5

ocese back upon its primitive and reserved powers, I looked
forward with hope to some wiser and more authoritative action
by our General Council.

I am fully aware, my good Brother, that I have no canon-
ical authority to substitute a Prayer of my own, or of any
one else, for one of those in our Liturgy; but you must be
aware that there are time in the Church's ecperience when
Canon, Rubric, and even Constitution, may excusably yield to
a more constraining power. God knows thatthe leveling spir-
it of the present day has stripped our Bishops of nearly all
their rightful authority; but what mere puppets would they be
if a sound discretion were denied them in exigencies like the
present! I, however, will not argue this point with you.
It is probable that we should not widely differ if we could
only meet and talk it over.

You must understand me, however, that I have adopt-
ed the theory of out good Bishop Polk, viz. that the Church
should follow her nationality. When I voted for our separ-
ate organisation, it was upon the ground of expediency, and
under the belief that we could thereby keep up a more stable
and friendly intercourse with our Nothern brethren. Wheth-
er we shall ever reunite with them must be determined by cir-
cumstances. Never, however, will I consent to it, unless