) Bishop White lost no time in addressing a hurried note to Bishop Seabury, expressing his satisfaction at the prospect of a speedy union, on terms such as could not fail to commend themselves to all right-minded men. BISHOP WHITE TO BISHOP SEABURY. Right Rev. and dear Sir: Philadelphia, Aug, 11th, 1789. My delaying to acknowledge the receipt of your last letter arose from ye near meeting of ye Convention, to which it had an evident relation. And I now defer it longer, with ye expectation of our soon discussing ye weighty contents of it more fully and effectually than can be done in correspondence. For I cannot for a moment suppose that you will see cause to decline ye unanimous invitation which you will herewith receive from ye Convention to their adjourned meeting.. However conscious of rectitude in the part I have taken, and which will appear to you from the Journal, I am not without apprehension that it will be misunderstood by a Brother for whom I entertain a sincere esteem, and with whom I wish to be united in religious labors. I can conscientiously declare that my professed obligations are not supposed, either without due deliberation, or with a desire to create difficulties. (2) (1) Reprinted Journals, Perry's edition, I. 86. (2) In the original draft of this letter, from which we transcribe it, the following paragraph is here appen led: "And if it shall appear from ye answer of ye Archbishops, either that I am released from ye said obligations, or that they were imaginary, I will join, without delay, in the proposed consecration of Mr. Bass. Further, it is my earnest wish to be relieved from them, that one of these two may appear, and I have so expressed myself in my letter to ye Archbishops of Canterbury. |