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Description
Bishop Meade agrees with Chase that "Romanism" is a threat to the Church. He encourages Chase to write a letter to be presented at the next General Convention expressing his worries.
Date
10-14-1843
Keywords
Bishop Onderdonk, Romanism, Catholicism, General Convention, Episcopal Church, religion, Bishop Hopkins
Recommended Citation
Meade, William, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1843). Philander Chase Letters. 1211.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/1211
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Transcript
Charlotteville[sic] Oct 14’h 1843.
Right Rev’d & Dear Sir,
I cannot forbear thanking you for your most excellent circular to the Bishops on the danger of approaching too near to Rome. She is coming near enough to us; we need not meet her on the way. I have expressed my sentiments on the subject in a letter to the Banner, which I have just written. You have a task before you this year, which require all the wisdom & grace you can obtain to execute well I mean the preparation of a Pastoral letter for the next General Convention. It is probably in that [way] alone that the [worried] voice of the Church can be heard. I trust you will be sustained by a large majority of the Bishops. I hear from good authority that Bishop Hopkins who says that hitherto he has spoken & thought [gently] & [charitably] of the Tractarious & the [?], now discloses he can do it no longer. We are in danger on all hands. Depend upon it, our convent, for other denominations & on addition for the uncommitted part of the community will be greatly lessened. Our laity male & female are pressed on all hands with question as to our principles, & they come to the Clergy for an answer. And what answer can they give? Can they say with Bishop Onderdonk that all power is in the hands of the Bishop & the [?] of God-- it will not do. When a Bishop acts like a venerable Patriarch, he will be venerated accordingly, not otherwise. I would not reduce it an inch below the sculptural [?], but we must not raise it above.
I have taken a piece of [?] paper all I had, & [?] a hurried moment to send you my thanks. I expect to be in this place in about 17 days for this & in Richmond on the 17th of November, & shall be glad to hear from you. Is it a secret to whom you wrote your letter.
Your very [loving]
W Meade